In this episode, Blake interviews Marty Schwartz, a renowned guitar teacher and one of the first music instructors on YouTube.
Marty shares his journey of becoming a successful guitar teacher and the early adoption of YouTube for teaching guitar lessons. He discusses the impact of Guitar Hero on teaching classic rock songs and the benefits of video lessons for students. We also get into using YouTube to enhance private lessons, and the challenges he faced during the 2008 economic crash.
We also get into his experience creating lesson courses and DVDs and how he started working with music brands. He discusses the process of getting a signature guitar and building relationships with brands like D'Addario and Gibson. Marty also mentions his involvement in Gibson's G3 mentorship program and his collaborations with the brand.
Takeaways

Marty Schwartz became a successful guitar teacher by seizing opportunities and working hard.

YouTube provided a platform for Marty to teach guitar lessons at scale and reach a wider audience.

The popularity of Guitar Hero helped introduce classic rock songs to a new generation of guitar students.

Video lessons offer students the flexibility to learn at their own pace and review material as needed.

Marty's success on YouTube was a result of timing, preparation, and embracing new technology.

Creating videos for specific songs and optimizing video titles for search engine optimization (SEO) helped Marty attract more viewers.

Marty's commitment to daily YouTube videos and using YouTube as a referral tool contributed to his success as a guitar teacher.

Learning from other music YouTubers can provide valuable insights and inspiration.


Chapters
00:00
Introduction and The False Episode 500 Celebration
01:16
Marty's Journey as a Guitar Teacher
03:15
Timing and Preparation for YouTube Success
04:14
The Impact of Guitar Hero on Teaching Classic Rock Songs
05:10
Benefits of Video Lessons for Students
06:08
Transitioning to Full-Time YouTube Guitar Teacher
07:12
Teaching Music at an Elementary School
08:11
Using YouTube to Enhance Private Guitar Lessons
09:08
The Impact of the 2008 Economic Crash
10:07
Focusing on YouTube Videos During Challenging Times
11:06
The Evolution of Marty's YouTube Channel
12:19
Discovering the Importance of SEO for Video Titles
13:14
Creating Videos for Specific Songs
15:16
Teaching Classic Rock Songs to Kids
18:28
Doubling Down on YouTube as a Referral Tool
19:05
The Early Days of YouTube and Monetization
20:01
Using YouTube as a Marketing Tool
22:29
Learning from Other Music YouTubers
23:23
Transitioning from Private Lessons to YouTube
25:26
Creating Lesson Courses and DVDs
27:21
Working with Music Brands
29:16
Getting a Signature Guitar
31:57
Building Relationships with Brands
34:00
Working with D'Addario
35:25
Participating in Gibson's G3 Mentorship Program
39:44
Collaborating with Gibson
00:00
Introduction and Signature Guitar
02:58
The Reality of Touring
06:03
The Connection with Fans
08:58
The Realities of Touring
13:01
Dealing with Scams and Fake Videos
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