I am think of finding a guitar teacher....tips???

[B Bent]

I have been in a playing slump for a while now that I really want to get out of. I have gotten there because I never get to play with other guitarist anymore. That's how I usually learn is by others rubbing off on me. I want to find a teacher that is a strong jazz guitarist as well as someone who can do the Johnny Hiland and Albert Lee styles. I really really like the idea of studying jazz more!! Do you guys have any tips when it comes time to find a teacher? I have never had lessons so I really am not sure where to start. I'm hoping Foamy will chime in here!!! :fingersx:

Greg

EDIT TITLE: "THINKING" of finding a teacher not think. DUH!! :smack:

 

[Osensei]

Re: I am think of finding a guitar teacher....tips???

Good luck! Remember just because someone is a great player that doesn't mean that they are great at teaching. You must always be the final judge. You have to continually ask yourself, "Am I making the progress that I want?". The most important thing is to find someone that is willing to share thier knowledge. There are lots of people that are good at assigning homework, but I'll be damned if they'll ever answer a direct question! Make sure they give you the information when you ask for it and don't beat around the bush. Even if it is too advanced for the student, you can at least discuss certain things conceptually or at least demonstrate! You can't teach someone by hiding stuff from them. Believe it or not I've run into instructors like that!

When it comes to Jazz there's plenty to cover! Do you sight read? You'll be surprised the guitar players that can't read! LOL! Being able to read helps! Being able to write is even better! First and foremost technique. Then improvisation. There are basically two types of "jazz cats"! Dem dat play changes and dem dat play around the melody. I prefer to study the changes approach myself before tackling the melodic ear training! It's important however, not to neglect either method as either one can SAVE YOUR BUTT SOMEDAY! Jazz changes move a thousand miles a second within certain idioms and at times its easy to get lost. Having good ear training is a good butt saver then!

 

[seafoamer]

Re: I am think of finding a guitar teacher....tips???

Good luck! Remember just because someone is a great player that doesn't mean that they are great at teaching.

+1


make a list! a list detailing what ur interested in learning, & becoming proficient @. Use it to show to prospective teachers, but also use it as you're taking ur lessons to see if your sticking to what u were after in the 1st place.

be honest with urself about what ur after. I taught pvtly for years. i used to always get cats who would talk a big show, yet never do any real work. All they did was bring in cd's a have me transcribe tunes for them. hell, I think i was getting better than them on their own buck, & I used to tell them that. But, they were happy every week just to bring in a new tune and say, "can u figure this out for me".
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that. It's just, I can remember some of these dudes having a heart attack if i wanted to give them an eartraining excercise which would help them be able to transcribe stuff on there own. & some of them were dudes that acted like they were gonna take over the world some day w/ their music.

be realistic: if you're gonna take & pay for lessons, also set up a realistic practice schedule for yourself.

Check the Berklee websites for teacher directory. Like it or not, Berklee is by far the largest breeding ground in the world for qualified music educators.

take advantage of the modern era: ask prospetive teachers for a website, & check out their mp3's to see if they're a match.

If i think of other stuff, i'll chime in somore!

 

[B Bent]

Re: I am think of finding a guitar teacher....tips???

Thank you Brandon!! Those are some really worthwhile ideas. I especiall like the idea of the list!!! I just need to find some guys here locally that may be able to help. What is the going rate for a music teacher?

 

[seafoamer]

Re: I am think of finding a guitar teacher....tips???

What is the going rate for a music teacher?

i guess like anything else, that depends. Credentials, popularity, etc will weigh in.
I stopped pvt teaching 6 yrs ago, when I started teaching in skools. Before that, my rule was: I needed to make $30 an hour.

One day a week, I was teaching at a local store. They wanted $5 per 1/2 hour, so I was $20 per 1/2 hour lesson at that store, while @ my home studio I was $15 per 1/2 hour.

 

[Jack_ROCKS_Canada]

Re: I am think of finding a guitar teacher....tips???

+1


I taught pvtly for years.

seeing how you have taught for a while, i was wondering what would be the most important fundamentals to learn on the guitar and how to branch of into different styles of playing effectivly. ive been playing for a little over a year now and i really wanna make the most of my lessons and improve my skill as a guitarist.

 

[J Moose]

Re: I am think of finding a guitar teacher....tips???

All the fundamentals are important to practice! There's a big difference between sitting down & 'playing' and sitting down to 'practice'...

Probably the two biggest things that help me is knowing the names & location of the notes on the fretboard; Like "there's a D here, and there, and over there...and there's F#, and another, another one's there, & there & there, the "E"s are located there & there, etc. The second one is the "circle of 5ths" which I use to skip around keys & generate harmonies. Relative major to minor is way hip too!

 

[SOLO GUITAR STEWIE]

Re: I am think of finding a guitar teacher....tips???

+1


make a list! a list detailing what ur interested in learning, & becoming proficient @. Use it to show to prospective teachers, but also use it as you're taking ur lessons to see if your sticking to what u were after in the 1st place.

be honest with urself about what ur after. I taught pvtly for years. i used to always get cats who would talk a big show, yet never do any real work. All they did was bring in cd's a have me transcribe tunes for them. hell, I think i was getting better than them on their own buck, & I used to tell them that. But, they were happy every week just to bring in a new tune and say, "can u figure this out for me".
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that. It's just, I can remember some of these dudes having a heart attack if i wanted to give them an eartraining excercise which would help them be able to transcribe stuff on there own. & some of them were dudes that acted like they were gonna take over the world some day w/ their music.

be realistic: if you're gonna take & pay for lessons, also set up a realistic practice schedule for yourself.

Check the Berklee websites for teacher directory. Like it or not, Berklee is by far the largest breeding ground in the world for qualified music educators.

take advantage of the modern era: ask prospetive teachers for a website, & check out their mp3's to see if they're a match.

If i think of other stuff, i'll chime in somore!

wow foamy said it all, find somone that can teach, I personally really like the
dvd's from mark seal ( www.guitarschool.net ) he knows how to explain things and teach em.

chris