I have been with music teachers, who don't want to teach you what they really know. These teachers are no doubt skilled musicians, but they keep what they know a secret. They teach unnecessary music superfluous, that you won't use in a real musical environment and it stays that way, so that you remain a student with them and they get your money. I had high expectations of taking music lessons, thinking that it will at least make me a semi-professional musician, only to be upset at the results after spending months with them. Fortunately I quit and I have been purchasing dvds and books and they are more helpful than actual lessons. Then I found a music teacher on the internet, living in our area. The music teacher is expensive, but she teaches jazz piano and something I always want to learn. Hopefully she is not a music teacher that don't teach me weird stuff that are unnecessary but I will actually learn quintessential jazz piano concepts that is useful.
I'm a beginner at drums, but piano is a different animal. When it comes to piano, I can play at least Grade 6 level. I can play almost anything just by practice. I don't need the basics anymore. I just have some knowledge gaps that needs to be filled, but I am always with secretive music teachers. They don't want to teach you what they really know.
Most teachers are not going to show you what they really know, until you can utterly prove that you've mastered the basics with no doubt.
What people on here are trying to explain is that your teacher is likely not letting you in on these "secrets" because he/she feels your current skill level would not support such knowledge.
I've taught several highly academic people in the past who are this way. They want their own results and feel belittled if I make them study important basic skills. Some refuse to study piece i set them and do their own pieces predominantly. I think some do not understand why they can't think their way through piano music and how can this piano teacher be more intelligent at thinking piano than me!I have given "secrets" away to these impatient students only for them to of course not understand it or bother to take it serious enough to apply, as keypeg suggested already it goes over their heads. I give them secrets in how to improve but they won't believe it. If you think you know how to self learn better then don't study with a teacher. Go learn as much as you can on your own. Always ask your teacher questions don't keep your frustrations inside, personally I lve the tension and challenge to change their opinions, it doesn't always work but those that are too stubborn I am happy for them to search for their own way, who says there is only one path! Tonns of teachers out there, go on a teacher smorgasbord.
My sister and I were learning at the same pace with different drum teachers and now my sister is a legit drummer, while I never touched the drum set ever since.
What people on here are trying to explain is that your teacher is likely not letting you in on these "secrets" because he/she feels your current skill level would not support such knowledge. If you were indeed taught these "secrets" there may be sufficient gaps in your knowledge that, in your teacher's opinion, you would not be able to execute the task or grasp the concept. Feel free to shop around for other teachers if you feel the current one is not beneficial to your learning style. At the end of the day the student is in part responsible for their own learning. Studying with the best teachers will not automatically make you a good musician. Thinking about what your are taught and applying knowledge will go a long way.
Have you considered these options in addition to just having a worse teacher:- You sister has a better attitude towards being taught and so got out much more out of her lessons- You sister just happens to be a faster leaner and/or have more natural talentI'm going to say what I think, harsh or not: Your posts give the impression of someone who is stuck on blaming his environment for his own shortcomings... Complaining won't get you far and that's what you seem to concentrate on...
It's true I'm a slow learner. I learn differently. Must have something to do with my autism. I have Asperger's Syndrome. In my life, there were teachers that were very strict and they know how to teach me and the teacher and I clicked.
I have been a musician for more than a decade (since 2003) and I'm not really master. My practice material sucks. It also has a lot to do with a lack of guidance and direction.
You claim your path of learning music lacks guidance and direction. Yet you seem to be dissatisfied with the guidance from current teachers. Why did you drop your jazz piano course near the end of term?What exactly are you taking in university? Are you in the music program or are you just taking music courses?
Is it possible that your Aspergers is preventing you not only from understanding your teacher's instructions, but also the implications of that instruction? They may think that they've made it quite clear that you are not the standard you think you are while you need it to be told to you quite explicitly. That sort of communication is very painful, so people usually try to convey it obliquely, which wont work when Aspergers is involved. When I started with my lovely teacher, he very gently steered me towards pieces easier than the ones I was attempting. He didn't say anything explicitly, but I understood the message. You might have thought he was keeping the secret of how to play those harder pieces from you.Eventually, with his careful guidance I reached the point I thought I had been all along and now I can steer my own way through the repertoire.
I think that maybe you have just discovered that the bulk of material for practicing jazz is garbage. You can't really practice something that is meant to emerge spontaneously during a performance. You cannot learn to do this the same way you learned to play classical piano. To study a score and play it exactly as someone else did--is against the whole idea of jazz...that's why it's so hard to teach. p How do you teach someone to be creative? especially when that person has been taught that the only music worth playing was written by the likes of Beethoven. It's a lot to overcome.
I don't play jazz but I used to sing it. I think there are two ways to handle such music: Either you learn enough theory to be able to use it and create an illusion of spontaneity or you are one of those people who can simply create on intuition (which I believe means you naturally understand the structures of music without necessarily knowing the concepts and having formally studied it). I doubt the latter is something that can be taught, but one can grow into it by exposure.
Personally, I am good at music theory, but theory is for babies. It is so easy. Once you play by ear, you don't need theory.
I had high expectations of taking music lessons, thinking that it will at least make me a semi-professional musician, only to be upset at the results after spending months with them.
Just curious, what is "semi-professional" ? Where/what are you playing as a semi-professional ?Or what do you think you should be playing where?
playing at a professional level---I know plenty of professional musicians who suck. I know many amateurs who don't.a semi-professional level assumes that everyone who gets paid to play is at a higher level musically than those who don't get paid... and that just isn't the case...I'm sorry to say.I just dislike that term altogether... and I'm one who does get paid.
I have been with music teachers, who don't want to teach you what they really know. These teachers are no doubt skilled musicians, but they keep what they know a secret. They teach unnecessary music superfluous, that you won't use in a real musical environment and it stays that way, so that you remain a student with them and they get your money.
My only hope for me is that if I purchase the Cobus Method. The author teaches you to make your own unique drum beats.
What people on here are trying to explain is that your teacher is likely not letting you in on these "secrets" because he/she feels your current skill level would not support such knowledge. If you were indeed taught these "secrets" there may be sufficient gaps in your knowledge that, in your teacher's opinion, you would not be able to execute the task or grasp the concept.
When it comes to piano, I can play at least Grade 6 level. I can play almost anything just by practice. I don't need the basics anymore.
If this is what you think, then you should know that there are prizewinners at major international competitions who still struggle as a concert pianist. This should give you s sense of perspective and make you think twice before ctiticising your teacher.
It also depends on your own goal as a musician though. Of course, what you are saying is right... but for OP, being able to play what he wants passably is probably very satisfying and fulfilling already.
Money Making Music Teachers (Read 8137 times)
