Guitar without a teacher

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PennyroyalTea

New member
I have been playing guitar for a few years now and I am really starting to doubt how much I can actually do without a teacher. Most of the stuff I know I have learned off the internet, but it seems like that no matter how hard I try, I still lack some basic information.

I dont know what trem picking or sweep picking are :smack:
And the only thing I know about creating my own music is learn a scale and the modes for solos, and chords that fit in that scale.

So I guess what I am asking is, how far can you actually go without a teacher? I feel like I have hit a wall. Info on the internet seems to only go so far.

plus, I called the local music shop and found out that lessons are $20 a HALF and hour!!..I only make $7.75 an hour at my part time job, so that would take almost all my money.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

I'm 50 years old, I've been playing for 35 years, I've never had lessons, and the average 14-year-old in this forum will play me into the ground.

Get a teacher . . . :laugh2:
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

Lol. I agree, I'm 15 and have been playing for a year. I don't have a job b/c no one wants to hire 15 year olds. And if I had money I'd take lessons. It's ironic because I give lessons to beginners.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

With the Internet you shouldn't need a teacher. There is loads of stuff to teach you.


Lee
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

yeah look around.

btw trem picking is when you pick very fast

sweep picking is ... well heres an example - play an arpeggio dragging your pick across the strigns while you do but hammering or pulling when you have to.

er its hard to explain maybe someone else can explain better

check the site in my sig im not sure if theres still the sweep picking clip i did or not if that would help
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

oh and if you feel like you've hit a wall, find a backing track you absolutely hate.. say something latin, or jazzy in a weird time signature and make yourself learn how to play over it

also, try composing in styles you dont like as well. it helps to have knowledge of as many styles as possible as you never know when they may be useful

the techniques are also useful to have
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

Yeah, the cost of lessons is brutal. But I highly recommend. But at 80 bux an hour I don't know how a kid could afford it.

I'm considering giving lessons for about 1/2 or 1/3 price (for the kids), since I'm an amateur as well, but have a good grasp of the foundation stuff. You know, give back a little.

-Matt
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

PennyroyalTea said:
plus, I called the local music shop and found out that lessons are $20 a HALF and hour!!..
Click to expand...

That's not bad depending on the teacher ...

If you're not concerned about the quality of teacher go to a near-by university or college. There's usually a few starving students giving lessons for Macaroni money
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

Well, you could probably learn tons of stuff off the internet. The problem is probably that you're learning bits and pieces here and there, and lack the terminology to understand more complex ideas. You could try giving yourself a structured curriculum to follow. Or not... your choice. If you're self-learning, you could also get a buddy at your same skill level to help u out. Trade licks, tricks, and ideas. That's usually a great way to go about learning. Alas, it is still not a substitute for professional lessons.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

I was in the same situation when I first started. As soon as I got lessons, my playing improved a LOT and I had a much better understanding of music.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

yeah lessons are expensive.

mine are 17 pounds per hour, which is 31.1253 USD according to XE.com, which isnt bad but still its a lot of money, and with that kinda money you could get a new SD pup every 2 or 3 lessons. but that pup isnt gonna make you sound better than the lessons will ;)


only take lessons on a tight budget if you're completely dedicated coz its a lot of money, but it can help open more doors for you playing wise :)
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

Plus getting someone to play with is always a good thing!
I used to jam with my old drummer or bassplayer......great way of getting locked
into the rhythm and phrasings.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

cant believe we all missed that one out!

find other guys to play with , people who are better than you, so that you can learn from them, and learn playing in a band in general
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

How long and often are lessons usually? I could only afford an hour a week. Considering I make about 120 average every two weeks (last paycheck I made 200!!! go me hehe), and 2 hours of lessons in those two weeks would be 80 dollars. So that would just about leave me with gas money. Of course that is just an average, sometimes I make less, and sometime I make much more. Just depends on how much the funeral home needs me. :rolleyes:


edit: and yes, I have learned so many different bits and pieces. I need someone to fill in the gaps. Only reason I have understood so much is because I took a music theory class my junior year.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

The thing about lessons is that you need to do something with those!!!
Meaning you either record some music, or play with someone, or you will simply forget what you have learned.
I have quite a few things that I have forgotten due to no useage!!
So learn something you can use, build up slowly, that is the best way to remember what you have learned.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

You know, This thread has really inspired me to go out and get some lessons, Theres supposed to be a Wicked guitarist teacher in a nearby town so mabye when summers over i might try and go to him if he's not booked up when the terms start again...
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

hey, glad to hear it... im really considering calling and signing up for lessons.. but it will be a serious drag on the cash flow haha.

Maybe after I buy a new guitar...almost got enough
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

A teacher simply makes you practice by setting you tasks. No-one but you can make you good. There is all the info you need on the Internet - just stick at it.
 
Re: Guitar without a teacher

Well I have a question. For solos, do most people learn all 7 of those modes? The common ones (ionian, dorian, phrygian, lydian, mixolydian, aeolian, and locrian).

Then once you have learned them, you play the notes in one of the modes, then switch to another?

ex.. I learn the major scale and the modes, then I play in ionian for a while, and goto dorian to switch things up?
 
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