Lessons for

Advanced Guitarists

Coaching advanced students is a bit different than working with beginner or intermediate students. Although there is still technical work to do, aural skills to enhance, and an even greater diversity of repertoire to explore, the major focus shifts to a student-led process where the student learns to develop their creative ideas and discover their voice.

At the beginning and intermediate stages, much of the content and training is instructor-led, where the teacher delivers content and strategies to the student. However, at the advanced stage, the focus centres on helping the student discover their own truth; that is, honing their own interpretive ideas and developing their musical sensibilities. It is about exploring interpretive possibilities, learning to paint with a variety of different tonal colours, investigating the structure and building blocks of the composition and how that information may impact their interpretations. Most importantly, it is about helping them develop good listening skills; that is, listening critically to his/her own playing. It is no longer about finding fault (though we will still point out the obvious and not so obvious errors) but searching for possibilities and learning how to develop and give birth to one’s own creative ideas.

I wish the biggest obstacle facing you in your development as a classical guitarist—and the thing that is getting in the way of you realising your full potential—was something as simple as not having the chance to study with an internationally renowned player, or not having the opportunity to study at a well-known conservatory or music school, or not having an ideal practice space, or not tackling more challenging repertoire, or not winning a major guitar competition, or not associating with more accomplished guitarists, or not having that perfect instrument that allows you to speak through it, or whatever other reason you think is preventing you from experiencing the joy and bliss you think the next level of achievement will reward you with.

I wish the key in reaching that next level that you desire was as easy as refining your technique, learning that next major composition, learning all the Sor, Carcassi, Brouwer, or Villa Lobos studies, eliminating tension in your body, adjusting your seating or arm positions, playing more chamber music, refining your tone, longer practice sessions, practice more slowly, practicing at tempo, working on finger independence, developing better reading skills, learning all the major guitar concertos, practicing more consistently, recording yourself, using a metronome more regularly, getting rid of distractions, following a practice schedule, creating a warm-up routine, playing with your eyes open, playing with your eyes closed . . . well, you get the idea.

All the above will certainly assist you in reaching that next level—and in and of themselves, they are a good thing—but they will not bring what you truly seek. In fact, I would suggest you already possess what you want—you just have to activate it.

What???

If it was any of the above obstacles—the challenge—would be fairly easy to overcome. Really! Those are challenges that are “out there,” and if they are “out there,” they are usually pretty simple (not necessarily easy) to deal with, generally speaking.

However, you have the privilege (yes, I said "privilege") of dealing with something that is much more difficult to overcome, but essential if you want to reach that next level.

The biggest obstacle—your greatest challenge—is you!

Learning to deal with your own internal blocks, limiting beliefs, self-sabotaging habits is a key to dealing with the biggest road block to your success. Deal with the internal obstacles and the challenges that are external, that is, those things that are "out there," are fairly simple (but, again, not necessarily easy) to deal with. 

Schedule a free consultation and discover how continuing to development your musicianship, sharpening your technical abilities, and subtle mental shifts can help you reach that next level in your musical journey.