Teach Me Guitar in 60 Seconds with Lindy Day
Love Music More · hosted by Luke F. Walton
Guest: Lindy Day
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Topics discussed
Host note
Teaching guitar wasn't the plan for Lindy Day. In her own words she never thought it would become her main thing, and now she reaches a wide social media following in what she calls microdoses of music. She still frames teaching the way she'd frame anything else she cares about: "it's really a job in people," not a job in knowing your inversions.
We talk through how she built the confidence to teach, the intermediate plateau as a way of understanding students who feel stuck, and why she thinks curiosity about other skills keeps a musician sharp. She uses her own Japanese, conversational but not yet at the level where she can read a novel, as the example.
The conversation also lands on what the pandemic changed. Lindy points to a fierce need audiences and musicians share to be back in a room together, and says she doesn't think age has much to do with whether someone can still become the artist they want to be.
Selected moments
- How teaching became Lindy's main thing 1:56 Teaching wasn't planned, and here we are. She really enjoys the thing she didn't think she'd like.
- Teaching is a job in people 3:13 It's not about knowing inversions, it's about connecting with the person in the room.
- Finding confidence in teaching 4:29 Lindy's journey of connecting with students and building the teaching muscle.
- Art of engaging students 5:45 Creating a comfortable environment for learning, the intermediate plateau analogy.
- Creative exploration in music 6:20 Integrating diverse influences, you really do get to play and explore.
- Learning in context 9:34 Applying knowledge in practice vs. learning in the abstract.
- The impact of social media on musicians 43:27 How the pandemic shifted musician interactions with fans, the fierce need to be back live.
- Writing between genres 58:34 The challenges of genre expectations for an artist who crosses them.
Selected excerpts
I never thought it would become my main thing. But you know how life goes, and here we are... I really enjoy this thing I didn't think I would like.
Teaching is really a job in people. It's not really a job in knowing your inversions as well as you can. It's really about connecting with this person who's in the room with you.
Right now, I'm in the intermediate plateau of Japanese speaking, and I like – I can have conversations, but there's that next tier of like you can read a novel...
Once you understand that you really do get to play and explore, and that is a huge benefit of the creative mind.
I just know that there’s something beautiful that comes from learning, and I believe everyone should explore that!
I really don't care about age; if you love doing something enough, you keep pursuing it, and eventually, you will get where you want to be!
If you're going to be successful, it doesn't matter if you miss it at 22... Just keep doing what you love long enough and the connections will follow.
There's this fierce need to be back in a live setting with a crowd around you. You can feel the desire people have right now to experience music again.
FAQ
What is Lindy Day's approach to teaching guitar?
Lindy Day emphasizes creating a comfortable environment for her students, focusing on connecting with them as individuals rather than just teaching technical skills.
How did the pandemic influence Lindy Day's music career?
During the pandemic, Lindy utilized social media to connect with audiences and share her music education, evolving her presence as both an artist and a teacher.
What does Lindy Day think about the age of musicians in the industry?
Lindy believes that age should not be a barrier to success in music. Passion and commitment to one's craft are what truly matter.
These pages are host notes, not a full transcript. An automatic transcript is on the Spotify episode.