The first full season of Strings Attached has just completed and things are already looking toward the Summer picking and grinning sessions. Before we get into that, let me tie the ribbon on our Spring Semester and year in general. First I'm thrilled to say every single client who started SA back in August, stuck with it and completed the Spring Semester has made tremendous progress. YOU have already completed levels A and B and will assimilate during the summer to hone these skills to perfection. These guys will be the first to tell you the importance of practice and repetition. It is impossible to practice too much. For those who joined in the Spring, you're almost there and we will continue to present new material as you also hone in on your previously learned skills. As a whole, this inaugural year of Strings Attached has been a success. Yes, there are always room for improvement and I will spend a lot of time this summer creating a plan that will make those improvements come to fruition.
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As for the Summer! MAN O MAN do we have something special.  FOR SUMMER SESSIONS ONLY, returning clients as well as new ones will get their first lesson FREE! Yes this means, you can come 1 time, spend an hour with me. If you don't like it and choose not return, you owe NOTHING!  Because you are going to like the way we treat you, I'm betting you will come back and when you do, you pay as you come each lesson. No advance pay, no make up, just pay each time you come. PLUS!, we work it around your schedule. If you cannot come during your allotted time, just let me know and we will work out a time that works for us both. No excuses not to be here. Bring your guitar, bring your desire to learn and your willingness to practice and you will be playing in NO time at all.
JUST CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED
See you soon
Mike

As mentioned a few weeks ago, I am ready to offer you a summer special for guitar lessons like you've never seen! Seriously, how about first lesson free? How about no obligations, commitments, or CONTRACTS? Sound good? It doesn't stop there guys; furthermore, I am offering to you a flexible schedule from week to week that will work around floating obligations you may have with summer jobs, etc.
Since summer lessons are 1 hour long instead of the usual 30 minutes, you are essentially receiving two lessons for the price of none! If you have ANY idea you may want to learn the guitar, can count to 7 and know your ABCs through the letter G, I can teach you! 
​Click here for more information

This blog is about Stringsattached. My blog entries are always relative to guitar play in general and usually more specifically about the instruction I give here at The Guitar Academy of Blues. But today, I want to talk about my little town of Ohatchee, Alabama. You see this past Thursday afternoon, we were hit with at least 2 tornados. We all knew we were in for some bad weather, we even knew there would be tornados. I watched from my window as lightning was southwest of my house and continued to watch as it moved north/northeast. Suddenly, the wind, which was previously non existent, picked up frantically. I decided it was time to join my wife in our bathroom in the center of our house. Within two minutes, we heard it and then it was gone. Thank the Lord, we suffered no damage. Some debris in our yard from other homes reminded us how quickly things happen. Unfortunately, we lost 4 Ohatchee citizens and 1 72 year old lady in a nearby community. One lost was a man just before his 72nd birthday, the other 3 was part of a family with generations of Ohatchee Indians stretching far and wide.
This community has, it always has from struggles, pulled together to provide for the victims and those who lost loved ones. Among the political turmoil in our society, I am reminded of who is in control. I am convinced the political turmoil will go away. I am convinced of this because I see the heart of the people who live among us.
​Mike

As we begin to approach the half way point in this Spring Semester, it is time for me to begin planning the structure of our Summer Semester. No decisions have been made yet but I want to do something along the lines of a "NO CONTRACTED" summer. This way, if you think you may want to learn guitar but are hesitant to make a long term commitment. Test the waters with Strings Attached this summer. Details will come out soon, but this will give folks who are not already a part of THE FAMILY, to test the waters contract free. How am I able to do this you ask? Because I am confident that once you see the difference in the SA approach, you will want to stay with us for the duration of your mentorship. You see, I do not consider myself a guitar teacher, but a teacher of people who want to learn guitar. So ANY ideas from you who are not already clients just leave in the comment section below and describe what may work for you. As soon as I solidify some ideas and run it by my current clients, I will make some announcements. All I can tell you right now is IT IS GONNA BE REAL FUN! Run it by my current clients? Yep, when everyone has a stake in how things are run, everyone will have pride and work for the success of all.
ALSO, I'm still accepting requests for this semester as well. So, hit the request for Free Consultation, complete it, and send it my way. I will respond in a very short time and we can get started. Do NOT delay, time left in the semester is getting shorter.
As always, practice long and intentional
​Mike

