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I first picked up the guitar when I was 14 as I needed to have a musical accompaniment to the brilliant songs I was about to write that were going to make me famous and very rich.
I am sure that is not an uncommon reason to want to learn to play guitar but I had no idea that later in my life, it would the guitar that would provide my livelihood. Ironically, I have also gone full circle and now also teach students how to write songs after having produced three Cd's of my own songs over the last decade.
Many of my students have different reasons to want to learn guitar but it often boils down to a passionate love of music and a need for self-expression and fulfillment.
However, songwriting is a challenge for everyone when first starting out and the biggest enemy of all is a blank page. Because of this, I always include a session for my students on how to get over 'writer's block' by using prescribed techniques used by professional writers over the years.
Also, as a guitar teacher, I try to encourage all of my students to try and write their own songs as they then spend time researching chords and melodies on their instrument rather than just copying something written by someone else. This encourages the student to experiment with sound and rhythm and explore the limits of their guitar and their ability on it - making for a better player!
So, my argument is - being a songwriter will develop your guitar playing in a way that is not possible by just covering other people's songs.
Well, it has worked for me!
