Saturday, January 22, 2011

Tips on Finding Professional Guitar Lessons

By Adriana Noton


Given the guitar's portability, its cost, and how cool it is when rock stars tear it up on stage, it's no wonder so many people, especially children, want to play guitar. Whether it's folk songs, country, and especially classic rock, the guitar accommodates many different styles of music. When you're looking to learn how to play it's important you seek lessons from the right kind of teacher. This article will outline the things you need to be looking for.

Decide for yourself what you want to learn. This will impact greatly what kind of teacher you need. If you want to learn classical guitar you will almost definitely need to go to the music conservatory where they specialize in this style. Most independent teachers and teachers from music schools will not be as good as a registered pro at the conservatory. This is a rare desire for most people taking up the instrument, but still it's necessary to decide what style you want. For those learning jazz it's important to seek a teacher with experience playing jazz. This sounds obvious, but it's a demanding style of music with tougher theoretical and technical requirements than rock and even blues.

Most people want to learn how to play chords, how to strum, and perhaps solo a little bit. For this, the key is finding an experienced teacher who will get you to that plateau in an enjoyable environment. Ultimately, if you have to choose between having lessons with a rock star, who's an indifferent teacher with whom you have no rapport and a very good player who can teach and who you get along with well, choose the latter. Teachers need to do more than be able to play well. It's essential they can motivate and inspire their students. There's a big difference between marveling at someone's technical ability and wanting to be and play like someone. The latter requires a personal bond. Someone's ability to play guitar doesn't directly translate to how well they can get you to play. A teacher must be able to communicate to you what to do better, and this kind of perception comes from experience and dedicated in teaching, not solely being a virtuoso guitar player.

Another important consideration is how long the school has been around. Some teachers have been going on for years, and some schools seem like they've been teaching forever! These are almost always a safe bet. Schools can't make a name for themselves unless they're quality, and if its been around for decades this speaks to the schools quality. Having said that, you need to make sure you're being taught by the right individual at the school-there'll be options, and often there'll be a bio of each on a website, or you can ask an administrator who the best teacher is, given your unique interests. Do this!

Finding the best teacher at the best school is ultimately the way to go. Decide what you want most out of your guitar lessons and ask a lot of questions to make sure you get what's right for you. Guitar playing is an epic journey and you want the right guide on your odyssey. Have fun!




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