I like to teach my students how to play songs. There are lots of “Methods” to teach one to play an instrument. Unfortunately, most of them don’t actually involve playing MUSIC on the instrument until you’ve played months of exercises and scales. Why? We all know that some songs are easier to play than others. why not start playing the easy stuff and progress to more challenging? If a song is Good, if it moves you and a lot of other folks, then it undoubtably contains solid music fundamentals and best practices. Doesn’t it make sense to study these fundamental concepts in their natural habitat?
The internet is rife with online lessons. YouTube has millions of free tutorials of various accuracy and clarity, mostly leaning to the low end of the spectrum. Hunting for the Good Ones is tedious and time consuming. Some that look good to a beginner can still be drastically wrong. I’ve been performing music for 35 years and teaching for 21. I have a Masters Degree in Music Education from the University of Kentucky (Go Cats!) I don’t claim to know everything or be the best guitar player in the world, but if you want to sing while you play guitar or ukulele, I can help. I’ve taught in public schools and privately, students from 7 to 65 each one with different aptitudes and skill levels. I’m constantly learning myself, learning new music and trying to make this website a better experience.
If you want to make music, I feel a connection with you already! Almost all the best moments in my life were making music with other people. I love playing and singing and I LOVE helping others learn to make music. Music can express feelings and thoughts that words alone can’t. You enjoy music, what it means and the way it makes you feel but you want to get closer to it, deeper into the mystery. I can help.
MoreThanGuitar.com Founder Ben Brown has a Bachelors of Music Education from Morehead State University, and a Masters in Music Education from the University of Kentucky. He has 15 years experience teaching high school and has taught privately for six years. He’s played in many bands over the last 34 years including White Johnny and the Spine Poodles (Prog-punk), East 60 (Alt-country), Whisper Garden (Darkly Literary Blues) and Fuego Latino (Latin Explosion) and the usual variety dance bands (he’s played LOTS of wedding receptions and bar mitzvahs). Currently he performs with Caribbean Blues (Island), as well as solo. When not managing MoreThanGuitar.com, he writes and records songs, plays gigs, teaches guitar, bass and voice at the DooWop Shop, and rides his American Quarter Horse, Thunder. (Not all at the same time.)
For more information email ben@MoreThanGuitar.com
