It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 6:04 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: What should you look for in a guitar instructor?
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:25 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 10:53 am
Posts: 560
Tabs are getting me only so far, but it is fun. I want to get better so I think I'm going to invest in lessons.

Got a couple of people lines up. I work at a university so one of them is an instructor in the music department, the other is a grad. I wanted to steer clear of teachers who just have "tons of experience playing." No offense to you teachers out there, but that hasn't worked for me in the past.

Aside from a personality fit what should I look for. Frequency of lessons? Looking for advice.

thx


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:45 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:18 am
Posts: 3084
hi jmr,

a good way to get more practice is to play with others. Are there some nice guys at your uni wich want to play also? you can learn enough like creating songs, hear to each other, learn from each other, writing lyrics alone or together, home recording...

have fun

cheers :D


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:56 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:13 am
Posts: 1952
Location: tucson
consistency and professionalism ,theres nothing more irritating then when an instructor is late or inefficient,


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:57 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 2:19 pm
Posts: 80
I would find someone who can make it easy to learn. You need to be able to understand what they are teaching you, you need to speak the same "language". I would make sure they understand your ambitions and goals with the guitar and have your success the primary focus. I have found that you cannot teach effectively unless you know the goal and the goal should be yours. It will change, but that should be up to you.

_________________
2004 American Deluxe V-Neck Strat w/Kinman Blues
2007 American Deluxe Tele w/Kinman Broadcasters
Mesa Boogie Lonestar Classic 2X12
Fender Cyber-Twin SE


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:01 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 8:36 am
Posts: 829
Location: Chicago, IL
I took lessons for years at a local muisc shop. After that, I took a few in college. The 2 college ones were very different, aside from one being bass, the other guitar, but the bass teacher is much more laid back yet still encouraging and skilled. The guitar teacher was a resentful $@!&# and not very encouraging. The teacher I had for years from the music shop was the best. He understood what I was after and managed to teach me a lot of styles and techniques in ways that made things fun and challenging, but still encouraging. I'd check out guys from the music department, and if they don't click, try a local shop.

_________________
-Classic 50's Strat.
-Std. Telecaster.
-Mike Dirnt P-bass.
-Custody of SE Strat.
-Peavey Predator/Dean Evo/Epiphone DR150/Gibson Slide (much older than me).

Rellik Productions Inc.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:21 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:47 am
Posts: 15336
Location: In a galaxy far far away
The ability to communicate is paramount. Thats why i'd look to someone with a proven track record in instructing people i.e a teacher who plays. Not a music teacher though. I dont know any guitarist who ever done anything who got on with their music teacher.

Aside from that just jam with anyone and leech off them. I learned more doing that than i ever did anything else. You do have to develop a mindset to do that though. You need to be completely laid back and just let the other person take the lead with only moments of your interjection to see what works.

_________________
No no and no


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:33 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 02, 2007 1:02 pm
Posts: 718
imho, after you get the basics, to find a guitar instructor look in the mirror. The solution is to play and play and play. It's fun.

_________________
"Now, bring me that horizon."
-Capt. Jack Sparrow


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:56 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 5:33 am
Posts: 722
Location: Australia
Look for a friendly person who likes to share their knowledge, not guard it. I used to teach at a guitar shop in a little studio out the back, and I could hear the guy next door through the wall. If I had a no-show, I'd sit and practice something for myself -- at the time, there was some classical stuff I was trying to get down, but I'd play it on my strat because that's all I had with me. After a while, I'd hear him playing the same thing through the wall, but up to speed and with all the correct embellishments. He'd do this whether or not he had a student in there, so at least some of the time he was showing off to someone else at my expense... erm, anyway, that just resurfaced...heh! My point was meant to be that although this other dude was definitely a stronger player than me, he had a lousy attitude that put students off and made them feel like they were never going to be as good as him. Find someone who wants to give you information that will unlock your potential.

From my experience, this "key" most often consisted of getting a student to the point where they'd understand how and why the various pentatonic shapes fit together going up the neck... once they had that down, their playing took off literally overnight. But, you know how it is... there are different nuggets of information for everyone...

When I started learning flamenco years ago, it was because the player-who-was-soon-to-be-my-teacher was around at my original guitar teacher's place, and he was producing sounds that (to my ears at the time) seemed frankly impossible. I couldn't believe it and had to know more. Twenty years later I still feel the same way -- it's like the blues; deceptively simple at times, but it's just a bottomless well of good stuff...


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:31 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 6:13 am
Posts: 3317
Location: The Alpha Quadrant.
A guitar.

CC 8)

_________________
Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:31 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 1:35 pm
Posts: 2303
Location: DC
Make sure he plays strats too :)


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:43 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 10:53 am
Posts: 560
Synkronized wrote:
Make sure he plays strats too :)


:lol:


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:41 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 4:35 am
Posts: 388
one of the prefered advantage for a guitar instructor
is the ability to guide you on vocals
every guitar player needs to sing


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:27 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2008 10:36 am
Posts: 3219
Location: Las Vegas
eddytanhh wrote:
one of the prefered advantage for a guitar instructor
is the ability to guide you on vocals
every guitar player needs to sing


If I sing during lessons I'll probably get charged double. :cry:


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:26 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:37 pm
Posts: 1811
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Triskele wrote:
hi jmr,

a good way to get more practice is to play with others. Are there some nice guys at your uni wich want to play also? you can learn enough like creating songs, hear to each other, learn from each other, writing lyrics alone or together, home recording...

have fun

cheers :D


I'm self taught, with help from my friends.

I've been play quite a bit, the last five years, with a friend and neighbor. He's a very good guitar player, who is also self taught. Recently, we've formed a blues band. I've found that playing with others has really increased my learning pace. Also.....playing in a band, has really pushed me to improve. I've found that fear of embarrassment in front of a group of people gives me a lot of motivation to practice and improve.

_________________
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."-John Wayne


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 1:28 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 12:01 pm
Posts: 3261
Location: Halls of ikea
Greg Koch 8)


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: