Paddy Leitsch: *The Dojo Difference

Paddy Leitsch

Unfortunately, I've had this experience many times in my life. Does this sound familiar?

You were SUPER EXCITED to start learning guitar or bass. You came to that first lesson on cloud nine, just waiting for your entry in to this arena thick with intrigue, history, tradition, revolution, and the ability to truly touch the human soul. You were ready to take on the world... but then something went terribly wrong.

Here's what happened: The instructor blows off lessons, walks out during the lesson, seems to be somewhere else while you're in the room with them, spends much of the lesson on the phone, falls asleep during the lesson, seems inebriated, talks on end about how amazing they are and how you just suck, there's little to no continuity between what you're shown, and almost no concern is given whatsoever to your particular interests or skill level. Have you felt confused and overwhelmed by the material you've been presented and at the same time completely underwhelmed with your instructor's professionalism and your own progress? Chances are, despite what this person may say to you, it has NOTHING to do with you.

It's a sad fact, but many music instructors just aren't interested in their students. They feel that they're just doing this job until they can be a:

* Rock Star

* Concert Performer

* Something vaguely to do with somehow being a millionaire

* A manager at McDonald's

Many instructors don't want to bother or simply (despite being brilliant players) lack the ability to teach altogether. They look at you as a steady stream of income and little else. You're something that they "just have to put up with" for now. Shame on them. If you've ever thought that you deserve better, you're dead on right!

Books and videos, while sometimes helpful, lack the human interaction necessary to answer your questions and concerns with setting and meeting your goals. The presiding premise always seems to end up being "it's my way or the highway". I am here to tell you that this is non-sense. YOU CAN learn what you want and need to know. You just have to be willing to step outside of this archaic and elitist methodology and squash any doubt of your own inabilities. You simply have not yet been shown the way.

One of the things that I hear most often is, "Wow! I wish I would have had someone explain this to me like this in the first place, it would have made things so much easier! What on earth was that other guy showing me!?"

I liken my teaching (and my entire music style as a matter of fact) to a quote from Bruce Lee:

"Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend."

I use a highly organized catalog of exercises and challenges developed from 21 years playing/studying and 16 years teaching experience that will adapt to your learning needs as naturally as crystal clear water. These lessons provide understanding of music as a whole while endowing you with the most solid foundation imaginable for any dwelling that you could want to construct.

From there, if you like rock, we'll study rock. If it's blues, we'll use that. Jazz, classical? We can do that as well. And it isn't a matter of, "Oh, we'll get to that next year." If you're a beginner, there is the matter of completing approximately 3-4 months of "guitar boot camp". But if you follow my directions and dedicate yourself to the instrument for 30 to 45 minutes 5 times per week minimum, your obstacles will be passed and your journey will lead to your chosen destination.

My services are the best, hands down. Once again to quote Mr. Lee, "If I say I'm the best, you may say that I am boasting. But if I said that I was no good, you'd know that that is not true." When I hand you that belt during the first official lesson, that is more than just a marketing gimmick - it is my pledge to do everything within my means to get you where you want to be. I'll be more than happy to back up this claim by providing you the first lesson for free. Come to me with your empty cup and I will gladly fill it with a superior learning experience. And to make my dedication even more evident - you don't have to fight traffic and spend extra gas and precious time to come to me at some out of the way facility: I will travel to you and meet you in the comfort of your own home.

This is who I am and what I do. I am not a rock god. I am not a star. I am not mad at you because I didn't become those things. I am the one who has gone before. I am the Guitar Sensei. If you are willing to exert the effort, I will show you the way.