When the abundance of information is not enough.
In today’s world we can find and access an enormous amount of information extremely fast, by searching on the internet, going on YouTube or asking an AI chat bot. The easiness of this process feels very effective, attractive and exhaustive. We tend to believe that what we find is the information we need.
However, understanding what we need is not always easy, and the abundance of information and well formulated answers offered by AI can be misleading.
At the same time, because it’s so easy to jump from one topic to another, we tend to shift focus quite fast. We don’t go deep into it.
Fast answers are not always real understanding
With these tools, research time is almost reduced to zero. But research is not just a way to find answers; it is part of the learning process itself. It helps us master a topic, ask better questions, and discover unexpected things connected to what we are trying to understand.
Today, we often skip that process. Instead, the path is shaped for us by algorithms, popular results, and paid advertisements.
Other times, the problem is not finding information, but understanding what question to ask:
- you think you need more exercises, but maybe you need a clearer musical direction;
- you think you need more scales, but maybe you need better timing;
- you think you need more theory, but maybe you need ear training.
In this context, I find being a self-taught musician impressive
Some of the best musicians I know have not been to school or taken many lessons, or lessons at all. Guitar legends like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Kurt Cobain or B.B. King, just to name a few, have been self-taught. They have also changed the world.
They had the talent and commitment to find the answers to what they needed, even without the internet.
With all the easily accessible information that is available today, it feels quite strange to not try to learn things by ourselves.
However, when everything is easy to find, it is also easy to get lost.
This is why some people can feel lost when learning by themselves. After years of practice and playing, they may realize they haven’t learned what they truly needed. They have only scratched the surface.
Having a tutor, a mentor, or taking an online course, even for a short time, can be extremely beneficial
It can help you understand what you need to learn and guide you through it in a more effective way.
A good teacher carries a specific point of view, shaped by real experience. They are not just offering a mathematical sum of different answers and opinions, which can sometimes dilute or flatten the meaning of what is being taught. They are sharing something personal, practical, and lived.
The way concepts and ideas are shared with us has a huge impact, just as much as the content itself. The same idea explained by two different people can lead to two completely different results. Isn’t that exciting?
This is also why I created Guitar Basement: to share the knowledge, exercises, and experiences that have shaped my own musical journey.
Nowadays, information moves fast, but our mind, soul, and body still need time to take it in
We should allow ourselves all the time we need to absorb this precious information. Remember that this time differs from person to person. Don’t compare yourself to others.
Once you have learned something new, enjoy that achievement, whether it is a new chord progression, a rhythmic pattern, or a piece of music theory.
Don’t stop being curious
Next time you want to learn something, ask a friend, send a message to your local teacher, take a class, or join an online guitar course. Ask questions, and don’t be afraid to invest resources in finding the answers you need.
You are investing in yourself and building a skill that you will be able to use for the rest of your life. How much is that worth? A lot.
Try to do things properly from the beginning. Otherwise, what you save in money now, you may lose in time later. And time is not something we have in infinite amounts.
What I discovered when I finished my studies
When I finished my studies at Saint Louis College of Music in Rome, and later at the Conservatory of Music E. Duni in Matera, I felt quite disappointed because I knew I wasn’t playing as well as I wanted to. I struggled to understand what I was missing.
Later, I discovered that I needed more experience: interacting with other musicians, playing with other people, performing for an audience, and living my life outside the practice room. It was something my education couldn’t fully offer. Of course, it couldn’t. That is life experience, and it belongs only to you. You have to go out and find it.
One of the greatest things about attending schools and workshops like Roma Jazz’s Cool, Tuscia in Jazz, International Jazz Platform, and similar programs was meeting other people. In my opinion, this was half of the reason why I decided to take these courses.
I then realized that, luckily, we never stop learning. There is always something new to discover, whether it comes from a YouTube video, a friend, a guitar teacher, or a personal experience.
I now enjoy this state of openness and this constant opportunity to learn. It doesn’t end when you receive a music degree or finish a course. I still push myself to learn more, have new experiences, and take lessons.
I should actually take more.