On which should I first learn? This is a question I have received many times? My opinion has never changed; however, it is just that, "my opinion". Nonetheless, I think it is a good one based on the following:
    1) You can find a decent acoustic for considerable less money than a decent electric. This is especially true when with an electric guitar you will also have to purchase an amp. And I have to be honest, sometimes a beginning guitar student gets involved in lessons only to find they genuinely do NOT enjoy playing and doesn't wish to continue. I know I know, that feels blasphemous doesn't it? Nevertheless it happens and you don't wish to be left holding a ton of investment. For this reason, an acoustic is your wisest investment to begin
      2) Some will tell you that an electric guitar is easier to chord than an acoustic because the strings are thinner and typically closer to the neck (this is called Action) than an acoustic therefore logic says it is easier to start on an electric. As Lee Corso would say " Not so fast my friend"! You see, action on a guitar is relative and although typically an acoustic guitar does have a little higher setting to the frets and the lower strings do have a thicker diameter, when you learn on an acoustic, the transition to an electric is almost seamless. I know from experience. I still have my first guitar hanging on the wall in our classroom and the strings set so high off the neck, it took maximum effort to clearly play any chord. When I transitioned to an electric (and not even a decent electric) it felt like it played itself. So, far this reason, I also recommend an acoustic initially.
     3) An acoustic is a lot easier to bring to lessons each week than an electric and amp. Again Acoustic
 Any doubt of my recommendation for a beginner? Now when you fall in love with guitar, and IF you take lessons with "Strings Attached" you probably WILL,  we will talk about future investments. So many wonderful toys!
Practice long and intentional

Mike

Approximately a year ago, I sat in my home in Macon, GA and began to map out a plan in detail to start this guitar school. I knew I would be retiring from the best job I have ever had and doing what I loved to do by serving students socially and emotionally, academically and in College and Career planning; however, I also understood I was moving back to Alabama to be with family and fulfill a dream as I focused on music full time. That included playing publicly and teaching others to do what I have found to be a gift from God.  At the time of concept and commitment, we had not yet heard of The Rona (COVID 19). Let me tell you, starting a guitar school in the midst of a pandemic has been a challenge; nevertheless, I have loved every minute of it. When I'm giving a lesson, I literally get lost in the teaching of that client and meeting his/her needs as a guitarist. Yes, we've had challenges, we had to do ZOOM classes in situations where we have had quarantines, but we have stayed the course. I am tremendously proud of the progress all my clients are making and I promise you, I will never put your health or the health of family at risk. If we cannot meet for any reason and cannot do a ZOOM class, we will make it up during one of our designated "Make-up" weeks. My obligation is to you as a person, and then your progress as my client. THAT is the uniqueness of Strings Attached.
I mention the above not as a response to any situation but to let you know that if you have the desire to learn guitar, yet you have concerns regarding beginning guitar instruction during COVID, Strings Attached will work around those concerns and give you peace and comfort that will allow you to focus securely on learning guitar. Remember, The Rona will go away, but the ability to play guitar is a skill that will last a lifetime. Contact me and let's discuss it. Click here
Practice long and hard,
Mike

The Spring Semester is upon us and it was good seeing old faces as well as new ones this week. Guitar is a passion for me and sharing it with others is a real joy in my life. Can ANYONE learn guitar? Yes, I believe you can. The secret of course is two fold: 1) Have a good instructor who is passionate about guitar AND people 2) Have a CPIP practice routine. ​Consistent Persistent Intentional Practice 
Consistent - Have a scheduled time each day that you set aside to practice your lessons (a minimum of 4 to 5 days each week).
Persistent- Do not let anything interfere with that time. Practice time is YOUR time, be selfish with it.
Intentional- ​To truly make the gains you desire you must intentionally practice what your instructor recommends. Develop your routine with your him/her and practice ONLY those skills during your practice routine. A suggested daily routine is as follows:
1) Stretches, tuning, warm up- 5 minutes
2)Review any and all previous lessons where clarity and fluency is an issue- 15 minutes to an hour
3) Your most previous lesson-  15 minutes to an hour
4) Preview your upcoming lesson- 10 minutes

