May 15, 2019 by Klaus Crow
Photo by Alan Kotok
A lot of people are afraid to share their knowledge and know-how for reasons that aren’t really worthy.
Some people feel the urge to compete with others and therefor don’t want to reveal the tools and tricks that they have acquired (and mostly have learned from others).
They want to be bigger and better than their rivals to grow their social (guitar) status and boost the ego.
Others are afraid to share their expertise because they think it will hurt their business and everything they worked so hard for.
But in reality it works quite the opposite way.
The more you share, the more you receive. If you help out, it comes back to you tenfold. You or your business will benefit in ways you couldn’t even think of before.
Sometimes you’ll see it directly and right away and sometimes it happens without you even knowing or noticing it.
People will start mentioning your name in conversations (in real life and online) because you share valuable knowledge, know-how, content or just because you’re being sincerely helpful.
It’s funny that often the help or answers you really need is in the questions you get from people. You learn while you teach. It’s a beautiful thing.
And then there is that good feeling inside of you (and not in a ego-fashionable-giving yourself-a-pat-on-the-back kind of way, but a natural state of happiness) from serving, handling the right way and the happiness others gain from it. It’s the way of the Tao.
Working together, being supportive and co-operative will lead to so much more than competing and building a wall around your expertise.
The guitar teachers I know in my hometown and area they aren’t competitors but good friends. We share our skills, knowledge, sheet music, ways of teaching and we help each other out with finding the right place for new students. It’s very rewarding, helpful and efficient. It makes life so much easier for everyone.
Take a minute and contemplate…
Think about the beauty and benefits of sharing and what it can do with the lives of others.
Life’s treasure is unfold by those who let go and passes by those who hold on ~ Lao Tzu
Very true. This applies to anything in life as much as it applies to guitar playing… You can share everything you know for it is not what you know but what you do with it that counts.
Okay, I would like to share. How do I do it here?
Hi Steve,
Just put a link of the website or youtube movie you’d like to share in the comments.
You can upload pdf files on google docs or dropbox and put the link up here.
Make sure it’s guitar related and appropriate.
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
Hi Galavanting,
Beautifully said.
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
Sharing brings abundance. I’ve been looking into ways to get involved with my community here. I found an organization that puts together musicians to play jazz-swing-era music for ill and lonely seniors in nursing homes. I’m exciting to see what happens :)
Hi Kyle,
Sharing your music for those who need it the most.
That is pretty cool of you and at the same time it sounds like fun too.
Go for it!
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
I couldn’t agree more with your views on sharing and teaching. I just started playing guitar about 3 months ago and practice between 1 and 2 hours a day. Although I am a beginner, I am already sharing what I have learned with others. I really enjoy helping people. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and good will. Not to mention, I think that it has improved my playing at the same time. If everyone in the world felt the same way we do about sharing and teaching, this would be an amazing world to live in!!!
Teach, Share, and Rock On
Brian
Klaus, I just want to thank you for this wonderful site. There is so much to learn about playing guitar that it can be overwhelming and sometimes discouraging. I often find myself not progressing as I would like due to the lack of a clear sense of direction. I was searching the internet in hope of finding a little inspiration when I stumbled across your site. What a great find! Your views on sharing and teaching are refreshing and very true. I also appreciate the lifestyle tips very much. This is a very helpful and worthwhile resource that you have provided. Thanks again! Ed
Hi Klaus, i’ve been playing for about 3 years now mostly on acoustic i can cover just about anything through tabs and video inst but i am having a very difficult time coming up with anything of my own. I know all the pentatonic scales and the blues scale but can’t seem to figure out how to improvise them and struggle finding right key for soloing over my backing tracks. Just wondering if maybe you haad any pointers for me thanks. Love the site by the way .
Jared
Hi Jared,
You can use A Pentatonic or A blues scale to play over a Blues Rhythm in the key of A, but you
can also A Pentatonic or A blues to improvise over a song in the key of A minor.
So if you got a song in the key of E minor you can use E pentatonic or E blues.
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
I’m very fond of Guitarhabits but especially this section.
I agree that the practice of music and an instrument must be shared and
not used to self-boast.
I love your blog. Many Blessings to you Klaus! Yes, Give and you shall receive.