I am gonna try out two teachers, one of whom has a website that I like what it had to say in his bio and what his students had to say about him. Any pointers on what to look for in a teacher, other than fit, that is.
Many thanks,
Lynda
What to look for in a guitar teacher?
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lyric_girl
- Junior Member
- Posts: 125
- Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:20 pm
What to look for in a guitar teacher?
Wasn't totally sure where to put this thread, so I am putting it here. I only started learning to play earlier this year after wanting to play for about 25 years. I did lessons for three months with a friend of ours who is a professional musician. Well, I hated the method book and found my teacher to be lacking in patience, accusing me of being a perfectionist (NOT) and a bit too much of a show off. I really don't want to know what he can play after 30 years of playing.
I am gonna try out two teachers, one of whom has a website that I like what it had to say in his bio and what his students had to say about him. Any pointers on what to look for in a teacher, other than fit, that is.
Many thanks,
Lynda
I am gonna try out two teachers, one of whom has a website that I like what it had to say in his bio and what his students had to say about him. Any pointers on what to look for in a teacher, other than fit, that is.
Many thanks,
Lynda
'10 360 JetGlo
Re: What to look for in a guitar teacher?
I can relate my experience with trombone lessons I took for a couple of years around 6 or 7 years ago.
I liked my teacher as he made sure I had the fundamentals down, and didn't move me too fast. With a wind instrument, you get into breath control, airway, and "open sound," (important for trombone) but getting better at an instrument is still getting better.
So many players I've played with are missing something, whether it is intonation (no valves on a slide trombone), have poor tempo sense, poor ensemble dynamics, etc. If you get the fundamentals down it becomes so much easier to be a good musician before bad habits are ingrained. Good teachers have you crawl before you walk, and make sure you are walking correctly before you run.
I had been playing trombone since I was 10 years old, but stopped for 17 years and started up again at the age of 35. I decided to take the lessons to improve further, as I'd never taken any before. It was well worth it.
There is no replacement to having someone watch you play and listening to you. Even Tiger Woods takes golf lessons at times.
I've been contemplating studying bass guitar with someone to be honest.
I liked my teacher as he made sure I had the fundamentals down, and didn't move me too fast. With a wind instrument, you get into breath control, airway, and "open sound," (important for trombone) but getting better at an instrument is still getting better.
So many players I've played with are missing something, whether it is intonation (no valves on a slide trombone), have poor tempo sense, poor ensemble dynamics, etc. If you get the fundamentals down it becomes so much easier to be a good musician before bad habits are ingrained. Good teachers have you crawl before you walk, and make sure you are walking correctly before you run.
I had been playing trombone since I was 10 years old, but stopped for 17 years and started up again at the age of 35. I decided to take the lessons to improve further, as I'd never taken any before. It was well worth it.
There is no replacement to having someone watch you play and listening to you. Even Tiger Woods takes golf lessons at times.
I've been contemplating studying bass guitar with someone to be honest.
"Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect." Vince Lombardi
Re: What to look for in a guitar teacher?
Hi Lynda,
I haven't taken many lessons in my many years playing, but I can tell you from the few I've had- a good teacher will teach you the songs YOU want to learn, not the ones they want to teach you.
I remember sitting down for about ten minutes with one guy who wanted to teach me "Michael Row your Boat Ashore," to which I promptly thanked him and walked out. I probably wanted to learn Black Flag or something...
Heck, if you walked in there desperate to play, say..."Eruption", your teacher should nod and proceed to spend the next 2 years teaching it to you, however long it takes- know what I mean? Playing the songs YOU want to learn will help you learn faster and provide much more satisfaction to the overall experience.
I haven't taken many lessons in my many years playing, but I can tell you from the few I've had- a good teacher will teach you the songs YOU want to learn, not the ones they want to teach you.
I remember sitting down for about ten minutes with one guy who wanted to teach me "Michael Row your Boat Ashore," to which I promptly thanked him and walked out. I probably wanted to learn Black Flag or something...
Heck, if you walked in there desperate to play, say..."Eruption", your teacher should nod and proceed to spend the next 2 years teaching it to you, however long it takes- know what I mean? Playing the songs YOU want to learn will help you learn faster and provide much more satisfaction to the overall experience.
Re: What to look for in a guitar teacher?
Yes, but....There are songs and tunes that I use to teach students a certain technique. I am quite honest with them and tell them that I don't care if they don't like a song that I'm using. If they can find a song that accomplishes my ends, that is teaching a particular technique, then I'm all for it.collin wrote: I remember sitting down for about ten minutes with one guy who wanted to teach me "Michael Row your Boat Ashore," to which I promptly thanked him and walked out. I probably wanted to learn Black Flag or something...
JimK
Re: What to look for in a guitar teacher?
There must be a balance between what the student wants to learn, and what is in the students best interest to learn(according to the teacher).
