I saw a story today about a new iPad app called “On The Music Path” (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/on-the-music-path-ipad-app-offers-users-in-depth-one-on-one-lessons-taught-by-master-musicians-including-jackson-browne-ravi-shankar-and-richard-thompson-120766969.html) that provides music lessons from famous rock stars and musicians:
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Imagine taking in-depth, one-on-one guitar lessons from Jackson Browne or Richard Thompson. These are among the rarefied experiences offered by On The Music Path, a new iPad app designed to teach users to play real instruments with instruction from world-class musicians. Lessons are shot in high-definition video by award-winning cinematographer Alan Kozlowski, who developed the app with business partner Derek Penn. On The Music Path offers insight and inspiration to students from beginners to advanced players, building an archive of wisdom from master practitioners passing down their art to future generations.
In addition to Browne and Thompson, world-renowned artists teaching On The Music Path master classes include: Marcia Ball, Roscoe Beck, Michael Chapdelaine, Luis Conte, Steve Ferrone, Steve Postell, Lee Ritenour, Vonda Shepard, Leland Sklar, Kenny Sultan, Scott Tennant, and even the legendary Ravi Shankar. The range of lessons will continue to grow as the app’s repertoire evolves.
“In an age when more people are learning to play virtual guitars than real guitars, On The Music Path is unabashedly ‘old school and proud of it,'” says Penn. “There are no machine-generated jam tracks, game leaderboards, or polyphonic note-detection algorithms — just lessons from extraordinary players, and technological teaching tools used in service of understanding how to play it.”
Jackson Browne breaks down some of the essential elements of his distinctive style on “Fingerpicking and Alternate Tunings,” for intermediate to advanced players. Richard Thompson, a guitarist Rolling Stone has cited as one of the Top 20 of all time, teaches “Folk Rock Guitar.” Each of these two lessons features four of the artist’s signature songs. Also among the initial slate of lessons are “Fundamentals of the Guitar” from singer-songwriter Steve Postell; “Intro to the Blues” from blues guitarist Kenny Sultan; and “Intro to the Classical Guitar” from Scott Tennant, member of the Grammy®-winning L.A. Guitar Quartet.
Alan Kozlowski is On The Path’s founder and creative director. Derek Penn is co-founder and chief software architect. “On The Music Path embodies our passion for great musicianship,” says Kozlowski, “and for the tradition of apprenticeship between a student and teacher that goes back thousands of years, and that I have personally experienced through my mentor and teacher Ravi Shankar, who is the embodiment of this path.”
On The Music Path’s simple, elegant user interface leverages the intuitive nature of the iPad’s touch-based operating system. Features include a built-in metronome, the ability for users to record themselves, and the functionality for users to slow the video down to 1/4 of its original speed to practice at their own pace. At each lesson’s end, users have the opportunity to play along with the teacher. Lessons range from 45 to 85 minutes, and are accompanied by complete musical notation and tablature synchronized to the teacher’s playing. The application can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store beginning April 28, with lessons available from $2.99 to $19.99. Students can try out the first chapters of any lesson at no charge before purchasing.
“Learning your instrument doesn’t get any better than this,” says Jac Holzman, founder of Elektra Records, a company whose artist-friendly model inspired Kozlowski and Penn in establishing On The Music Path.
[/content_box_grey]Now I don’t usually go spouting my opinion about things like this… but I’m genuinely concerned. While I won’t argue that Jackson Browne has written some great songs over the years, what is it that makes him a good music teacher? Or teacher of anything for that matter?
It just so happens that there are a couple of actual teachers on the list, Kenny Sultan and Scott Tennant. I don’t know Kenny’s stuff personally but I know he has at least written some instructional materials. I have one of Scott’s books and it’s really good so I know he does good work.
Learners of guitar see this sort of thing all the time. Rock stars being marketed as good musicians/teachers. Being a rock star and being a good musician are not mutually inclusive. In other words, just because you’re a rock star doesn’t mean you can play well… and it certainly doesn’t mean you can teach.
Teaching guitar, or any instrument, and being good at it requires experience, patience, and an actual desire to see your students improve. You have to take time and notice the things that work and the things that don’t. You can’t just teach something some way because that’s the way you learned it.
In many cases the way I learned something is not the way that works best for the majority of students. And a good teacher should notice when one method is not working and be willing to experiment with others to find the best way.
Obviously having technology is not inherently a bad thing. And I know that a lot of people like to learn on the ipad. And having the ability to slow down the videos and record yourself… these are all great things. But if the people actually providing the instruction are not doing their job, the rest of it won’t matter at all.
I’d like to hear your thoughts on this one too… please leave your comments below.
15 replies to "New Technology Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Better Learning"
As a follow up, this great idea didn’t stand the test of time. The app developer has gone broke and the site’s been pulled from the app store.
What’s even more troubling is that consumers who bought lessons have no way to get compensation for lost content or restore prior purchases. I’m one of those unlucky ones…
‘Being a rock star and being a good musician are not mutually inclusive.’ Haha, yeah you are 100% right!
