We asked Lessonface Teachers of the Year about their process and goals for 2025. Here are the responses of Collin Young, our guitar teacher of the year for 2024.
What’s the most creative excuse you heard in 2024 for not practicing?
I had a guitar student this year who ended up with a cast on her fretting hand and still kept practicing really hard! I just think this makes every other excuse seem trivial :)
As technology advances, online learning is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional face-to-face meetings for people of all ages and backgrounds. Online music education, specifically, has allowed students to learn an instrument through web-based interactions with teachers without geographical restrictions. While this might sound exciting, it’s important to compare online lessons with in-person lessons so that parents and students can decide which option is the best fit.
As a guitarist and guitar teacher, I’m often asked something along the lines of “How hard is it to learn to play guitar?” It’s a fair question, and like many questions that mirror this one, there isn’t a one size fits all answer. The idea is too large, even though the question is an appropriate one. The really unsatisfying short answer you’ll hear is “It’s as hard as you make it.” Instead, a better question might be “What can I do with the guitar, and how can I get there?”, though that is also asking something too big.
Students of Duane Denison know he's a dynamo of an educator, as he is a guitarist - creating really interactive classes and lessons that keep students in on the fun and moving forward.
You can learn Duane's approach to songwriting in this free series, which Lessonface produced for AltPress.com.
Louisville-born, Charlottesville-based psychedelic-folk guitarist Ned Oldham, of the Anomoanon, Old Calf, and other critically acclaimed projects, is a recent addition to our teaching roster at Lessonface, and we are thrilled to have him. He was kind enough to answer some questions this week about his own learning background, his advice for beginning guitarists, and current projects.
Lessonface: How were you first introduced to your instrument? How did you learn to play?
Billy Norris is a 25-year-old professional musician who tours the world as the guitarist and musical director for superstar Gavin DeGraw, and we are extremely excited that Billy also offers live online guitar lessons through Lessonface. Since 2008, Billy has toured and recorded both in the U.S. and abroad as the guitarist and musical director for DeGraw, as well as S-Curve artist Andy Grammer, and Universal Republic artist Colbie Caillat.
Khabu Doug Young is a guitar, bass, and ukulele master operating out of New York City. Khabu draws on an eclectic array of influences in his musicianship, thanks in large part to touring around the globe, including all over North America, Europe, and India, with leading musicians like Art Lande and Paul McCandless.
