My first job teaching guitar lessons began in 1999. It was a small family-owned business called “Bird’s Music” and I was the only woman staff member there (a fairly typical situation for me in those days.)
At the time, I was phasing myself out of a nu-metal band (don’t hassle me, everyone was doing it) and in the early stages of starting a new heavy project that had overtones of post-hardcore bands like Botch and Coalesce. Most of my colleagues were a bit older and in rock and roll projects or played classical guitar.
It was a lucky break–I was pretty green. I had only been playing at that point for about six years, and I was self-taught. I had a fair amount of talent, but also a handful of bad habits–one of which I was teased about frequently if I test-drove a guitar in between students, or played in front of other instructors. “You can’t play barre chords with your thumb!” they’d scoff.
One of my co-workers (still a friend and active musician to this day) John would say, “Lay off her! Don’t you guys know that Jimi Hendrix did it that way?!” I appreciated his defense of my unorthodox methods, though I did later drop the habit. Why? Because it slowed me down. Still, finding my own way on guitar had helped me to create a unique style and, as another teacher at Bird’s, Brian, would note, it helped me to “hang on to key signatures by a thread.” I wasn’t bound to the rules. In an interesting turn of events, my job was to teach new players NOT to make some of those same mistakes, and instead learn in a more structured way.
The paradox of both existing as a self-taught heavy songwriter and showing students how to play minor pentatonic scales, write within key signatures, and learn to play Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” really pushed my limits, and I think it enriched my musicianship a lot. Here are some of the lessons I learned, and how they impacted my playing in punk, hardcore, and metal bands.
Lesson 1: Explore a different genre.
When I started teaching guitar, I was firmly rooted in heavy music. At the time, Bruce Springsteen and other heartland rock wasn’t exactly on my radar. The genre, described as a “unique blend of rock and roll with a touch of country, and a dash of folk” (Jampack, 2025) wasn’t my cup of tea (though I do love Tom Petty).
And I mistakenly thought it was of simple construction, and easily digestible for the masses. Then a student came in who loved Springsteen—and I quickly realized many of his songs were jam-packed with key changes, tempo shifts, and sneaky timing tricks. It impressed me, and I realized that great songwriting can easily weave in complexity without distancing the listener. If you’re a musician that values “mathy” composition this is such an important point to consider.
Being overly convoluted just for bragging rights doesn’t equate to great writing. While I fully understand that sophisticated structure can be the hallmark of certain genres, who else has pumped their fist in the air with exasperation begging The Dillinger Escape Plan to please play the damn riff one more time? I can’t be the only one. Yes, I still love them.
However, truly great music takes the listener on a ride so smooth they have no idea they are traveling through 5/4 or 7/8 time signatures. Perhaps you’ve learned that lesson already in the tech metal band you play in, but you might have something to learn from the hook in a pop song. You’d be surprised at the inspiration you can find if you step outside your comfort zone, especially when you’re writing original compositions. Find a weird cover. Embrace it.
Lesson 2: The fanciest instrument doesn’t make you a great player or songwriter.
Before the elite come for me–hear me out. An incredible instrument is a monumental upgrade for a player who has already paid their dues, and likewise–a suitable axe is much easier to learn on than something like what I started with–a Framus acoustic whose strings sat a good inch off the fretboard. I’d like to think it built my character, but it was painful at times.
What I’m saying: the most expensive guitar doesn’t increase your creativity, your ability, or your writing skills. If you’re a beginning player or a novice and you’re focused on upgrades as a means to evolution, I believe you’d be better suited to spend that money on lessons, books, or even complimentary equipment that allows you to collaborate with other musicians as a learning experience.
And if you really want to go against the grain and blaze your own path (and make people mad) be like me: carry around a Dean in a Paul Reed Smith gigbag. Ruffle all the feathers! But don’t mistake the tool as being more important than the one wielding it.
Lesson 3: Practice makes perfect.
What a boring bit of advice! But it bears repeating because it’s true. For hours a day, I sat in a small cubicle playing runs in C major and Dorian mode, and showing students how to quickly shift in between simple chords. It was boring but ultimately, those years of mundane forced practice turned into my shreddiest years–my chops were honed!
Then again, I was 20, and life was pretty simple back then. Go to work, play guitar; come home, play guitar. As I aged and the responsibilities mounted, I realized how difficult it could be to carve out time to be with my instrument and rehearse. The same could be said for band practice and juggling 3, 4, or 5 adult schedules.
If you don’t make the time, you don’t evolve. If you only have minimal time to dedicate to your craft, my personal opinion is that nothing will keep you more invested in playing and practicing your guitar more than writing your own songs—because it holds your interest, and the reward of a finished piece of music can’t be beat. You have something to show for the time you’ve spent! It’s challenging. And let’s face it–pentatonic scales don’t belong in songs, anyway. It doesn’t matter if no one ever hears said song. Just do it!
One of the greatest things about teaching or coaching is that you only need to be a few steps ahead of your students (most of the time) to bring them real value. In those early teaching years, I was flying by the seat of my pants. I got challenged constantly—because of my gender, my age, and the fact that I was no Yngwie Malmsteen—but I knew how to create a song that made people stop, listen, and feel something. And that’s what it’s all about.
Stepping out of your comfort zone, working with what you’ve got, and doing it frequently—that’s what built me a satisfying musical career. This advice might sound basic, but so is tuning your guitar… and look how far that can get you.
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Chantal Roeske is the frontwoman and lead guitarist for the aggressive, mathy grunge band Tonguecutter. They most recently released a full-length album, “Minnow” with Learning Curve Records in May 2025.
