Do you go to a teacher?

[Magic Russ]

I learned to play in high school from a teacher. One thing he did that you can't get from self directed learning is that he pushed me to expand my musical horizons a little bit farther.

[Jafo]

Nope. But then I took Band and Choir from 5th grade on and briefly majored in music in college.

[tapper mike]

a teacher can learn you how to shred, how to play like your guitar hero but he will not learn you how to translate your feelings into music

That sounds like a terrible guitar teacher. If all a teacher is giving you is how to mechanically reproduce music then it’s time to find a new teacher.

There are good teachers and bad teachers. But no teacher can teach you how to be you. You have to define your own fate. You have to say "This is who I like and why I like what they represent."

We learn our mannerisms by those around us and cultivate our own personalities. No one presses us into a box. We don't speak like robots in fact we try to teach our robots to speak like humans.

The onus is on the student/player to draw from within and around to develop their musical identity personality. We do this by imitation.
So the first question you need to ask is who are your role models? Who's sound do you like? That sound at some point will have to be incorporated into your playing. Players draw from those who influence them then merge those constructs. It also takes hard work to develop the basics. You can't run from the basics in the process. Going through the mechanical experience is part of the equation. It's not something to simply intellectualize. It's something that has to be internalized. But you also can't remove the emotive value. This is where really really listening to music you like comes into play. What are the players/role models doing that speaks to you which separates them from the rest of the world of music?

Here's a funny story. When I told my teacher I wanted to learn jazz he asked me who I liked. I could barely think of any jazz guitarist worth listening to aside from George Benson. He hated George Benson's jazzy disco sound. He was actually disappointed in me for saying or even thinking it. Nonetheless I wanted that GB thing so... We studied George Benson. I learned his songs, copied his licks and focused on his phrasing. I embraced it and my teacher supported me. Eventually I got to the point where even if it wasn't a GB song I could emulate how he would play it. I learned a lot about jazz guitar and about expressing myself in the process. I don't play like GB anymore except when I want to. I play like... me. I've incorporated a few styles down the road and then sculpted them into my own playing. I've also discovered approaches that worked for me.

Further down the road he also mentioned other jazz greats that everyone else loved but I didn't. I hated Joe Pass. I hated his tone, I hated his noodling I could barely tolerate his lines... Which is funny to me now as I have his guitar but I don't have a GB. I'd mention Barney Kessel who's playing I loved but his guitar was for crap. I still love BK's playing but hate his poorly intonated worn frets sound. As for his guitar. Maybe if it were in playable condition and I could afford an ES-350 I'd bite.

Taylor Swift is responsible for more first guitar purchases than any other artist right now. Young girls identify with her. If I were a teacher and a student wanted to learn to play like Taylor Swift. I wouldn't judge I'd teach. I'd teach basic rhythm structures so the student would get a feel for the motion. I'd teach chord construction and the proper mechanics of holding down chords. I'd teach the progressions used and tie that into what key it was in so that the student would understand key / chord progression relationships. I would teach song form which connects the progression together. And after all that if the student absorbed what I taught that student would be able to write a song (not lyrics) as background to her own lyrics. It's not that YOU like Taylor Swift or that I like Taylor Swift. It's that the student wants to learn Taylor Swift because he or she identifies with the artist. Will that student become Taylor Swift? No. But the student would have a foundation to start his/her own direction.

[tapper mike]

Here's a story of the last time I was a teacher. Which epitomizes why I'll never teach again.

A coworker had a guitar and always wanted to play. With all the time in the world to learn and all that current technology offers for free readily available he never really sat down and did the hard work to get to where he wanted to go. He was lazy and thought that this time maybe if he had a teacher pushing him forward he'd finally be able to play. He'd dabbled occasionally.

He wanted to learn Dream Theater stuff. I'm not a shredder but I told him if he dedicated himself to practice I'd teach him. it's not that I haven't shredded, I've played Vai and Van Halen and Satriani as well as a slew of 80's hair metal stuff before. It's just that it's not my forte anymore nor do I wish it to be. This guy was in his 40's but age is immaterial compared to desire. If you want it bad enough you'll fight your way there.

So I studied Dream Theater. Watched videos, downloaded tabs, Burned the midnight oil and practiced like mad to get my chops where they needed to be. I worked out some key phrases for him to study on. I'd poor hours daily into this stuff so I could play at that level in order to adequately teach. He'd spend 15 minutes doodling the day before the next lesson. He would apply himself zero to actually learning what I laid out for him. I gave him tabs I played the part for him I'd try to get him to play the stuff. He'd work out a small bit here or there and get frustrated and try to switch the subject. I gave it all and he gave it nothing. Which is exactly what he paid me for my effort. Eventually after two months of this I threw in the towel. I said it seems you have a lot going on in your life right now that is drawing you away from learning guitar. I can no longer teach you because you don't want to learn. When you do want to pick up the guitar again it may be better for you to seek out a different teacher.

