How would you summarize your music teaching philosophy?
Make it fun. For most of us, music is a choice. If we enjoy doing it, we'll keep doing it. If it's a miserable experience--either because we never get to play the songs we love or because we don't feel like we can succeed--we'll quit.My goal is to keep students playing, not just while they're taking lessons from me, but for the rest of their lives.
What instruments do you teach?
Piano and guitar.
How long have you been teaching?
Since 2007.
What types of music do you teach?
Just about anything my students want to learn. I've studied jazz, classical, new age and pop music (and I've arranged just about every Taylor Swift song ever written). I'm not an expert lead guitarist and I don't enjoy heavy metal or rap. Otherwise, pretty much anything is on the table. Especially if it's Imagine Dragons.
What music notation styles do you teach?
I teach standard notation and chord reading for piano. I teach tab and chords for guitar.
What ages do you teach?
I teach all ages, but I teach children, teens and adults in different ways. Adults and teens have more developed musical ears and a more intellectual approach to learning music, so I create a custom curriculum that gets them exactly where they want to be as quickly as possible. When children begin to express musical preferences, I do my best to incorporate their favorite songs into the learning process.
How are you different from other music teachers?
For one thing, I purchase all of the music for my students (it's included in the cost of lessons). I tell my students that they can play ALMOST any song they want to play (some songs simply don't work very well for certain instruments, and the heavy metal and rap exceptions mentioned earlier still apply). If printed sheet music isn't available for a particular song, I can usually transcribe it by ear. I try to create a version of a song that sounds like the original but matches a student's playing level, although there are occasions when I will recommend waiting to learn a particular song if it is too far beyond a student's playing ability. I also encourage students to make songs their own. If there's a note or interval they don't like, I tell them it's okay to change it. And I teach my more advanced students improvisation and songwriting if they want to learn those skills. I do teach music theory, but I do it in the context of actual songs rather than just imparting knowledge that students may or may not find useful in their playing. Some of my students want to know what it would be like to play in a band, so I simulate that experience for them in my home studio. I play along on piano or guitar and add synthesized drum beats, strings and looped bass tracks to create a fuller sound. This approach works particularly well with pop music, and it's a lot more interesting than playing along with a metronome. I also use recording technologies to allow students to hear themselves and improve their performing skills. My teaching methods, tools and technologies are continually evolving and I am always searching for fun and innovative ways to help students move to the next level.
Do you require your students to play in recitals?
No, never. I join with a few other teachers in my neighborhood once a year (in January) to put together a recital, but my students can choose whether or not they want to perform.
Do you believe that face-to-face music instruction will eventually become obsolete?
I think there are some people who can find videos online and learn to play quite proficiently without an instructor (guitar would be easier to learn this way than piano). But for the vast majority of us I think there's still a need for face-to-face instruction, at least in the beginning stages. There's just something about the ability to ask questions that makes the educational process work more effectively, and when it comes to playing an instrument a Skype call can only do so much. I'm continually searching for new technologies that will help my students develop their skills more quickly, and perhaps someday my job will be done by a robot or outsourced to India. But I'm not holding my breath.
How do you encourage parental involvement?
I love it when parents want to get involved! They can talk to me anytime to provide feedback or find out how things are going. They are always welcome to attend lessons as their time allows, and I have even had parents take lessons along with their kids.
If someone has additional questions or wants to sign up for lessons, how can they reach you?
My email address is gerrybaird@gmail.com and my phone number is 385-208-2746. I also maintain a web site at www.bairdmusic.com and there is a contact form that can be filled out.
Why do you do what you do?
Music is the universal language. It speaks to hearts in a way that words alone can't. It eases stress, heals souls and helps people forget their troubles. As a musician I can play for my own enjoyment or share music with others while performing at a rest home, playing guitar in front of a campfire, accompanying a church choir or playing for a family Christmas singalong. I teach because I want others to experience the same joy that making music brings to me.
