Teachers

Some of you who visit Taikoforum.com might start seeing my posts here touching on points made there. I don't want to monopolize a thread on TF, and a lot of times as I'm typing a reply over there, I'll think of a lot more I'd like to say, so I'll do it here. :)

So today I want to talk about teachers. Specifically, who says you need one? I've never known anyone to bat an eye when they hear of someone picking up the guitar or piano and teach themselves. Self-taught musicians aren't uncommon at all.

But when it comes to taiko, we players assume that we have to find a teacher to learn the art. I've seen more than a few people scoff and even not-so-discreetly mock those who don't have a teacher. It's almost a feeling of, "you don't have a teacher? What good can you be?" That may surprise some people to hear, or sound harsh to others, but I've seen and heard it from enough people at different times to know it's not an isolated thing.

I don't want to give the idea that it's a normal sentiment among taiko players who have teachers, but it does seem more common than in other musical styles. But why is it there at all? I put it down to two reasons: culture and "age" of the art.

Kumidaiko, or ensemble drumming, is a relatively new art form. There's not a lot of places to go to find qualified teachers, and it's not easy to find a lot of information about how to play if you don't have someone to learn from. Because of this, it's easy for one to feel lost without direct teaching. Learning another instrument or art form that's been around for over 100 years might come easier, with videos and books and documentation easily available at the local music/bookstore.

Taiko is also thought of as a "Japanese" art, and many many groups in North America and abroad (and obviously in Japan) approach the art with a mindset of other Japanese arts. You just don't learn chadou (the art of the tea ceremony) or karate without a teacher. To do it correctly, you must learn from someone who has mastered the art before you. Otherwise, you cannot be doing it correctly. Why? Because you don't have a teacher!

If you want to learn a specific, defined art like chadou or a style of karate (like mine, Shotokan), then yes, I feel you do need a teacher. There are just stylistic things you can't get from a book or a video that only a teacher can help you with. But here's where we get back to my original idea. You only need a teacher if you're interested in learning a certain style. If I want to learn how to play like "supergroup X", or learn to move like "X-sensei", then yes, I have to learn from them directly. If I just want to play taiko, then I don't need a teacher.

Sure, a teacher is going to help you, and it's no fun to be isolated without access to someone who can help you grow, but is it "required"? There are a lot of people out there who struggle even WITH a teacher, so if it's not quality of product that matters, then what does? Prestige? Really?

I'm not here to say that you shouldn't try to find someone who can help you on your journey, but I want to challenge the perception that it's mandatory. Sometimes it's the people who "don't know any better" who come up with some of the most inventive ideas.