For a very long time Tim Sublette, owner of Smithville Music Studio in Smithville, had filed away all the exercises, studies, examples and artwork he had developed for his music students over the years and he planned to write a book someday.
Most of the material was developed for his private students, but also from courses he had taught over the years.
“It was time to compile the exact method I refined, tested and use with hundreds of guitar students,” Sublette said.
The years of carefully storing away his teaching – and learning materials has led to fulfilling his decades-long goal of making this information public so that everyone can have access to his refined method of learning to play guitar. His book, Necessary Guitar was recently released.
Sublette used to tell people that he began playing guitar when he was about nine or 10, but later in life he learned that was not quite true.
“After my mother passed, I spent some time going through the once traditional box of old family photos,” Sublette said. “Inside this dusty cardboard box I found an old black and white photo (the old kind with scallops around the edges). The image was of a child in a diaper holding a small guitar or uke. On the back, written in my mothers hand it read: ‘Tim, 2 years old.’”
While in college, he was required to play all of the instrument families and minor in piano, so he is very musically versatile, although with most instruments he says he has more of a knowledge about them rather than regular play. At his music studio he teaches guitar, bass, banjo and ukulele.
He has utilized dozens of method books with students over many years of teaching. “Most are set up with a similar format which works well with young beginners,” Sublette said. “Also there are great books for the serious advanced student. Necessary Guitar is for the average person who just wants to play guitar. This student is 12 years through adult in age, not interested in reading music at this time, doesn’t need to know dozens of scales and modes and doesn’t need to twist their fingers into a pretzel trying to play chords they can’t even say the name of.”
The book has developed over his 40-year teaching career. It has taken the better part of the last year to compile, edit and format.
Sublette views his, and his students experiences with learning an instrument as a journey, and his new book serves as a map to begin the experience.
“This is a road I have traveled with hundreds of beginning students,” Sublette said. “I know every pothole, bump and tree across the trail. I believe no one can teach you guitar, as you must teach yourself. I can however warn you of hazards and obstructions as well as point out shortcuts or suggest a detour. This book was written exactly as I teach rather than as most books would be laid out. It may seem at times it jumps around but there are reasons for that, just as you may choose to drive around a sink hole rather than over it.”
Teaching more than 50 students per week, plus the other duties and responsibilities of running a successful business is challenging. So, when Sublette added the writing of a book to the mix, he knew he could use some help.
“Fortunately I have a long-time student and friend who was willing to be that person,” Sublette said. “Rob is very tech savvy, organized and had the ability to keep me focused and pushing forward on the project. Without his support this book would still be in a file cabinet.”
Sublette admits the technical, computer work was over his head and much of this was delegated to his friend Rob.
“For my part, trying to put into print the same method I teach in live lessons was more complex than I expected,” Sublette said.
The book consists of five main components. Necessary Guitar begins with Fundamentals, from hand position to understanding the basic musical language needed to make use of the book. Exercises address the physical aspect of asking your hands to take on new activities.
“I simplify the starting process of Basic Chords to allow for musical growth with physical and mental growth,” Sublette said. “Power Chords are taught not only due to being such a backbone of rock and blues but to gain understanding of the fingerboard. The minor pentatonic scale is the most forgiving and flexible of scales and I use it to teach beginning improvisation or soloing techniques.”
Since the book doesn’t require reading music, it focuses on the tab-based beginning method for all styles.
“Tablature (tab) is a diagram-based tool that is frequently used for guitar music today,” Sublette said. “It has six lines (rather than five in traditional notation) each representing one of the strings on the guitar. Although not as musically universal, it is easier for most students to grasp.”
Not many method books are written in tablature. Necessary Guitar targets a specific age group (12 years through adult).
“Most method books are written from the view of what makes the best layout in a book,” Sublette said. “Necessary Guitar is written exactly as I teach it in private lessons. I know how long it takes a student to get certain areas under their fingers and in their thought patterns. I space the lessons to allow moving to another subject while still working on the previous material so the student does not get bored. The examples in the book can also be heard by playing the mp3s on my webpage.”
Sublette believes that for many, the best guitar players of the last 70 years, most people have likely never heard of. Five guitar players that have had the biggest impact on his guitar playing have been Pat Metheny, Tony Rice, Al Di Meola, Larry Carlton, and local player, Danny Embrey.
The important elements of learning to play guitar well are summed up by Sublette: “Desire, fortitude, belief that it really is not easy to play guitar, and the ability to enjoy the journey.”
More information about the studio or the book can be found at: smithvillemusic.com or call or text (816) 873-2313.