Guitar, Joy, and Spreading the Love of Music with Patrick Dean
Love Music More · hosted by Luke F. Walton
Guest: Patrick Dean
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Topics discussed
Host note
Patrick Dean is a guitarist, educator, songwriter, producer, and, as he puts it himself, a social media wizard. He found real joy in guitar in high school once he had a mentor pushing him, and that mentorship, and the positive reinforcement behind it, is what he still tries to pass on to the people he teaches.
We talk through how social media and visual learning can expand a player's vocabulary by osmosis, how he balances composition with spontaneity in his own writing, and why finding people outside your own instrument pushes you further than staying inside your lane ever will. He also gets into how he adapted his teaching for online platforms without losing what made in-person lessons work.
Selected moments
- Patrick's journey to serious guitar playing 1:33 Patrick discusses how he truly embraced guitar music during high school after finding a mentor.
- The joy of self-discovery in music 3:33 He shares how practicing guitar brought him joy, even over typical high school activities.
- The importance of practice and mentorship 5:30 Patrick reflects on the initial hurdles he overcame with the help of a mentor during his formative years.
- Learning through osmosis and social media 6:55 Discussion about how visual learning and social media can expand one's musical vocabulary.
- The balance in composition and spontaneity 15:05 Patrick explains his approach to creating music, focusing on emotional expression rather than just technicality.
- Adapting teaching techniques for online platforms 32:30 He describes how he transitioned his teaching style to digital formats while maintaining engagement.
Selected excerpts
I really started to enjoy guitar and music in a way that I just never really did before.
What I love the most about what I do now is trying to get people who may not be motivated enough to start taking it seriously.
The underlying theme is having this positive reinforcing force behind whatever it is that you're doing.
There's a certain level that you can get to where you can kind of understand the gist of what is going on regardless of what your ear is trained to.
Finding other people outside your instrument is tantamount to pushing you the furthest in music.
FAQ
What guitar techniques does Patrick Dean recommend for beginners?
Patrick emphasizes the importance of understanding every note on the fretboard and maintaining joy in the practice.
How can social media help musicians?
He suggests that social media can be a powerful tool to showcase talent, connect with others, and learn collaboratively.
What role does mentorship play in music education?
Patrick highlights how having a mentor provided him with valuable insights and support that shaped his musical journey.
These pages are host notes, not a full transcript. An automatic transcript is on the Spotify episode.