As a teacher I get the most pleasure in helping a student realize the special qualities they possess and working together to further develop them. These abilities are the things that really stand out in their playing and can be strengthened with a little encouragement.

I had a student who could effortlessly reach difficult "stretch chords" with his left hand and possessed a rare legato phrasing. At first he used these chords very little in his playing. I got the sense that he didn't appreciate how rare his ability was; to him it wasn't difficult. He didn't get out to many jam sessions or get together with other students to play so he wasn't getting the encouragement to develop certain areas of his playing, except from me. Aside from his fundamental studies, I asked him to devote some time each week to explore the many possibilities with these interesting chord voicings. This led him to write his own tunes, which often featured his "special chords." It came so naturally to him that it was obvious that this was one avenue he would explore.

Sometimes these unusual abilities have nothing to do with instrumental technique. One student didn't have a lot of chops but was able to play nice ideas and left lots of space. This certainly made him unique in today's climate where fast chops are commonplace. He was working on almost nothing but picking exercises to increase his speed, as he felt inadequate as an improviser. This was necessary for him to pursue at the time but was also a "grass is always greener" situation. When I heard him play fast the content was not as good. I felt that he was on the right path trying to balance the speed with what he already possessed, an uncluttered and logical approach to improvisation. With this foundation the faster things he wanted to play would find their way in more naturally.

It's easy to see all of the great guitarists out there and get depressed about your own playing! I've read that even Wes Montgomery was not spared from this way of thinking. He said he was sometimes made to feel like he "wasn't playing anything" but he'd reflect on his own special qualities and then relax a bit. It's nice when a player gets to a point where he/she realizes that what they offer is truly unique. The feeling of contentment is there yet they still continue to grow in new ways.

It's helpful for students to be aware of these things early on so that a personal concept can be developed in a natural, uncontrived manner. Kenny Burrell once wrote a tune called "Be Yourself." It's the best advice a teacher can give.