July 2012–How to Pick a Guitar Teacher in Your Area
Thursday, July 5th, 2012Learning at home is fine and all but sometimes you need the direct interaction with a good guitar instructor in your area, but where can you find the right guy? Here’s a few tips.
Guitar Teachers to Avoid
1) The Frustrated Guitar Player Teaching Just to Pay the Rent.
This person has dreams of “making it big” but the right breaks haven’t opened up for them so they reluctantly, and rather ashamedly, start teaching at the local music store. Teaching is not really their “thing”. It just pays the bills until the big break comes. Once something better comes along they’re gone and won’t give you a second thought.
2) The Self-Centered Guitar God.
Lessons with this guy end up are about 80% the student sitting and watching while the teacher plays his favorite licks – usually the faster and more impressive the better – and 20% of the student playing and made to feel inadequate. The teenage students tend to gravitate toward this type of instructor – lots of “wow” but little instruction.
Guitar Teachers to Go To
The Un-Assuming Educator
He’s the one with the well-worn briefcase of teaching materials who has been teaching for years. He knows music – he can read it. He teaches kids and adults. He’s happy and fulfilled when his students actually learn something. During a lesson he might play occasionally, but more likely the student plays while he evaluates and coaches. He’s busy teaching skills – not riffs. This guy is a bit harder to find but most places have at least one that fits into this category.
When choosing a teacher what should you look for?
1) Someone who can clearly articulate to you how they teach.
Ask what they would plan on teaching you? A real instructor should be able to systematically tell you exactly the path he is going to take you down.
2) Someone who has been trained in music. (A music degree, a music major in college, etc…)
A person who has some formal music training will understand the process of teaching better than someone who just picked up playing guitar on his or her own. Remember, it’s about finding a “teacher” not just a great “player.”
3) Someone who is actively playing as well as teaching.
Ask them where you can hear them play. If they aren’t playing somewhere then this could be a clue to their professionalism and experience. If they are playing somewhere then go hear them. Listen to their style of music. Is it what you want to learn? If you’re looking to learn jazz and this teacher plays every Saturday night with his heavy metal band, then this might not be a great fit.
Remember, you’re the one paying the instructor. Tell them exactly what you are coming to them for – this can often save a lot of time when getting to the root of an issue.
Also, don’t feel like you have to sign up for lessons forever. Sometimes you just need to take a lesson or two to get what you need and then continue on your own or, if you want, continue with the instructor.
If you’re nervous about just going down to the music store and getting whoever is teaching there then check out universities in your area. Many of their guitar professors take students on the side and a guitar professor is generally much more qualified when dealing with certain technique issues.
Keep Learning & Growing!
- Steve
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July 10th, 2012 at 10:45 am
This could have been written about my teacher: Jeff Bishop of San Diego; (858)530-5927. A terrific low-key guy, who pays attention, is constantly encouraging me, and has gotten results we agreed upon at the beginning. I recommend him to anyone who is serious about getting from A to B or Y to Z in a positive stress-free process of incremental skills improvement.
D.
July 10th, 2012 at 11:43 am
Wonderful information. Wish I knew about it two years ago. I think I got lucky anyway. My instructor capable and most of all, patient.
July 10th, 2012 at 3:15 pm
Excellent advice and well articulated. I started late in life wanting to learn to play something besides the radio. I took lessons from a teacher who taught on the side at a music store. He only taught how to read music and after 3 months I was not off the 2nd string. Used a book but no real plan on where we were going. Changed to a tablature style teacher. Much better but still no planned structure. After 18 months or so I stopped the lessons. Structure to me means we set a goal like learn the 1.4.5 progression of chords and come in and play them to a tempo. Then pick a song and learn those chords and demonstrate at a lesson. Then learn barr chords and follow the same structure, mixing barr and open chords. (just as an example) Too much talk and “what do you want to do today.” The L&M has that structure but you have to have the discipline to move through it. Learning to play an instrument can not be mastered intellectually, it is just work and building the finger calluses and the fretting muscles which takes time and patience and likely why many do not stick with it, especially kids. Not sure any teacher can make that happen. Learning to play some song you like well enough to have someone recognize it can be enough success to foster motivation. Playing rhythm guitar is not always enough to have someone recognize the melody. Many by ear players need a singer to get the song to sound right.
July 10th, 2012 at 6:01 pm
I am looking for a teacher like that on the San Francisco Peninsula. At 53, I want to play electric guitar at a higher level than chords, and get into playing some leads, learning scales, etc. Also, most important, develop a practice methodology that I can stick to, and not lose interest, what to start with to warm up, etc., how much time to practice a new technique per day, etc.
July 10th, 2012 at 6:26 pm
I appreciate this advice, Steve. I am learning and moving forward with the L and M, but I could use a little direct feedback and instruction. The thing is, I never really thought that a teacher would consider just a lesson or two now and then. I can’t committ to a regularly scheduled lesson, and now I know there may well be a workable alternative. Thanks again!
July 11th, 2012 at 11:26 am
Guitar Masters,
I have your Learn and Master series and practiced for a few months. I know your instructions are the best, however, due to my lack of genius and lethergy, I gave up.
I know cords and finger pick, my riffs are composed of picking individual strings within cord structures. I sing and accompany myself on an electric PRS using a Blues Jr. and public address speaker. I have performed rockabilly songs from the 50′s and 60′s in small clubs. I really love the guitar.
I don’t want to read music, I would like to learn how to play riffs and, perhaps, learn scales to practice finger actions on the fret board, including single string picking. If you think I am a hopeless idiot, I will understand if you have no response. Regardless, I have enormous respect for you guitar masters. Thanks.