Congratulations to this month’s Student of the Month, Will! Will was nominated by his instructor Alexis Babini for the great progress he’s been making with solos, chord identification, and his overall playing!
We talked to Will and his dad about how he first got interested in guitar, his favorite bands, and lots more! Check out some interview highlights below, and be sure to watch our full video interview for more from Will.
What got you interested in guitar?
My dad showed me a couple of Van Halen songs. I heard Eddie Van Halen playing and I just loved it. I started using this app and it didn’t work. Then I found StrumClub and it helped a lot.
What was your first lesson like?
When I first started I didn’t even know what the frets were. I thought they were just metal bars that didn’t do anything, just decorations. I thought I wasn’t going to learn that much, but after my first guitar lesson, I ran down to my dad. I showed him “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones. I learned so fast!
I THOUGHT I WASN’T GOING TO LEARN THAT MUCH, BUT AFTER MY FIRST GUITAR LESSON, I RAN DOWN TO MY DAD. I SHOWED HIM “(I CAN’T GET NO) SATISFACTION” BY THE ROLLING STONES. I LEARNED SO FAST!
What are your favorite songs to play on guitar?
I just learned how to play the “Bohemian Rhapsody” solo. That’s almost my favorite because it’s really hard to play. I play the “Enter Sandman” guitar solo sometimes. And a lot of other songs, like “Panama” by Van Halen and “Detroit Rock City.”
What is it like learning with Alexis?
It’s very fun. Alexis slows the tempo down to make it easier to learn. When I first started, I was not good. Then literally two weeks later, I was amazing. He just taught me so much!
How did you like playing in the recital?
I liked how we could show what we were learning in the recitals. It was really fun to see what everyone was learning. I was obviously very nervous, but when I got on I just flew. I felt like I was a huge rockstar!
How do you feel about the progress you have made playing guitar?
Now I know so much about guitar. I am so good now. I’m really proud of myself!
