Five Questions with Dave Heumann of Arbouretum

Dave Heumann is a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist best known for his songwriting and guitar work in the band Arbouretum, a rock group from Baltimore signed to the venerable indie label Thrill Jockey (one-time or current home to Tortoise, The Sea and the Cake, Liturgy, Future Islands, and Wooden Shijps, among others). In fact Heumann and Arbouretum recently returned from London, where they headlined Thrill Jockey’s 20th anniversary party. Adept with several guitar styles, and equally capable with electric and acoustic, Heumann is a joy to witness at live shows, where you often find other notable guitarists in attendance to watch him play his tasteful and sometimes face-melting solos. As Arbouretum prepares to release its fifth LP early next year, Heumann was kind enough to talk with Lessonface about his history with music lessons and what inspires him to teach lessons today. Lastly, it bears noting that at least in part we built Lessonface in the hopes of serving the needs of people like Heumann, who tours extensively internationally and often meets prospective students while playing shows overseas.

Lessonface: How did you first get introduced to the guitar, and what kind of music were you listening to at the time/growing up?

Dave Heumann: We had a guitar in the house when I was growing up. It was an acoustic with at least four nylon strings attached that I tried to pick melodies out on from time to time. I didn't actually play in earnest until I was a teenager. When I was 14 I got a Strat copy and an amp for Christmas and just dove into it, practicing for hours a day. When I was a kid I mainly listened to the radio and records my parents had. I liked the Beatles, the Who, Creedence, Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan, and – once I got to the age when I was playing I was getting into music more on my own – Hendrix, The Ramones, The Dead, Zeppelin, REM, and some ‘80s metal.

Lf: Did you take lessons or have particularly influential mentors early on, or later as you progressed?

DH: I did take lessons. There was this guy Mike Knoebel who taught out of the back of a music store who was great. His format was totally open. He was open minded and was proficient in a lot of styles, so he could teach just about anything that could be done on a guitar, or not, depending on what the student wanted. Sometimes we just talked about music and different approaches to playing, and that was fine, really. He really did a lot for helping me to understand the bigger picture – why you would want to do something, not just how to do it. When I was 16, I went to Baltimore School for the Arts and took lessons from a couple teachers I had – first a classical guy, then a jazz guy. They were strict and I was young and stubborn, but I did manage to learn a few things from them as well. What really helped me when I went there was taking theory and ear training, both of which are really important to what I do now.

Lf: What got you interested in teaching through Lessonface?

DH: Teaching is something I've wanted to get back into for some time. The whole idea of passing on a skill that I have to people that can benefit from it is a worthy one, I think, and something I can put a lot of enthusiasm toward. Being able to teach students remotely through the internet takes it to a whole new level because there's no travel involved. I can give someone in Berlin lessons while I'm sitting here in Baltimore in my stocking feet with a cup of tea in front of me, and they don't have to leave the house either. It's pretty amazing.

Lf: If you had to recommend one video or song for new fans or prospective students to check out in order to understand you and your style, what would it be?

DH: “Waxing Crescents” is probably the best example.

Lf: Can you tell us a bit about what's going on with Arbouretum and any other musical projects you're working on, and any latest news about them?

DH: Arbouretum has finished our fifth full-length record and it's coming out in January. We're really excited for this one, both for the songs themselves, and the quality of the recording. From a guitar playing perspective it's really cool because I got to experiment with a lot of different amp sounds and further develop the kind of modal improvisation style I've been working on the past few years. It's been a lot of fun playing these songs live for the challenges they present, and I'm looking forward to more gigs around this album in the springtime, starting with a full European tour.

Related:

• Dave Heumann's booking page
• Free guitar tutorials with great teachers
• Our complete hand-picked list of electric guitar teachers