At least spend, 30-45 minutes per day 4 or 5 days per week for minimum progression. Whatever you can allot and however you allot it, be selfish with that time and stick to it. As you progress, the more time you need to find for practice. Actually, you will WANT to find that time.
Wear those picks out ya'll and have fun doing it!
Michael

  When I pick up my guitar and practice, whether I'm spending a couple of hours specifically working on a song, or running scales and figuring solos on an unplugged electric during commercials, there is a sense of peace that releases my stress. 
Speaking with a prospective student one day last week during our  "Free Consultation" we always offer at Strings Attached, I shared a story I would like to share with you now:
I started learning guitar at age 15. Then, I was playing high school football, working toward earning a black belt in Tae Kwon Do,  playing guitar and could do almost anything physically. Of all those things, the only thing I can do today at 60 better than I could do at 15 is play guitar. It is a lifetime of developed talent that is acquired through practice and patience. Once you have achieved that goal, you must maintain but it gives you oh so many hours of complete pleasure hearing melodic sounds coming from your fingers. If you have ever thought how cool it would be to create those sounds, impress your friends and give others pleasure listening to you play, then you GOTTA LEARN TO PLAY GUITAR! Let someone who knows the obstacles, knows how to over come them and will teach you the way he would want to be taught. (That would be me)
Click for a FREE consultation, complete the simple form and submit. I will handle the rest.

The inaugural semester of Strings Attached was a success. Clients' progression though this process saw many gains and we have a 100 percent rate of return for the Spring Semester. I have to admit, this COVID 19 stuff hindered the growth process as I'm sure many people were hesitant regarding face to face contact, although we had no issues. The one time I had exposure to known cases (Not Strings Attached related), I went into a 14 day quarantine and all lessons were conducted through ZOOM.  As a result, I am offering private ZOOM lessons as an option for anyone still uneasy with the virus or that lives a distance away and wants to be a part of our family. I welcome and encourage you to check us out as I promise this is a none judgmental approach to learning guitar. I will push you, pull you, and encourage you as you go through this process. I offer a Free Consultation for  me to learn your goals as a guitarist, current level of playing, and favorite genre. Together we can create a plan that works for you and get you on the road to becoming the guitarist you want to be. I look forward to seeing my current clients in January and bringing "YOU" into the fold as well.

I am constantly seeing advertisements regarding quick and easy ways to learn guitar. Someone has unlocked the secret to play like Eddie Van Halen within a week or mesmerize your friends with these "Hot" and "Amazing" lead guitar licks in 3 easy steps. The truth is, there is no easy way to become a good guitar player. The only 3 steps to learning how to play guitar well is practice, practice, and practice. As long as you are practicing as your instructor instructs you, everyday, consistently and persistently, you will get better quicker.
If you want to learn guitar or bass and do not yet have a guitar instructor, let me encourage you to give us a  try. I teach like a teacher, drive like a football coach and pull you over obstacles and assess your needs like a counselor. I teach you the way I'd want to be taught. I prepare for lessons, the process is strategic I listen to your concerns and we seek a strategy to overcome any obstacles you will face.

Yes! I teach adults! We have a Wednesday night Adult group and there are 2 seats available for Spring semester classes. Beginning this spring I am offering Private ZOOM classes for all you folks not living near Ohatchee, Alabama. In person Private, semi private and regular group classes are available and I think you will enjoy the process. Just click here for a free consultation and we will schedule you at your convenience.
I love quotes. As my friend and previous band mate Keith Bryant once told me, " I love the blues because once the record wears out, it still sounds the same".
Play dem blues baby
Mike
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