8/24/2009 Guitar Guy's business growing in Carroll
Somers entertains his class by tearing off a few bars of Eddie Van Halen’s “Eruption.” Also pictured is teaching assistant Tanner Rupiper. — Photos by Jeff Storjohann
"My distinguishing feature is I use all the visual tools and teach (students) to read music. Most guitar teachers don't. But I want to produce a musician, not a guitar player. There's a difference. Even if they don't continue with guitar, that knowledge can transfer to other instruments or just give those students a greater appreciation of music."
Guy Somers hadn't planned on bringing his guitar-instruction business to Carroll.
At least not so soon.
Somers had been teaching in the Atlantic and Red Oak areas when he learned that no fewer than four instructors who'd been working in the Carroll area had left the business.
Since he began teaching in Carroll seven months ago, business has been strumming right along.
Somers' clientele has grown to 50, prompting him to double his course offerings. While Somers Guitar has been operating in Carroll Tuesdays since January, the business is adding Saturdays starting in September.
Somers said he checked out the business climate in Carroll upon invitation from several parents whose children had lost their guitar teachers. He'd been eyeing Carroll in his long-range business plan but expected to study the area for a few months before deciding.
"It was a little rushed, but it just seemed like God's timing," said Somers, who has about 80 other students at his Atlantic and Red Oak locations.
Somers Guitar is renting space at the Carroll Community Theatre building on South Main Street. There Somers' students - mostly children - learn to play acoustic, electric, bass or classical gui-tar.
He offers private 25- and 50-minute weekly lessons for ages 8 and up, and 50-minute weekly classes for teens and up. Prices range from $50 to $70 per month.
Beginners learn the basics: reading music, tab, tuning, technique, playing chords and scales, and performance. Intermediates improve their technique, study chord and scale theory, learn the fret board, take ear training and learn performance. Advanced players continue ear training and performance learning, learn improvisation and study composing and arranging.
Somers can also help students rent or purchase guitars and order books and accessories from a music company.
The former trumpet player gave up high school band after falling in love with heavy metal music.
"Back when I had long hair and was skinny," Somers added with a laugh.
"Metal actually led me to classical guitar. A lot of the bands I liked that were into metal were basically playing classical music with distortion. I read that they had studied classical guitarists, so that's what I decided to do."
Classical music steered Somers' path to jazz and country, and he studied all guitar disciplines at Cincinnati Conservatory and Southeast Missouri State. He also attended Central Bible College and holds a bachelor's degree in theological studies.
Somers has a music career of his own. For the past 15 years he's been a guitarist for hire, playing smooth jazz, classic easy listening, blues, acoustic rock, sacred standards and contemporary worship on weekends. He was also technical editor for "Guitar Exercises for Dummies," the top-selling guitar-instruction book series in the U.S.
And he's continues to learn, studying with acclaimed acoustic guitar player, composer and producer Billy McLaughlin.
Somers said building his business in Carroll has been aided by the fine work of previous instructors.
"Some of these kids have been playing guitar two or three years," he said prior to a class Tuesday. "The former teachers laid a great foundation that I've built on."
His technique involves having students learn as much about music as playing guitar.
"My distinguishing feature is I use all the visual tools and teach them to read music," he said. "Most guitar teachers don't. But I want to produce a musician, not a guitar player. There's a difference. Even if they don't continue with guitar, that knowledge can transfer to other instruments or just give those students a greater appreciation of music."
Somers is still accepting registration for fall classes. More information about Somers and his business can be viewed at http://www.somersguitar.net/.
