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YOUR INPUT DETERMINES YOUR SELF-WORTH... Years ago I learned the valuable lesson: Never, never let others, no matter the establishment, set a price on your worth and potential. I learned the hard way and although it was a quite annoying/funny thing that happened, I’m glad I learned it the way I did. Let me explain… It all started that fateful day when I had to perform my rating audition at the so called world-renown “contemporary” Berklee College of Music. I was so pumped to perform because I had finally finished learning “There’s Hope” by the incredible guitar artist Marco Sfogli. AND… I had finally learned it that night before my audition. I couldn’t fucking wait 😈 And I couldn’t believe I was finally going to be in a place where I knew I’d fit in and belonged either. I wanted to BRING IT dammit. Ain’t gone lie… Your boy AJ SMASHED that fuckin performance. I mean I wanted them to KNOW I had arrived. Jaws dropped on some of the instructors… but not for all of them. Especially not on the face of, well, we’ll just call him “That Guy” for now Lol. So here we go… But all in all, it went well. See, at BCM you get a rating out of 8 points and depending on those eight points determines the level of musicians you get to play with during ensembles classes. I got a fucking 3? The fuck??? Out of eight? Come on. Now, I’m no jazz superstar and I never want to be. However, the rating I got back was total bullshit. But you know what? I played humble. Well, as best I could anyhow lol I took this as a challenge, and I know you may be thinking,… “Al went on and spent the next 8 semesters kicking ass and taking names as a new and reformed JAZZ MASTER” and proved those assholes they must’ve been smoking fucking crack” (well they probably were lol) Right? Well, sort of. But In my own way. See, I didn’t conform to their standards. I just kicked ass the best I could wherever I got a chance to show it. I didn’t complain. I took it as a healthy challenge and studied my ass off. BUT… Here’s the funny thing. About a semester later I was pulled aside by “That fkn Guy” then eventually told me to my face, and I quote this now… “Wow dude, you’ve got some real pocket and chops there young man. I’m mean, you can PLAY bro. Come and study with me as your private instructor for a semester or two”. The dude STILL didn’t even recognized me from the audition AT ALL. These fucking dudes are high man. This is how aloof these “instructors” can be. BUT Still good guys in my opinion lol. You see, lack of structure often takes good things and turns them into toxic experiences for others. But I digress. The point here is, after studying with him for for that whole semester, this mutherfucker (I actually love the guy) He says to me, “Dude you’re easily at a level 6 or even 7, what fucking asshole gave you this rating?” There was a pause. And a moment of sweet sweet victory. And I smiled. And I said (breathes in deeply) YOU DID DUDE! LOL I says, “You were sitting there yawning the whole time I played!” I mean this was a fucking tune that almost made me fucking fingers bleed and fall off my fucking hands. “That Guy”, laughed so hard (possibly embarrassed) as I continued berating him for another hour as he later promised to bump up my score to a 7 and take me out for some pizza and beer later. Unbelievable LOL But anyway 😂 The lesson here is that when you get out there always remember the work you put in. The result matter dude. Obsess over the work you put in. At a certain point. Even the best can’t skate you. You’re not here for some grade or some fucking rating. Keep going, be honest, work your ass off, and shut out the negativity. You’ll get there. Let’s fuckin' gooooooo, AJ DON'T FORGET! You can get your hands on some PROFESSIONAL COURSES: If you're looking for some real professional teachings for beginner/intermediate players on mechanics, guitar theory, and true fretboard freedom then you can get my brand new "SPEED SECRETS BUNDLE". Just click the button below and leave you name and email with me via the form. That Easy! ADD THIS TOO... If you're looking for something a little more one-to-one then you can meet with me over a FREE ZOOM CALL (if we haven't already). You and I will work out a personalized strategy for you to start reaching your goals on guitar. Click the button below, complete the application process, and schedule an available time with me via the calendar. Even easier! My aim is always to provide the recourses you'll need to win. So choose one or both of these if you like😉 Looking forward to it, AJ

