TOPIC: The benefits of Wednesday classes, and Fretmentor

I have this CRAZY high stress life, high pressure job, long commute to work, kids, employees, bad economy. In the midst of all of that, I am ordered to have a series of medical tests to make sure I am going to actually be around to continue my high stress life. It is no easy thing to take time away from all of this to come to class on Wednesday or to make sure I can go to my Friday Lessons.

I come to Wednesday class, and at times I am so far from my comfort zone I don't know which way is up or down let alone when to change a chord. I am not there to for any reason other than to pursue a passion, and to "unplug" from my usual routine. I want to learn, and to make friends. To socialize, to network with people who share the same passion, to have fun.

We have the opportunity to be taught by someone with a passion for music, and a true gift. When I go to my lessons I realize that I am being taught by someone who is truly gifted as a musician. Fretmentor does not always tell me what I want to hear. I can't remember a teacher in my lifetime that did. At least not one that I learned anything from.

I have had the pleasure of meeting people who love the same music that I do. Without Fretmentor's class I would have had no way to find any of you. Yet I found you via the internet and in my own neighborhood. Wow!

The reason for my longwinded post........Thank You Fretmentor. I know that your class, and lessons have had an impact on my life. I appreciate all of your hard work, and though at times your "constructive criticism" is a touch sarcastic I am a big girl. I know it is meant to teach me to be a better musician.

Did ya take the bullet for the class?.. at-a-girl. I'd stick my neck out for ya

I don't "take bullets" for anybody, and I am not certain what that means with regard to my post. I really am thankful for my class, and the lessons I take. They really do make a difference in my life, and right now I am way more worried about making a minor chord from a major chord. I also understand that I need to work much harder on music theory i.e.: Chord structure, scales, and listening and counting. I really want to learn to play Minor Swing because the sound of it makes me feel something. I want to play all sorts of melody lines, and forget about the technical stuff like vamping and keeping a beat. However when I listen to music guess what? I hear all of those things in the background and I never heard them before. I just went through life happily listening to tunes and never realized all that went into them. So learning some of the things I learn at class, and in my lessons is sort of like getting my 3 and 1/2 year old twins to eat their vegetables. I don't actually like some of it anymore than they like Broccoli.

Hope to see you next Wednesday, have an awesome weekend!

Try food processing the vegies into very small bits and sneak them into the meals. Worked for us.

I think you can do the same thing with music theory. Break it up into small bits and it goes down easier.

Isn't it amazing how a little musical education changes your whole perception of the music you hear every day? This is one of those cases where a little knowledge isn't a dangerous thing, it just leads to a desire for more knowledge. Music makes life better.

I totally agree. I definitely listen to music differently since I started playing, and both recognize and appreciate how much is going on in the tunes I listen to.

Ed is right. Music and music theory goes down best in little bits. And yet, the more I learn, the more amazed I become that there is so much more to it all.

Wednesday's classes are a perfect example. Playing a tune by yourself and playing it with other people are two totally different things. I've really come to appreciate that more each Wednesday.