Garage rock bands: a future model for developing musical expertise?

Abstract

A commonly accepted assumption in music education based on the apprenticeship tradition is that teachers deliver their musical expertise using pedagogically relevant methods that will help them to have effective mastery and control over the process of learning. This article decentres the traditional notion of mastery and pedagogy. Rather, it is suggested that, in line with situated learning theories and research on expertise-based learning, garage rock bands and their informal ways of learning can exemplify how to develop knowledge-building communities and musical expertise in formal music education. However, this approach is not intended to question or replace the need for teachers.