MILWAUKEE, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS)- Social isolation has caused many people across the country to rely more on technology.  Whether that’s through virtual workout classes, or guitar lessons via FaceTime.  

The latter is something one Milwaukee musician has turned to, not only to pay the rent, but to provide an outlet for those who need it during this tough time.

“I think that’s what online lessons are doing for people who are quarantined who now have the time to pick up an instrument and learn it for the first time in their life, maybe,” says guitarist Jack Tell.

Tell is completing his last semester online at UW-Milwaukee as a guitar student.

“I’ve had a few lessons with my professor at UWM over FaceTime audio at this point and it’s challenging because you can’t have an actual interaction with the person and if they don’t have the same music as you, it can be a challenge getting around that,” says Tell.

Tell says he and fellow musicians across the state, the country, and the world are struggling right now.  Gigs are cancelled until further notice.

“I have a couple day jobs and then lessons,” Tell says. “I also mix sound at a local venue and I’ve been hosting there recently, but they’ve also dropped down to minimal staff and without live shows going on, I have no sound gigs either.”

Tell has turned his studio apartment in Milwaukee into a studio for teaching guitar lessons.  He also takes song requests and does covers of them on his social media pages.  

“I think trying to keep the attention on the fact that we’re trying to stay creative and trying to virtually entertain people in what’s otherwise kind of a boring time,” says Tell.  

If you’re interested in taking lessons, send Jack a private message on his website: jacktellmusic.wordpress.com.