ETUDE
May 1940
volume LVIII
number 5
page 350-351

Playing and Teaching the Fretted Instrument, as a Profession

By George C. Krick

IF AN ACCURATE CENSUS were taken to estimate the number of guitars, mandolins and banjos in American homes, it is safe to say that they would run into several millions. With many years of experience in teaching these instruments, we have also come to the conclusion that the majority of the instruments were purchased by people wanting to play them for their own amusement and also for their musical value, as an added social accomplishment. It naturally follows that most of the new owners of an instrument would want to learn to play them, and the selection of a teacher is usually the next step. A teacher of the violin or piano generally is enabled to concentrate on the one instrument on which he has decided, during the early part of his career, whereas a teacher of guitar is expected to teach in addition, the mandolin, several types of banjos, as well as the plectrum and Hawaiian guitar. To become successful in this field, one must possess versatility of the highest order, and find enjoyment in many years of serious study in order to be properly prepared to embark on a teacher’s career. In examining a fairly representative list of fretted instrument teachers of the past and present, we are impressed by the fact that almost everyone of them excelled on one particular instrument that had become his or her favorite; and on it was bestowed most of the attention, which resulted in attracting notice of prospective pupils to this same instrument. In other words, in the fretted instrument field the teacher who appears frequently as a mandolin soloist will arouse enthusiasm for the mandolin, the guitarist will make people guitar conscious, and the banjoist will create friends for the banjo; and the resulting pupils will select the instrument which they heard to the best advantage.

In a recent chat with a prominent teacher, the writer learned that seventy-five percent of this teacher’s pupils were learning to play the Hawaiian guitar; and, as this young man is an excellent exponent of the Hawaiian guitar and plays in public frequently, it evidently helps to prove this point.

The Teacher Should Play

It is to be regretted that the general public is still unaware of the artistic possibilities of the fretted instruments, as there are only rare opportunities to hear great artists; and so it is up to the teacher in his respective locality to become the “ambassador!” of fretted instrument music. While it may be too much to expect a teacher to excell as a soloist on guitar, mandolin and banjo – although we are glad to state that there are some who can do it – it should be emphasized that in justice to pupils a teacher should have a thorough knowledge of every technical phase of the instruments he professes to teach and be able to play well enough to demonstrate them to the public in an artistic manner. All too often young men and women enter the teaching profession while having only a limited knowledge of the technical requirements, counting on the pupils’ lack of acquaintance with fretted instrument standards to let them get by with it. Then again we have those mainly interested in the sale of instruments, offering as an inducement to buy them, a course of so-called free lessons, which in most cases is nothing but misrepresentation and in addition has a tendency to convey to the uninitiated a wrong idea of the musical value of the fretted instruments.

The conscientious teacher, having only the best interests of his pupils at heart, will steer clear of such practices and in the long run will be greatly rewarded by the good will of many successful pupils and the community in which he happens to be active.

The young man or woman expecting to start on a successful career as teacher not only must possess complete technical mastery of the different fretted instruments, but also should know something of the piano, have a good grounding in harmony and orchestration, and have the ability to present in an intelligent, interesting manner, the things the pupil expects to learn from him. It is also important, that one should know the literature for the fretted instruments, from A to Z, and that he should keep posted on all new music and new teaching material and methods, in order to keep abreast of the times. Thus equipped, and adhering constantly to the high ideals he has set for himself at the start, a teacher will find that the fretted instrument field offers great opportunities for artistic and financial rewards.

Concert and Radio

It is a well known fact that in all lines of endeavor there is more room at the top than at the bottom, and this is especially true in the musical profession. One would not have to go far to find a student of the violin, violoncello or guitar, who did not at one time or another have visions of becoming a Kreisler, Heifetz, Casals or Segovia, men whose accomplishments in their respective spheres today represent the highest standard attainable. Their technic is overpowering, developed to the highest degree by ceaseless hard work during many years. But perfect technic alone does not make an artist. His intense musical personality, his natural fitness for the instrument of his choice, an unfailing memory, and, last but not least, that undefinable something that appeals to the intelligence of his audience and at the same time reaches their hearts, keeping them spellbound – all of these attributes combine to create the outstanding artist.

A student learning to play one of the fretted instruments has this advantage, that outstanding virtuosos are still quite scarce, and that there is plenty of room for more if only talent and hard work are combined.

On the classic guitar we have Segovia, Oyanguren, Foden, and a few others, who have helped to raise the standard of guitar playing to heights undreamed of only a few years ago; and their artistic success should be kept in mind by every guitar student as something for which he should strive. But to reach the top rung of the ladder one must go slowly, step by step, not neglecting any detail right from the early stages. Taking for granted that a young pupil has abundant musical talent, love for his instrument and willingness to work hard, he will be expected to put in from two to four hours practice daily for a period of five or six years. A capable teacher to guide him is of utmost importance and a general musical education is essential, as it is not enough to become just an expert guitar player, but one must develop into a well educated musician. The same may be said to apply to ambitious students of the plectrum or Hawaiian guitar, mandolin or banjo. The outstanding player on any one of these instruments, having acquired a perfect technic and possessing in addition a flair for showmanship and a pleasing personality, should not fail to find a place for himself on the concert stage or in radio. The electrical Hawaiian and plectrum guitars and the banjo have created opportunities in the orchestral field, but here again the demand is primarily for those of exceptional ability and possessing highly developed musicianship, which can be acquired only by many years study and practice.