First lesson this evening!

Nikko

Since picking up a guitar again for the first time in about ten years, a couple of months back, Ive been going through a few different youtube tutorials to give me some ideas about what to learn/how to learn, and its become pretty obvious to me, that I really cannot learn this way. Its just too unstructured. I find im going back and forwarded to different resources, learning a bit of a song that takes my fancy, then getting bored and practising a blues scale etc etc etc. I decided that I really need to do this in a way that will benefit me the most, so ive signed up for lessons, the first of which is this evening. really looking forward to it!

Hats off to those of you that are self taught, I just need to be given some clear instruction/direction.

viz

Awesome. I have lessons every week or 2, I love them. They really push things forward. Good luck!

Nikko

Cheers. Went well I think. Definitely going to be the best thing for me. Left feeling pretty positive about it all.

Flink_Poyd

I tried the YouTube way and ended up with the same opinion. Justin Guitar gave me a slightly more structured way of learning but in the end I decided to go for lessons, next ones at 11 this morning. Lessons do a few things for me. Structure, ability to ask questions, if I want to learn something specific I can and it's an hour dedicated to it rather than 20 mins snatched here and there. YouTube is still part of my learning but now it's something I do to add to what I've learned and have some fun playing.
Oh and lessons get me away from the wife and kids for an hour.......

thomasross20

What do you advanced players get taught at lessons?

viz

Wouldn't class myself as particularly advanced but I'll answer anyway!

We typically work on quite a specific aspect of music - 3 weeks ago it was different substitutes for V7 (in a ii V I context in C major, playing the C#7, or C#Maj7, or the Fm7-> G altered, instead of the normal G7), then a couple of weeks ago we worked that into a jazz composition of mine. Last week we wrote a song together in the style of flamenco. Got a structure sorted and then worked on the tunes and a solo.

They're more music lessons than guitar lessons because we steer clear of technique completely. I find them very rewarding.

thomasross20

Yep, sounds very rewarding, I have to say!! 

GuyBoden

Well done, I've found that good lessons with the right teacher is the best way to make long term progress.

57Deluxe

regardless of what you might be 'taught', playing with other people in a 1:1 is a massive asset as you inevitably up your game and learn to work round other players...

Nikko

Second lesson tonight and am really looking forward to it. The place im going to does group lessons up to a mximum of 4 people who are all at a similar level. My specific lesson time only has two of us (plus tutor), so its enjoyable (and learning in a group is about half the cost of 1 to 1 tuition)

57Deluxe

/\  I ran a Guitar Club for the U3A last year and it was an eye-opener for me to entertain a group of dispirit styles, abilities, ages(!) gear and backgrounds for two solid hours every Tuesday!

http://i60.tinypic.com/f4fi48.jpg

OnTheRopes

I know this is  an old(ish) thread but it just sums up my stuation. Picked up the guitar again after about 9 years. I was never any good anyway but it is always something I wanted to do so I am going to give it my all for a last ditch effort.

The trouble is, the music I would like to play is kind of classic rock and blues rock and as a 57 year old I am not going to be able (or want) to fit in with a bunch of 15 year olds (no offence meant to 15 year olds) where such bands perhaps start at the right level.

I too am looking at having lesssons as I need a structured approach as I tend to learn a scale, learn some chords, learn a tune off youtube etc but dont really know how to apply the theory I learn. I have started with acoustic and pretty much left the elctics in the case for the moment but finding the right teacher may not be easy not finding the right direction?

digitalscream

thomasross20 said:

What do you advanced players get taught at lessons?

I'm not sure I qualify as "advanced", but I occasionally have a lesson (read: a couple of lessons, every two years or so) so that I can properly examine the teacher's approach to playing. It's very easy, once you've been playing for 30 years or so like I have, to get completely stuck in your own way of doing things - even when you're constantly re-evaluating yourself and your playing, there's only so much you can do without direct external influence.

With that said, I think my last lesson was with a certain Mr Chapman about 4 years ago; didn't really influence my playing, but there were a few golden nuggets of advice which have really helped with my writing.

