I've taught guitar professionally since 1968. I've often wondered why I've not "burned out" on it a long time ago, as many professional players have. I think it's related to the fact that I myself am self-taught. Having cobbled together the necessary guitar skill-sets in a somewhat capricious manner, driven mostly by my own obsessions with certain styles, sounds, and cultures, I realized early on that there are an INFINITE number of valid ways to learn to play music.
What I try to do is establish what abilities the person in front of me already has, (point "A") and also what abilities they would like to acquire through our lesson process (point "B"). I see my job as being "how do I take them on a journey from point A to point B as effectively and interestingly as possible"- but given the ENORMOUS diversity of possible points A and B, there's an INFINITE number of these personal journeys. Obviously there are common problems, stumbling points, and technical hurdles that virtually ALL would-be guitarists share, but each person's specific journey is unique. I strive to keep this thought present at all times in my teaching, and the more feedback I get from a student about what works best for them in their learning, the more I can develop an approach that is uniquely personal.
Past teaching stints include Dartmouth College between 1986-1990 as well as master-classes at Skidmore College, Johnson State College, Marlboro College and several other schools. Presently, I am teaching at University of Vermont (since '06) and Middlebury College (1996 to the present).
In recent years, I've taught a number of workshops, on various guitar topics. In 2002, I taught a pro players' workshop at the ASIA Symposium in Nashville, TN. I co-taught several workshops on jazz guitar w/ friend and fellow player John Stowell at the '01 and '03 Healdsburg Guitar Festivals, and at Johnson State College here in VT. Also at Healdsburg '03, I taught a workshop on Fingerstyle Blues
Guitar, and did similar ones in '04 and '06 at the
Newport Guitar Festival, held in Newport, RI. I taught a Swing Jazz Guitar workshop at Healdsburg in '05...
all sold out, and I still hear from students saying how much the workshops helped and inspired them. On the schedule
for '07 is a week teaching classes at the Swannanoa Guitar Week in Asheville, NC.
In September, '04, the Acoustic Player Magazine launched its "maiden voyage" first issue. This online-only 'zine is " dedicated to and about acoustic players and those who influence the creation of acoustic music" and has spawned a wonderful Forum frequented by players and fans of acoustic music, as well as the builders of the hand-built instruments often favored by players. I've already recorded several professionally-produced video lessons on fingerstyle blues and Travis picking which are for sale on the site, with more reportedly to come. I'm excited about the promise of the online format, and the opportunities to reach interested learners far beyond the practical geographical constraints of face-to-face teaching!
In addition, I presently see between 10-25 private students/ week, covering every conceivable age group, stylistic orientation, and playing level. Past students have included recognized professionals in jazz, rock, folk, etc, including Phish songwriter/guitarist/icon Trey Anastasio.
Paul Asbell CD Arrangements...
Now Available in TAB Transcription Form!
1 TAB for $10, post-paid (please add $2 for overseas shipping)
3 TABs for $25, post-paid (please add $3 for overseas shipping)
5 TABs for $40, post-paid (please add $4 for overseas shipping)
10 TABs for $70, post-paid (please add $5 for overseas shipping)
ALL 15 TABs for $90 post-paid (please add $5 for overseas shipping)
Payment options include personal check to the address below, or PayPal.
Paul Asbell
56 Pomeroy St.
Burlington, VT 05401
Here's a list of TAB transcriptions of the arrangements from my CDs that are presently available. To make a purchase,
click next to each TAB you would like and then click on the PayPal button to purchase with PayPal.
Long Distance Instruction
In the last little while, I've prepared a lot of TAB transcriptions and other professional quality instructional worksheets for various projects... including video lessons for AcousticPlayerMagazine.com, jazz guitar workshops, UVM Jazz Studies Dept course teaching, and of course my normal private teaching load.
Some of these materials are exercises, worksheets, arrangements of simpler, familiar tunes, etc
that are designed to bring the fingerstylist from "ground zero" to a point within "striking range"
of tunes like I perform on my CD's. Additionally, there are a large number of worksheets which have
been prepared specifically for the TAB/chord diagram-savvy guitarist who wishes to enter the realm of
jazz/swing/archtop guitar styles. Finally, I have sheets covering important topics in jazz theory, chord-melody
arrangements of jazz standards, exercises for improving one's scale and arpeggio skills, and single-line soloing
strategies over modal progressions and complex chord progressions... these latter geared towards the serious jazz guitar student.
These materials, in conjunction with video-chat or long-distance phone options, have created effective and satisfying lesson options for many folks who live too far away to do normal "face-to-face" lessons. Interested? Drop me an e-mail post, and we'll discuss it further.