THE DO'S AND DON'TS... I've been watching guitar players from all over the world utterly botch their chances at making the right connection with the big guitar companies out there. There are things you just don't do. It's always an awkward thing to watch even your closest buds in the industry get stuck with companies (basically gear they don't like) for ages just because they either got too cocky or just didn't present themselves in a good light. I've seen some pretty gnarly intros to say the least which is why I'm so thankful someone got to me before I started venturing out for partnerships. Notice I say "Partnerships"... Endorsement deals aren't about free gear. It's about business and connection. Now, wether you're aspiring to become a guitar artist or not this could apply to you in other areas of life as well. Let me get into it in this video and even chat a bit about how the Kiesel Family and I made our connection🤘🏾 See yah there, AJ DON'T FORGET! You can get your hands on some FREE STUFF: If you're looking for some real professional teachings for beginner/intermediate players on mechanics and technique then you can get my brand new "SPEED SECRETS STUDY GUIDE" 100% FREE. Just click the button below and leave you name and email with me via the form. That Easy! OR ADD THIS... If you're looking for something a little more one-to-one then you can meet with me over a FREE ZOOM CALL (if we haven't already). You and I will work out a personalized strategy for you to start reaching your goals on guitar. Click the button below, complete the application process, and schedule an available time with me via the calendar. Even easier! My aim is always to provide the recourses you'll need to win. So choose one or both of these if you like😉 Looking forward to it, AJ

STICKING TO THE GOAL... I wanna tell you a little story about how a block of wood, a hot glue gun, some nails, and a pack of strings made me the guitar player I am today. You see it's all about obsession. The man C.T. Fletcher said it himself that is obsession that fuels greatness. It's that blacksmithing mentality that literally forges greatness. So me must be conscious of the why. Why are we doing this? Why did we choose this instrument? What drove us in the beginning? You'll be surprised. For me it was all about purpose, a way to show the world that I truly had something of my own to show them. There could be thousands of guitarists standing next to me but I didn't care because the guitar gave me my voice. I finally knew what I wanted to say to the world. So I must ask... What is your "why"? What did choosing the guitar open up in you? Where did it lead you? I want you to be thinking about this as you watch this video and then afterward go ahead and leave a comment! Cheers, AJ DON'T FORGET! You can get your hands on some FREE STUFF: If you're looking for some real professional teachings for beginner/intermediate players on mechanics and technique then you can get my brand new "SPEED SECRETS STUDY GUIDE" 100% FREE. Just click the button below and leave you name and email with me via the form. That Easy! OR ADD THIS... If you're looking for something a little more one-to-one then you can meet with me over a FREE ZOOM CALL (if we haven't already). You and I will work out a personalized strategy for you to start reaching your goals on guitar. Click the button below, complete the application process, and schedule an available time with me via the calendar. Even easier! My aim is always to provide the recourses you'll need to win. So choose one or both of these if you like😉 Looking forward to it, AJ

A VALUABLE LESSON THE MUSIC INDUSTRY TAUGHT ME... Despite what most people think, there is no better time in history than now to be a musical artist. It just takes a different perspective to see just how the music industry has evolved. Back in the day... Well, back in the day was definitely different in a lot of ways. If you had the talent then superstardom was way more attainable. But is that because talent was that rare, or was there a lot more money in the game? Money is always king. Let me explain from my point of view what I think the differences are and how we can learn from the mistakes both the labels and artists have made in the past... I think you might find there's hope musicians, artists, and future labels to come after all... Watch the video and as always please share your thoughts down in the comments! BY THE WAY! Get your hands on some FREE STUFF: If you're looking for some real professional teachings for beginner/intermediate players on mechanics and technique then you can get my brand new "SPEED SECRETS STUDY GUIDE" 100% FREE. Just click the button below and leave you name and email with me via the form. That Easy! OR ADD THIS... If you're looking for something a little more one-to-one then you can meet with me over a FREE ZOOM CALL (if we haven't already). You and I will work out a personalized strategy for you to start reaching your goals on guitar. Click the button below, complete the application process, and schedule an available time with me via the calendar. Even easier! My aim is always to provide the recourses you'll need to win. So choose one or both of these if you like😉 Looking forward to it, AJ

I am so excited to be starting this new series because I know that there are a lot of you I chat with regularly about topics ranging outside of the classroom, topics that normal social media sites wouldn't necessarily appreciate 😅 But that's alright. This is a safe space where you'll be getting an inside look at my life as a guitarist from day-to-day experiences, life stories, thoughts on world views, and much more. This blog/vlog is here to inspire, encourage, and push both you and me to be better people as well as players so welcome and I'll be seeing you soon. Cheers, AJ