Rod's FAQ

QUESTION: How long have you been playing guitar/bass?

I've been playing guitar for 29 years, bass for 18 years.

QUESTION: Who were/are your influences?

When I started playing guitar, I listened to whatever was popular in 1978-KISS, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, The Allman Brothers, Pink Floyd, Kansas, Boston, Rush, and so forth. Later (in the 80's) I was influenced by guitar players in whatever bands prominently spotlighted them-Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Randy Rhoads, Edward Van Halen, Steve Vai, and so forth. As I grew older and was exposed to a wider variety of music, I became more and more influenced by jazz, funk, and R&B musicians, some of which were guitar players-Joe Pass, Kenny Burrell, Cornell Dupree, Jimmy Nolan, Steve Cropper, Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino, Charlie Christian, Al DiMeola, Pat Metheny, Steve Morse, and many others. My guitar style is the combination of all these (and many other) influences.

As a bass player, a few of my main influences include Rocco Prestia, Paul McCartney, James Jamerson, Jerry Jemmott, Chuck Rainey, Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke, Victor Wooten, John Paul Jones, Paul Jackson, Flea, Larry Graham, Bootsy Collins (w/ James Brown and P-Funk), Les Claypool, Oteil Burbridge, Milt Hinton, Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, and so forth.

My musical journey is all about GROWTH, always in a constant state of change. New instruments (mandolin) bring about new influences, and I'm always finding new sounds to get excited about exploring--MIXing it up. This MIX is my life's work (teaching, playing, and composing).

QUESTION: What's your educational background?

I spent two years at the Berklee College of Music In Boston (two of the most educational years of my life). Since then I've spent time at York College of Pennsylvania and have earned my bachelor's degree in Music Industry Studies at Millersville University.

An education means many things-different things to different people. For me, the education was about exploring all possibilities, not the boxed-in rules many higher institutions endorse. When getting an education equates to nothing more than your ability to only do what you're told, then the education is failing. The best education should, in part, be a discovery process. My job is to lay the essential ground work so that discoveries can more easily come about. More on this later.

QUESTION: How long have you been teaching guitar/bass?

I've been teaching guitar and bass for 18 years. I've taught private lessons at various music stores in the central Pennsylvania region, including Stephen Nicholas Music, Carson Music, and Menchey's Music. Currently, I conduct both private & group lessons at Campbell's Music Service.

I've taught small group lessons (five students per class) at Stephen Nicholas Music (The Guitar Accelerator), Lancaster Music Exchange (Quickstart Guitar & Quickstart Bass), Campbell's Music, & Badog Music. If you're interested in taking part in one of my group lessons, or if you would to hire me to design a group that fits your particular needs, refer to the following link: http://www.rodgoelz.com/grouplessons.htm.

I've also conducted popular music performance seminars in a variety of different environments and subjects including songwriting, improvisation, small group performance practices, lyric writing, and grassroots music industry seminars. I've found these to be extremely rewarding, because they've given my private lesson teaching a fuller, more complete context. I've been told these seminars have inspired many students to start bands of their own, and start new musical lives. Check out my CAMPBELLOOZA PAGE for more info on my performance seminars.

QUESTION: What are your lessons like? In other words, how do you approach teaching the guitar?

Guitar is an intensely personal instrument Therefore, there is no one correct way to go about learning it. There are, however, many clues that have been passed down through the ages, and I try to pass these on to my students. In general, I believe there to be core ideas and disciplines any guitarist or bassist will need to express themselves. How they learn these disciplines differs from student to student. Every student's different! When I'm able to match what they WANT to know with what they NEED to know, then the lesson is always, almost without exception, a success.

QUESTION: Gigs??

Currently, I'm playing bass and leading a band called Groove Jones --UNCUT FUNK played by really good musicians AND really fine people! Check back often to see what we're up to. This band is "over the top," the culmination of what I've been working toward. Exciting times!!

I'm continuing to do studio work and welcome any opportunity to do more and more studio work (guitar, bass, mandolin, etc.). In you're interested in hiring me for studio work (in any style), email me at rod@rodgoelz.com.

QUESTION: Basses Loaded??

Click the link below for more information!

The Rod Goelz Bass Instruction Series: