Joe Faiella has just recently joined the LIYH team, and we are excited to have him. He is very successful as a guitar teacher. He knows that every student is different. They can either be beginners, semi-advanced, or can play but can’t read music. Right off the bat he assesses each of his students by considering their age, how serious they are, and how much they are willing to pay for a guitar. Joe has quite a few ways to make sure his students learn while, most importantly, having fun. Here are a few things Joe suggests in order to have successful lessons, and techniques he uses himself:

First, start having fun

No matter what level of the student, Joe immediately finds out what his student likes to play. This also includes speaking with the parents. He has them playing what the student likes first. He teaches beginners how to read music with worksheets and shows them the notes. He also assesses students that have been taking lessons already to see what he’s working with. Joe can usually get his students playing the familiar tune “Ain’t No Sunshine” by their first lesson.

Hands-on therapy

When learning to play the guitar, it’s necessary to also consider the hand dexterity of the student. Joe shows his students how to construct chords, so there will be a lot of hand-to-hand contact. He helps students place their hands in the right positions, especially beginners. He also uses diagrams and shows his students which muscles they should be using. Joe gives most of his students exercises they can do to build their strength, shows them hand positioning, and even uses acupressure on his students’ fingers.

Practice makes perfect

Joe knows that how a student practices depends on their lifestyle(both children and adults). He speaks with parents and the students to figure out a practice schedule. He becomes involved by finding out what events they currently have going on, and helps the student determine where and when they can practice. He uses practice logs so that his students can develop a consistent practice schedule. He emphasizes that consistency is very important when it comes to practicing.
Joe has a wealth of knowledge he shares with his students and other teachers. His teaching also continues outside of the student’s home. He performs live with his students on stage so they can gain more experience. He also encourages his students to come see him perform. He uses all of the above techniques to help his students to learn the guitar, have fun, and be successful at what they do.