Lessons

[jinx]

i have been messing around with guitars all my life but never had formal lessons would you guys recomend them?

[taxistationary]

Re: Lessons

Hi there. I would defitnaley recommend them! I have been taking private lessons from a local guy, and it has nothing but help me alot. Good luck. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: Lessons

It really depends on how disciplined of a person you are. There are tons of instructional info available and if you have the ability to study it and do the exercises then you can be fine without them. I would definitely try them if you have never taken a lesson before.

When I first started I took them for a couple weeks and found them pointless (could have been the teacher) the guy was showing me Joan Jett tunes and I was a metal head into Sabbath and Ozzy I found I could figure out tunes if I tried and took it from there. After I could play I took lessons from a friend of mine who was well versed in Jazz and Classical (as well as rock). I primarily went for inspiration a couple times a year when I'd hit lulls in my playing.

I think everyone should learn theory, harmony and scales, modes and more importantly how it applies to all forms of music.

[ August 11, 2003, 04:35 PM: Message edited by: Shawn Lutz ]

[jinx]

Re: Lessons

dicipline i have i just dont know whwere to start [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[taxistationary]

Re: Lessons

That's why you would take lessons...To be guided! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Black Mariah]

Re: Lessons

Start with AC/DC. It's where everyone starts, grasshopper. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I haven't taken any lessons and don't see the point for rock guitar. If I was serious about classical or jazz I would definitely take lessons due to the rather structured and theory-oriented slant those genres have. But rock... just kick the thing and you're a guitar god. [img]graemlins/band.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]


Or not. [img]graemlins/fart.gif[/img]

[AlexL]

Re: Lessons

Not only do you need lessons to point you in the right direction, but you need a proper teacher, not just a guitarist who needs to make a few extra bucks when he's not gigging.

Case in point, after I had only been playing guitar for about two months, my instructor gave me the intro to "The Spirit of Radio" to learn, without giving me any other exercises to work on speed. In trying to learn that, I taught myself a lot of bad habits (never nailed it, and he never helped me to), and now here I am 20 years later with good rythm but lousy fast lead skills. Had he taught me basics about alternate picking and so on, I might have stood a chance later on to learn some more challenging pieces.

I recently bought "Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar", and I would like to find a competent instructor to walk me through it lesson by lesson. That is a great tutorial, but there are still some elements that I would either need a video or instructor to show me proper execution technique.

So, in closing, unless you are a "natural" (most of us aren't), you can achieve a decent level of proficiency on your own, but to truly master the instrument, you will need some outside assistance.

- E.

[jinx]

Re: Lessons

Well i am leaning towards lessons at this point. Just picking up a guitar and learning tabs inst gonna get me anywhere...now to find a good teacher in houston that actually loves the music and can also teach...thnx yall

[countandduke]

Re: Lessons

My VERY strong advice is twofold......GET a good teacher!! And get as many videos from Hot Licks or REH. You will be able to basically take a private lesson with the likes of Yngwie, Shawn Lane, Scott Henderson, Joe Diorio, Joe Pass, Paul Gilbert, the list goes on and on but it is VERY cool to actually see how they play their instrument.

[Disco Dave]

Re: Lessons

I was in a rut. I wanted to start learning lead stuff but had no idea where to start and how to do anything. I started taking lessons. The BEST decision. I am still young and I got a teacher that you couldn't ask for better. He has a masters degree from Indiana University in music. They also adopted his book as their required teaching material.