TMMS TEACHER OF THE WEEK (8) – QUESTIONNAIRE – ALESSANDRO CARLI: guitars & ukulele

TMMS: Please introduce yourself.

AC: I’m a music lover since I can remember. But I didn’t grow up in a very musical family, no one of my relatives plays an instrument or has a particularly developed taste (except my brother who followed my steps afterwards). To me, music was a personal journey to discover new bands and artists, and I enjoyed every second of it. I remember listening to some radio programs taking notes of what I liked and going to record shops with my friends looking for the newest exciting thing.

I started playing the guitar at the age of 14. I remember trying in a very amateur way to play riffs and chords on the top of my favourite records (at the time mostly rock and punk rock)! I was completely self-taught for a few years, but I managed anyway to start the first bands, play gigs and record some demos and eps.

Music education came later on, and it blew my mind. I realised how helpful was to have proper knowledge about technique and theory. As a teacher, it became my mission to pass down the same knowledge and the same passion that drove me so far!

TMMS: What is your favourite repertoire?

AC: My favourite repertoire is… the songs that I wrote myself! Year after year I’ve been studying and learning many songs, pieces, instrumental tracks etc. But what really drives me is the magic process of creating something original, personal and unique. There’s nothing more rewarding than putting emotions into music and sharing that special creation with others.

TMMS: What are your dreams and plans in music?

AC: My plan is to keep on creating new music as much as I can, by myself and with others. At the moment, I’m involved in a few quite diverse creative projects and with all of them, the writing process is different and unique. Music can be a continuous discovery, and endless exciting journey and that’s what keeps my passion so alive after years!

TMMS: What do you like about TMMS?

AC: What makes TMMS unique is the team. It feels great to be part of a group of such talented people with your same passion, and with the same goal of spreading our knowledge about what we love the most. TMMS has the potential to become a landmark in London’s music scene, and it’s the whole team’s goal to make it happen very soon!

TMMS: As a teacher, could you give any advice to people who study / or who would like to learn your instrument?

AC: The 3 big rules for musicians are: practice, practice, practice. So, the most important suggestion I give to all my students (and to anyone who’s studying music) is: ENJOY THE PROCESS. Learn to love music. Listen to new exciting stuff as much as you can. Challenge yourself. Be patient. Fail, and learn from failure. Get lost in the music you play. And feel the magic. If you love what you do homework becomes just fun!

TMMS: What do you like about the UK?

AC: I moved to the UK more than 6 years ago, and I have the chance to travel around the country while touring with my bands and music projects. So far, I’ve met a lot of great people and made some very good friends. I love how diverse the cultural background can be. No matter if you’re in a big city or a small town in the middle of nowhere, there will always be something incredibly fascinating to discover and learn about.

TMMS: Please share your free thoughts, which you think could be an interesting addition to the article.

AC: Thank you all for reading, and now… let’s go back to practice!!!