Meet Shawn Fleming | Guitar Teacher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shawn Fleming and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shawn, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
It all started in 1995 when I was hired to teach guitar at Ace Music in 1995. Larry Little ran the teaching department and hired me although I had no teaching experience I was playing professionally, knew how to read and play some different styles. In 1996 he paid me extra to run the teaching department which was small 4 teachers including myself. In 1997 I took the business over from Larry but 6 months after Ace Music closed their doors. Ken Daniels, Paul Flynn and Russell Blake were all employees at Ace and opened Truetone Music in 1998. Luckily for me they gave me a chance and I began teaching there as an independent contractor when the store opened. Not as an employee but paying rent to have a teaching studio in the store. I started my YouTube channel 2011 because the internet was coming and thought I would be out of business teaching in person. After my YouTube channel started getting traction I started Guitar Reference Guide a website offering PDFS of my lessons on YouTube. My YouTube channel is @guitarreference no @. I have over 200 instructional videos and 40,000 subscribers. I have taught over 1500 students over the last 25 years and think there is nothing better than the in person lesson experience.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think one of the things that sets me apart is that I am a full-time guitar teacher. I still do the occasional gig but teaching is my full-time job and I love it! For most teachers it is a side hustle not a full time occupation. I have helped and been successful in preparing many of my serious students for college admissions. I have had students accepted to USC Thorton School of Music, Berklee College of Music, Boston College and many others. Some of my students have become professional musicians, some are in weekend rock bands and some just play for themselves. Whatever the level the goal is always to support them and help them get where they want to be. There have been many challenges along the way but when you enjoy the challenge it is different than solving a problem you don’t care about. Through my focus on education I created a teaching system that is tailored to the individual. Over the years it continues to evolve and change with technology but I attribute the successes of my teaching to my system. I have created hundreds of teaching documents in Sibelius and have huge song catalog that expands weekly so there is little to no writing in my lessons. My students success I attribute to their hard work and having guided path for them to follow in reaching their short term and long term goals but most importantly enjoying the journey. The main lesson I have learned is that almost everyones musical path is unique to them and tailoring a curriculum to their personal goals and aspirations is the best way to optimize success. I think that playing an instrument is one of the greatest things in the world if not the greatest thing, and even better with others. My goal is to help people improve and reach their goals and enjoy the process of getting there. I feel lucky every day I get to do that.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The Baked Potato in North Hollywood has the some of the best musicians in the word playing nightly is a must. Probable has a 100 people seating capacity. A show at the Hollywood Bowl or Greek theater are two of the greatest places to see a show. Hiking in the palisades and hitting the beach in Playa Delray are a couple of my other favorite things to do. Plan Check on Sawtelle for burgers and beers.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Ken Daniels, and Paul Flynn deserve to biggest shout out as they stuck with me, supported me through the ups and downs since 1998. There have been many both personal and professional! When you work somewhere so long you grow up together, Ken, Paul and the staff are the best. I could not of been luckier to be affiliated with Truetone Music and continue to be. Ken ran the retail side and Paul ran the repair shop. Sunir Patel took over for Ken Daniels in 2018 and has been so supportive especially through covid and the transition into the new state of the art facilty which is opening soon. Sunir’s down to earth people management skills and vision is what has brought Truetone Music where it is today. The Truetone staff are like family and I am so excited for the grand opening of the new location. Sunir has also has been a great business mentor for my other business. I launched a guitar pick company this year called “Good Grip Picks” with one of my students.

Website: https://www.shawnfleming.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guitarrefvideo/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063550178440

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/shawn-fleming-santa-monica-2?osq=Guitar+Teachers

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf5FHoLVYPSSCU4QerhDSEw

Image Credits
Marny Maslon, Xander Marsden, Anand Landon, Robert Borman, Jake Noveck, David Jenkins, Paul Flynn, Ken Daniels. Russell Blake