This past Sunday I met with a young girl who has a passion for electronic music. Her dream is to produce it, to DJ it, and to sing with it. She heard from friends that the best tool for the job is Ableton Live. Her parents are quite exceptional in that they are fully encouraging her to follow her passion, and this is what led them to me.
I use Live on a daily basis. It’s the most intuitive music platform I’ve ever encountered, and I love it. And like her, I have a passion for electronic music.
When I was younger, I immersed myself in learning the ins and outs of music production from the ground up. It was an enlightening time in my life, but it was also frustrating. The world of sound is a big one, with many different facets and specialties. After going to school for Recording Arts, I was happy with my broadened knowledge of sound, but my school wasn’t uniquely focused on my passions. Having someone teach me one-on-one, focused on the skills I wanted to learn, would have been extremely beneficial.
Anyway, the point of my post is that I have my reservations about teaching.
Why, Matt? Teaching is a noble task. Why do you have reservations about such a selfless act?
Because I worry about teaching and not doing. For some people, teaching might be their goal. But my goal is to use what I was taught to pursue my dreams.
Despite my preconceived notions of teaching, when I talked with this girl I was excited.
Her passion and enthusiasm were infectious. It reminded me why I got into music production. I realized how helpful I could be to her, how many things I knew she would love to learn. I wanted to see her play and create and tap into the excitement that happens when you’re really happy with what you’ve produced.
We start next week and I’m curious to see how she feels about things as her brain fills up with the technical knick knacks of music producing. As long as she holds on to that passion (and I hope she will), she’ll have a rewarding time ahead of her.
Do I see myself becoming a full time teacher? Not at this point. But I’ve found there’s a middle ground where I can pursue my dreams while helping others pursue theirs.
4 Comments
Hey Matt,
I love your post!
My own story resonates with yours in many ways. I often recall the old adage, “those who can do, those who can’t teach” and of course that is complete garbage. In the old days (don’t ask me how old “old” is), knowledge of a craft passed down through the generations from father to son, or mother to mother, and from craftsman to apprentice. Today it’s rare (though not completely unheard of) to have those paths of transmission, so people like you and I are literally stuck “in the middle”, as you say. And all I have to say to that is, “so what?”. If you can practice your craft AND teach some youngsters you’ve got the best of both worlds going. Those who “hoard” their knowledge live in a little bubble with it and are never going to enjoy the full fruits of their endeavors. I remember very early on as an assistant engineer at a recording session, the engineer covered the mixing console at night with a blanket so no one could look at his EQ or reverb settings. He’s a salesman at B&H now – so there is Karma at work right before our eyes!
Dear Matt,
All I can say is THANK YOU for giving Sophia a real chance to discover the music inside her, and to give her the tools to create that music “to help change the world”(as she often says). You are just the kind of teacher we were searching for, that would respect the passion for music that Sophia has, and be able to offer her the skills she needs to create. I am glad to see that you are excited to “teach” and are open to the great rewards and growth it will bring to you as well. I commend you on being open to “the journey of life” for both you and Sophia. How refreshing it is to see an adult (with incredible skills, creativity, gifts and knowledge), recognize in a young girl a passion and a calling, and be willing to guide her on the path of her dreams and her vision for her future. This is an exciting time for us, as her parents, to watch her grow into a creative young woman, equipped to effect the world with her interests in music, healing and spirituality, as well as her love of dance and electronic music. It will be interesting to see how Sophia can bring what she learns to a new generation of music lovers as well as becoming a role model for other teens interested in music, life, and pursuing their goals and dreams. We look forward to beginning this journey with you this week, and thank you again for giving Sophia this great opportunity.
Sincerely,
Esther Vitale
What an exciting opportunity! I totally feel you on the teacher-reluctance. I’m in the midst of the very same inner struggle.
@Esther, Wow. You are an inspiration. I’m not yet a father, but when I am, I will remember the enthusiasm with which you are supporting your daughter’s dreams. High five. And a hug.
Thanks for your comment, Joel. If you’re going through a similar experience you might find these comments encouraging…this is what some friends said on facebook after reading the article:
Really exciting. I would add to your thoughts that one of the best ways to learn and develop is to teach. with your passion you can teach, learn and as a result do more and better. What fun to have a passion like that.
Nice post, Matt. I don’t see why you can’t do and teach at the same time. I know a few artists who do great stuff and pay the bills with teaching. You can also steal from your students with impunity!