I remember those awful Mel Bay (and the like) books that were filled with songs that I had never heard of, much less what they were supposed to sound like. It really made the difference between 1/4 notes and 1/2 notes hard to relate to as I couldn't reference them to the context of the songs.
I also went to a teacher, an old woman with a Strat and a Twin, who came highly recommended. She would really tear it up in the first few minutes you were there, and then said if you followed her course, you would be able to play like that. 2 months later, I was still playing very slow lead lines(2 strings tops) from old jazz bands from the 40s or something. Needless to say,I stopped taking lessons and got "Artist" books from the music store and figured out most of the chord changes in many of my favorite songs, so at least I felt I was progressing.
In retrospect, I wish I had found a good teacher, and stuck with them.
I remember those awful Mel Bay (and the like) books that were filled with songs that I had never heard of, much less what they were supposed to sound like. It really made the difference between 1/4 notes and 1/2 notes hard to relate to as I couldn't reference them to the context of the songs.
I also went to a teacher, an old woman with a Strat and a Twin, who came highly recommended. She would really tear it up in the first few minutes you were there, and then said if you followed her course, you would be able to play like that. 2 months later, I was still playing very slow lead lines(2 strings tops) from old jazz bands from the 40s or something. Needless to say,I stopped taking lessons and got "Artist" books from the music store and figured out most of the chord changes in many of my favorite songs, so at least I felt I was progressing.
In retrospect, I wish I had found a good teacher, and stuck with them.
Re: What to look for in a guitar teacher?
I have had two teachers in my life: their names were Vic LaRocca and Chris Lennox. Both were amazing guitar players, and helped me the best way possible.
Vic taught me the chords I know, while Chris helped me with my playing. Chris has helped me invent my own style of rhythm playing which has made any musician who has heard me think that I'm a damn good rhythm player.
I met Vic in 2002, when I was 11. I knew nothing about PLAYING guitar, but I knew about the different guitar makers and models, and he was impressed to say the least. I am a perfectionist, and so when I was first learning I was very shy about playing in front of people. My Epiphone Les Paul copy had very light strings on it, so I'd always be breaking strings. This caused me to stop practicing completely because I was scared about breaking strings.
When my mom threatened to take Vic away from me, I knew I had to shape up. I saved money to buy a better guitar than what I had (I bought an '03 360/12FG), I discovered Tom Petty and learned about finding chords and tabs to my favorite songs online. I became better, and I was able to jam to songs with Vic. In May of 2006, Vic said he didn't like teaching, so he quit, and we had a sad goodbye. I still talk with Vic via phone and email, and we're still friends.
Chris came about two weeks after Vic left. I knew Chris because he worked at the music shop were Vic taught. In about September 2005, he saw me carrying a rectangular case, and asked what was in it. I showed him the 360/12, and he was amazed (he bought in 2007, only to sell it a year later due to financial troubles). When I first played with Chris, we played "Time Is on My Side" by the Stones, and he told me that I know my chords, but I need to not play so fast and hard. The more I played with Chris, the better I became. He taught me how to play slide guitar, as well as the first riff I ever learned ("Satisfation" by The Stones) In November of 2006, Chris was moving into New Orleans, and he wanted to get settled into his new home, but promised that if he could come back, he would.
In March of 2007, I got a call from him saying his buddies opened up a guitar studio, and he wanted to teach me again. While at this guitar studio, I learned even more riffs, and we started experimenting with our sound by bringing in different guitars (usually two) to try and recreate the sounds on the records, or just experiment for fun! The last time we played at the studio was June 30, 2007, the day after my 660/12 arrived.
Chris didn't have the money to keep teaching at the studio, so we came up with the idea to move to my Grandma's house and start jamming, while he taught me different scales, as well as licks and riffs. We took the sound to the next level by bringing in more guitars, and I started playing harmonica. Last year, in December, we had planned for a small concert at my grandma's house inviting all of our friends, but that was soon terminated when my dad put me on punishment. This past June, the economy started to suffer, which meant Chris couldn't come down to my Grandma's anymore. As with Vic, I still talk to him on the phone, and this Christmas, we both agreed that we'll have a jam session, just the two of us, like the old days.
So, if you have a good guitar teacher that you feel comfortable with, you can get attached to him/her, just like I did with Chris and Vic. Good luck with your new teacher, and may you learn great things from him/her
Vic taught me the chords I know, while Chris helped me with my playing. Chris has helped me invent my own style of rhythm playing which has made any musician who has heard me think that I'm a damn good rhythm player.
I met Vic in 2002, when I was 11. I knew nothing about PLAYING guitar, but I knew about the different guitar makers and models, and he was impressed to say the least. I am a perfectionist, and so when I was first learning I was very shy about playing in front of people. My Epiphone Les Paul copy had very light strings on it, so I'd always be breaking strings. This caused me to stop practicing completely because I was scared about breaking strings.
