Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay-  -1 for get a good teacher. I pored money into one, classically trained.
Its my personal experience sure.. but an expensive mistake that my friends and family spitefully joke about, "Remember that lame ass guitar you gave thousands to and you learned jack?"
Dont be afraid to walk on a teacher, they might be good player but not a good teacher, actually unable to teach. |
I agree that there are some bad teachers out there, but one bad experience shouldn't deter you from continuing to study with an experienced person.
I studied with Australian jazz guitarist Don Andrews when I was 16 and he had absolutely NOTHING for me that I wanted to learn, at that time. He was an amazing player but I wanted to learn Guns N Roses songs and here is this bloke trying to show me the melodic minor scale in 5 positions.... WTF?
I remember asking him if I could play with distortion and the looked at me like I was a piece of poo on the end of his shoe.
Now, I've been playing 20 years, professionally for 12 or so and I teach 1/2 a dozen students in addition to doing session work but I still seek out more experienced players who are better in one area than I am.
Lately it has been sight reading.
I'm certainly on a par with my sight reading tutor as far as playing goes- in some areas I might be better (I've asked him questions around (diminished) octatonic scale forms and he has kinda looked at me blankly.
No big deal- we go back to working on the sight reading and he is obviously at a whole different level to me. Cool, I can learn from him.
The biggest hurdle I've come across is getting over my own perception of myself.
I'm a pretty good player but learning to be humble about it and acknowledge that there might be a few gaps in my playing that someone either less experienced or (shock horror) YOUNGER than I am might be a bit more advanced than I am in a particular area.
Being able to shred diminished arpeggios is one thing, but 6 months ago if you put a simple monophonic melody on a staff in front of me I would be lost.
That is a pretty humbling experience for me.
I guess my point is that guitar is a never ending process- it is easy to get satisfied with your own playing at a certain point- but that will get boring and it is easy to get into a rut.
Best way out of it is to change things- go learn country, or rock, or classical, folk fingerstyle or jazz or even music theory/sight reading- break away from your established, well worn, playing path and do something unexpected- you will thank yourself for doing it, be more enthusiastic and a more useful musician overall.