I know for sure there are some musicians whose success is build just on their appearance, behaviour and perfomances. Which doesn’t mean they are good musicians.
I purchased blues unleashed 9/7/11 it’s 9/20/11 and stll not here?
This is only place I can find to ask others how long it took to get there video/written lessons?
I loved the free lessons so much I ordered the whole package, but am now wearing a path from house to mailbox only to return empty handed. 🙁
I have had lessons on the net since 1994. While it is cool getting notes from China about my teaching ideas. Nothing compares to week by week in yo face interventions of the teaching studio.
All the Videos on Youtube and printed materials that I offer my students do little more than remind them what we are working on.
I agree with most of the other comments. I can’t speak to whether or not the folks mentioned above are or aren’t good teachers but I can say with 100% conviction that Griff’s teaching methods and style are working for me. Though I do get frustrated at times because I think I’ve practiced something so many times that I shouldn’t still be making mistakes I think I’ve advanced a good long ways in the couple of years I’ve been at this. Learning guitar or any instrument isn’t an easy thing to do and there is no way to fake it. On the subject of doing vs. teaching I swam for Sherm Chavoor who was the 1968 and 1972 USA women’s Olympic coach. It was said he could not swim at all but he sure could coach and motivate. Griff’s an excellent guitarist and a great teacher. If anyone out there is reading this trying to decide if he/she should pick up one of his courses,my advice is to do so because I think you will find a lot of value in them.
Ditto..ditto…ditto. Technology is a tool and not a crutch. Every learner needs a good teacher. BBG, BGU, SWS have done that….all of your lessons do a good job of spiraling…i.e. adding on to what has been presently learned…can’t wait for the theory course to fill in my many gaps…later.
cowboy
I use Amplitube on my iPad and it is great. Lots of amps,cabs and effect pedals to play with , 8 track recording.
I don’t need a practice amp and my wife likes the peace and quite 🙂
Good lessons however require a good teacher so how about BGU iPad vids 🙂
I run BBG/BGU on my pc and my guitar via the iPad so have the best of both worlds. I copied the backing tracks onto the iPad to use in Amplitube.
I absolutely agree with you. The ability to teach is paramount to being successful. I’ve stuck with you and your style since signing on with BGU because it works for me, and I do know that you care. I’ve tried two others right before BGU came out and was disappointed so imagine my surprise at getting the BGU materials.
I’ve had the opportunity to sit in front of you in a class enviroment and I sit in front of you daily on my PC. You are an oustanding instructor and one awesome guitarist.
Thanks for this post, it is easy to get distracted with all the hype that goes into promoting this stuff.
I took guitar lessons for 5 years from a very accomplished guitar player. I struggled to learn, and got nowhere. I finally gave up, and put the guitar under the bed. I just couldn’t justify the effort and expense, and getting nowhere. I came across your website last fall, and haven’t looked back. I am by no means a player yet, but I am light years ahead of where I was. I came to realize that while he was very good at his craft, he was not a very good teacher. I suppose that it would be advantageous to have a live instructor to point out my deficiencies, but I find I pick them up myself, eventually. I guess that’s what learning is all about. For me, your method works, and I’m here to stay.
I’m of the opinion that there are “teachers” and then there are those that can play exceptionally well, but could not and should not try to teach. I would have to see the lessons first, but if they haven’t taken the time to teach one on one to students of various abilities and have succeeded, I don’t see how they can be very good at passing on anything more than an attitude. I foresee a lot of frustrated students. i may be wrong, but I think it is more a marketing ploy than anything else.
Bill
I completely agree. I can play guitar, drums, and piano pretty well, but I can’t teach to save my life. People are wrong if they really believe those guys are the best teachers. There are so many different learning styles and personalities out there; a single video on a topic will probably not help most people. Sometimes the best teachers (and in my experience, the best players) are those 80-year-old guys who have been playing in their garages since they were teens and of whom no one has ever heard.
Rath
Seems like we’d have to see a few example lessons to know whether the teaching is effective or not. Even then, I’m sure there will be a lot of variation between one musician’s lessons and another’s. I don’t think we should discount this method just because the musicians enlisted are not professional teachers. There are a lot of professional teachers out there who are not, in fact, effective teachers.
same point I make about sports coaches who were former players.
A good player doesn’t guarantee he’ll be a good coach.
it is what it is and it still all boils down to what works for you. If someone else gets value out of it, then who am I to say they didn’t. If anyone asks me, I tell them what works and didn’t for me. I won’t likely be exposed to the program commented on for ipad or other media devices so for me, it won’t matter. If someone recommends it, it will likely be pretty specific.
But before I pay for anything, I usually need confirmation from a source I trust or get some beta sample to try first.
well said – there are plenty of amazingly talented professionals out in the world, but being good at something, and being great at explaining it are two very different things.
Teaching is a different skill.
This may be interesting to some people and probably intermediate to advanced players. But for beginners like me. The will be a huge lack of continuity. I think for beginners it will be frustrating to the point of quitting. Especially with all the hype and marketing that is likely to go into it. 🙁