I took lessons for 1 1/2 years before beginning lessons with Dick. The guitar played a big role in my life. I played it as much as I could.

I was motivated to find a new teacher, because I had a hard time developing my personal style into something I truly liked, and I thought my guitar playing was very narrow-minded. I wanted to expand the personality of my style and my playing ability, and I was tired of playing the same guitar licks over and over. I also had no
idea what was behind the music I was playing. I knew virtually no guitar theory other than what a G chord or D chord was, or major and minor scales.

I found Dick’s services through a recommendation at Tulsa Guitar and Electronics. They said he was the best teacher in Tulsa, so I looked him up in the phone book and gave him a try.

I have now been taking lessons from Mr. Gordon for almost 2 1/2 years and have learned so much from Dick Jr. these past couple of years it would take hours to explain it all. I was forced to immediately change the way I practiced and the mentality I held towards the guitar. I have learned a large amount of theory and have learned how to be constructively creative.

My playing is completely different now. Take my playing three years ago and spin it 180 degrees. I used to have no idea what I was doing. I did what just sounded good to my ear, and now I understand what is happening, and I am able to recognize which tones work with my ear and which don’t, and I can base my music off of the understanding of these tones. My playing sounds much more lyrical, and it has a mature quality to it that sounds much more professional than it used to.

The guitar still plays a large role in my life. I practice and record whenever I can, and I hope to become a good stage performer through Mr. Gordon’s teachings. Out of all of this playing, I have gained a much clearer focus of anything I do, a better sense of myself as an individual, and a new fulfilled part of myself that is indescribable. All of these things have not only exponentially increased my guitar playing ability, they have transformed my character and have made me a much more fun person to hang around with. I have become more aware of the world surrounding me, and I have been able to accomplish any task, because I have learned how to wrap my mind around the situation and solve the problem at hand.

I see my guitar playing ability only increasing. I am still developing my ideal style, and I hope to keep gaining an increased understanding of all types of music and how they are created. This will only help me develop my style through the various sounds I hear, and it will enable me to develop a well-rounded perspective of different types of music. I would like to eventually be known as a professional quality musician.

Everything about my experience generalizes to other areas of my life. I have gained a focus that enables me to search and find the answer to virtually every situation I come across. I have gained an understanding of myself through this focus and guitar playing that has totally transformed and reconstructed my character and made me a more empathetic, compassionate, well-rounded, wise, faithful leader.