Nikko

OnTheRopes said:

I know this is  an old(ish) thread but it just sums up my stuation. Picked up the guitar again after about 9 years. I was never any good anyway but it is always something I wanted to do so I am going to give it my all for a last ditch effort.

The trouble is, the music I would like to play is kind of classic rock and blues rock and as a 57 year old I am not going to be able (or want) to fit in with a bunch of 15 year olds (no offence meant to 15 year olds) where such bands perhaps start at the right level.

I too am looking at having lesssons as I need a structured approach as I tend to learn a scale, learn some chords, learn a tune off youtube etc but dont really know how to apply the theory I learn. I have started with acoustic and pretty much left the elctics in the case for the moment but finding the right teacher may not be easy not finding the right direction?

I feel your pain. It took me ages to find the right place for lessons, and I also didn't think id fit in with the young'uns. As it turns out, I found a place where you can either learn individualy or with a small group of players at the same level. I chose to go for the group option (partly to get me used to playing 'warts 'n' all' in front of others), and its really improved my playing. Its a 3 person group; Im 40, one guy is 30, another is 27, and our tutor just turned 23...We have a student gig coming up this weekend, where I will be playing two songs in the interchangeable student 'band'. Our drummer for the evening is a Lady in her 50's, and she does it purely for the love of the music. She doesn't care about how others see her. I think you should get out and do it...you wont regret it.

OnTheRopes

Nikko said:

OnTheRopes said:

I know this is  an old(ish) thread but it just sums up my stuation. Picked up the guitar again after about 9 years. I was never any good anyway but it is always something I wanted to do so I am going to give it my all for a last ditch effort.

The trouble is, the music I would like to play is kind of classic rock and blues rock and as a 57 year old I am not going to be able (or want) to fit in with a bunch of 15 year olds (no offence meant to 15 year olds) where such bands perhaps start at the right level.

I too am looking at having lesssons as I need a structured approach as I tend to learn a scale, learn some chords, learn a tune off youtube etc but dont really know how to apply the theory I learn. I have started with acoustic and pretty much left the elctics in the case for the moment but finding the right teacher may not be easy not finding the right direction?

I feel your pain. It took me ages to find the right place for lessons, and I also didn't think id fit in with the young'uns. As it turns out, I found a place where you can either learn individualy or with a small group of players at the same level. I chose to go for the group option (partly to get me used to playing 'warts 'n' all' in front of others), and its really improved my playing. Its a 3 person group; Im 40, one guy is 30, another is 27, and our tutor just turned 23...We have a student gig coming up this weekend, where I will be playing two songs in the interchangeable student 'band'. Our drummer for the evening is a Lady in her 50's, and she does it purely for the love of the music. She doesn't care about how others see her. I think you should get out and do it...you wont regret it.

Your right of course. The other problem I have for some reason is terrible stage fright in these situations. Sometimes I can play something reasonably at home but even in front of the teacher it goes to pieces for some reason :-/. I did once audition for a band and froze up and made a right dick of myself. Nothing like a humbling situation to make you realise you suck on guitar and that time (in the eighties) I sold all my kit, only to but again a few years later.

So playing in company would no doubt do me good I seem to be always waiting until I am 'good enough'

I have recorded myself and it sounds pretty awful.

I am moving house soon to a new area so intend to start lessons right after this.

GuyBoden

thomasross20 said:

What do you advanced players get taught at lessons?

As you get more advanced, it gets very difficult to find the right teacher. Best lesson, even after all these years, I still love learning stuff from recordings.........

OnTheRopes

I joined Jamplay last night. Decided to start with the Acoustic Beginners right at the start as I didnt want to miss gaps in my knowledge or ability. Skipped a few of the first basics and then kind of slotted in to what I may have considered too easy but in fact is giving me a good grounding in stuff I never bothered with previously and perhaps affected my later (in)ability.

So far I am enjoying it and it does have a kind of structure which is what I need. This will certainly do until I move house and find a good teacher and there is enough to keep me going for a long time so I will probably stick with it. I guess the good thing is you can jump out whenever you want by cancelling the subscription and jump back in again as you widsh