Perhaps you’ve heard the story of two men who made very different choices when building their foundations.
One man built his house on a foundation of rock. And when the rain came down, and the winds blew and beat against his house, it did not fall.
The second man built his house on sand. And when the rain came down, and the winds blew and beat against his house, it fell with a great crash.
So what does this story have to do with music?
When learning to play an instrument, such as guitar and/or ukulele, using the correct “materials” and putting in “the work”, will reap great rewards in the present and in the future.
Let’s look back at the story of the two men and consider the choices they made to build their foundations.
Materials needed to build a “rock solid” foundation –
- Clear the ground = Find a teacher
- Dig your foundation = How long and how often will my lessons be?
- Frame for your foundation = What are my goals?
- Mix concrete with water = Practice the teacher’s suggested techniques
- Smooth the surface = Build skills and techniques on your “rock solid” foundation
Materials needed to build a “weak sand” foundation –
- Clear the ground = Learning guitar and/or ukulele on YouTube
- Dig your foundation - sand slides = No accountability from a teacher
- Sand under and around your frame = Many techniques and styles => overwhelming
- Mix sand with water? = Your excitement to learn is washed away
- Smooth the surface – A lot of time spent and nothing to show for it
Here’s what my students are saying –
“I had previously tried to teach myself ukulele using youtube but i have continually struggled with timing, rhythm, and switching chords effortlessly. Monica has been super patient helping me learn and has taught me many useful techniques and practices to help me feel overall more comfortable with the ukulele.” - Rosalina
“Monica is a fantastic teacher. She explains the fundamentals of guitar so I can properly play. By Monica’s teaching style, I know that I’m capable of achieving my guitar goals.” - Sherry
“Monica does a great job teaching the fundamentals to help get to the next level no matter where you are. Highly recommended.”- Mike
For more testimonials of students who have built a “rock solid” foundation for guitar and ukulele, see my review page - https://www.happystrumming.org/praise
Happy Strumming offers affordable guitar lessons in Naperville, IL. Private Guitar Lessons. Beginner and Intermediate Guitar and Ukulele Lessons. Top-Rated Guitar Lessons.