When my mom threatened to take Vic away from me, I knew I had to shape up. I saved money to buy a better guitar than what I had (I bought an '03 360/12FG), I discovered Tom Petty and learned about finding chords and tabs to my favorite songs online. I became better, and I was able to jam to songs with Vic. In May of 2006, Vic said he didn't like teaching, so he quit, and we had a sad goodbye. I still talk with Vic via phone and email, and we're still friends.
Chris came about two weeks after Vic left. I knew Chris because he worked at the music shop were Vic taught. In about September 2005, he saw me carrying a rectangular case, and asked what was in it. I showed him the 360/12, and he was amazed (he bought in 2007, only to sell it a year later due to financial troubles). When I first played with Chris, we played "Time Is on My Side" by the Stones, and he told me that I know my chords, but I need to not play so fast and hard. The more I played with Chris, the better I became. He taught me how to play slide guitar, as well as the first riff I ever learned ("Satisfation" by The Stones) In November of 2006, Chris was moving into New Orleans, and he wanted to get settled into his new home, but promised that if he could come back, he would.
In March of 2007, I got a call from him saying his buddies opened up a guitar studio, and he wanted to teach me again. While at this guitar studio, I learned even more riffs, and we started experimenting with our sound by bringing in different guitars (usually two) to try and recreate the sounds on the records, or just experiment for fun! The last time we played at the studio was June 30, 2007, the day after my 660/12 arrived.
Chris didn't have the money to keep teaching at the studio, so we came up with the idea to move to my Grandma's house and start jamming, while he taught me different scales, as well as licks and riffs. We took the sound to the next level by bringing in more guitars, and I started playing harmonica. Last year, in December, we had planned for a small concert at my grandma's house inviting all of our friends, but that was soon terminated when my dad put me on punishment. This past June, the economy started to suffer, which meant Chris couldn't come down to my Grandma's anymore. As with Vic, I still talk to him on the phone, and this Christmas, we both agreed that we'll have a jam session, just the two of us, like the old days.
So, if you have a good guitar teacher that you feel comfortable with, you can get attached to him/her, just like I did with Chris and Vic. Good luck with your new teacher, and may you learn great things from him/her
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lyric_girl
- Junior Member
- Posts: 125
- Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:20 pm
Re: What to look for in a guitar teacher?
Thanks everybody. Your comments have been enlightening. I just want somebody that I can connect with on some level. As I am a total newbie to music, and also someone who believes in having the best (own Taylor acoustic, own Larrivee acoustic and have Rickenbacker 360 on order), I need someone who understands the way I learn, my interest in playing style and isn't jealous of my arsenal. To say the least, if my only teacher to date knew that I had a Ric on order he would be very jealous and I'm not saying that because I think that would happen. He would think that I was over the top because he can't afford same. You should have seen the look on his face when he saw my husband's 30th anniversary Music Man Stingray!
For those of you who do teach, can you tell me if there is some sort of association or other group that you belong to? This way, students like me who are looking for a teacher might have an easier time finding one?
Many thanks,
Lynda
For those of you who do teach, can you tell me if there is some sort of association or other group that you belong to? This way, students like me who are looking for a teacher might have an easier time finding one?
Many thanks,
Lynda
'10 360 JetGlo
Re: What to look for in a guitar teacher?
I don't know of any national association or anything like that. Sorry. Here's a thought: check with your local arts council and see if some one there knows some one.
JimK
JimK
Re: What to look for in a guitar teacher?
I think you can pretty much tell the good teachers just by looks alone. If they're serious about their craft, they will most likely have adopted the same type of serious guitar player uniform that I now wear at all my live gigs.
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lyric_girl
- Junior Member
- Posts: 125
- Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:20 pm
Re: What to look for in a guitar teacher?
LOLteb wrote:I think you can pretty much tell the good teachers just by looks alone. If they're serious about their craft, they will most likely have adopted the same type of serious guitar player uniform that I now wear at all my live gigs.
'10 360 JetGlo
Re: What to look for in a guitar teacher?
Is that Sam Elliot as Estevan, or Estevan as Sam Elliot?teb wrote:I think you can pretty much tell the good teachers just by looks alone. If they're serious about their craft, they will most likely have adopted the same type of serious guitar player uniform that I now wear at all my live gigs.
JimK
Re: What to look for in a guitar teacher?
That's the ticket!!collin wrote:Hi Lynda,
I haven't taken many lessons in my many years playing, but I can tell you from the few I've had- a good teacher will teach you the songs YOU want to learn, not the ones they want to teach you.
I remember sitting down for about ten minutes with one guy who wanted to teach me "Michael Row your Boat Ashore," to which I promptly thanked him and walked out. I probably wanted to learn Black Flag or something...
Heck, if you walked in there desperate to play, say..."Eruption", your teacher should nod and proceed to spend the next 2 years teaching it to you, however long it takes- know what I mean? Playing the songs YOU want to learn will help you learn faster and provide much more satisfaction to the overall experience.