Stephen B. Speakman

Guitar Instructor

teach@sbmus.net

319 330 3550

I’m not sure at what age I started playing guitar. I do have pictures of me at 4 or 5 years old trying to get my arms around my fathers guitar. I remember one evening I was goofing around with the guitar. I didn’t really know what I was doing. Up until then everything that came out was a dull percussive thud. But I didn’t care, I was playing at playing and I was having fun. Then, somehow, in the midst of my “playing" a clear note rang out. That began what has become a life long love affair with guitars and music. From that time on I have never been without a guitar within reach.

Performing, for me, just kind of grew out of playing. Performing was just playing with someone listening. I would play for mother and dad, with my brother and my sister, for friends, at talent shows, just about anywhere I could. By myself or with others, it didn’t matter just as long as I got to play. Playing in groups began in junior high and hasn’t stopped since. Seems like whenever there’s someone playing a guitar there’s someone else who wants to join in.

Composition, also, just naturally grew out of playing. I could put what was going on to music. For me the hard part is coming up with the lyrics. Once that is done the music is easy, just play what the words are saying. My sister (I taught her how to play) and I used to rummage through poetry books, find poems that we liked and try to put them to music. Two of our favorites were Edgar A Guest and A. A. Milne. Once, I was even commisioned to write a song for a 50th anniversary by a daughter of the couple.

Of course, no one who spends that much time in front of other people playing can get by without someone asking “can you show me that”. So, teaching has been happening from the earliest times. As I mentioned earlier, my sister was probably my first “student”. Teaching is something that I enjoy and seem to have a knack for. I’ve had the opportunity to teach a wide variety of subjects; swimming, math, computers, and of course guitar. I love what I would imagine most teachers do, that “aha” moment. The moment the student figures “it” out, when all of the tumblers fall into place and the door opens.

I’ve been teaching guitar, formally, for only five years but it’s something I will continue to do as long as I can. To be able to combine two things I love to do, playing guitar and teaching, is a great gift. And, if I can help someone begin their journey into music ... well that would be something.