[Teksonik]

Never had a single guitar lesson, i think a teacher can learn you how to shred, how to play like your guitar hero but he will not learn you how to translate your feelings into music, i look a lot of youtube video and there is a lot a of good guitar player who shred better than God himself but...damn it s so boring ! There is not soul in their song, always the same "shred" in your face with no soul...it s only my opinion..

An opinion I share completely...........

Has anyone ever cried while playing Guitar ? Not tears of pain but tears of a joy that can't be properly described. I call it the Soulgasm.

To me playing guitar has always been a way to express emotions. I may suck but playing has always fed my soul.........

[samsam]

Learning how to do do something takes away its soul?

Doesn't affect it in the slightest if you learn well, just means that in passing you might suck less.

I won't go to a teacher for how well he./she can teach per se, it's how they can guide my learning that matters. There are others forms of teaching & learning than shite you may have experienced in school, for music too.

Edit: of course, not having a teacher is fine, nobody cares whether or how you learn, but it has no bearing on 'soul' IMO

[laurensarah925]

Never went all by myself. Learned a lot but it would have been faster with a teacher

Agreed. But i never actually took the time out to find a teacher to learn guitar. Although, Now I was thinking to start small by watching Tutorials from Youtube. But I am not sure thou how it would work

[laurensarah925]

Never had a single guitar lesson, i think a teacher can learn you how to shred, how to play like your guitar hero but he will not learn you how to translate your feelings into music, i look a lot of youtube video and there is a lot a of good guitar player who shred better than God himself but...damn it s so boring ! There is not soul in their song, always the same "shred" in your face with no soul...it s only my opinion..

An opinion I share completely...........

Has anyone ever cried while playing Guitar ? Not tears of pain but tears of a joy that can't be properly described. I call it the Soulgasm.

To me playing guitar has always been a way to express emotions. I may suck but playing has always fed my soul.........

Lol. No offense but do others feel the same way about it?

[excuse me please]

No, but I have had lessons in the past. Guitar, solvège and composition/polyrhytmns.

However, the great thing of having access to a midi editor, is that one can just plug in notes here and there, like painting with notes, until they sound good.

So basically you just drag notes up and down, left and right, until you have composed something to your likes. Obviously it's a bit easier when one has some understanding of harmonics, accompaniment.

My guitar teacher wasn't interested in Hendrix' stuff. He called that 'an E minor thing.' He is more into jazz. For the last 50 years. I wouldn't be too obsessed with what the teachers say; good teachers do inspire, bad teachers not so much

[Teksonik]

Lol. No offense but do others feel the same way about it?

I expected to be ridiculed.

While you may be laughing at me I'm feeling nothing but pity for anyone who has never felt that level of emotion.

Of course technical proficiency has nothing to do with Soul or the lack thereof but I've always focused on playing with emotion rather than impressing people with technical expertise.

To me Music is an Art Form not a sport.

Of course YMMV.........

[BERFAB]

Almost everyone that I know that took piano lessons as a kid quit after a relatively short period of time. The only reason that I continued to take piano lessons through college and kept playing through my entire life was due to the influence of my first teacher. He was a very talented jazz player. A relatively older fellow who had seen a lot of life from playing in trios and session work in the 1960's and '70's. Instead of starting with classical exercises, he taught my kid brother and me chord structure and theory so that we could improvise pop tunes to play at parties, etc. I was in the 4th grade when I first started, my brother was in 2nd grade. We lived in northern N.J., just 30 mins. from NYC. Our piano lessons were typically at 6:00 a.m. on Saturdays (we were usually up watching cartoons anyway) because our teacher was just knocking off from a gig at the NY Playboy club at 4:30 a.m. or so. He'd pick up danish and show up at the house ready to give us lessons. By the time he was done and gone, my parents were still asleep.

Loved that guy. I've had several other teachers since, usually with classical based training. They would try to correct my bad habits of 'jazzy' eighth notes, etc. But none ever lit the fire in me for music like he did.

[samsam]

"" "" ""

[samsam]

Almost everyone that I know that took piano lessons as a kid quit after a relatively short period of time. The only reason that I continued to take piano lessons through college and kept playing through my entire life was due to the influence of my first teacher. He was a very talented jazz player. A relatively older fellow who had seen a lot of life from playing in trios and session work in the 1960's and '70's. Instead of starting with classical exercises, he taught my kid brother and me chord structure and theory so that we could improvise pop tunes to play at parties, etc. I was in the 4th grade when I first started, my brother was in 2nd grade. We lived in northern N.J., just 30 mins. from NYC. Our piano lessons were typically at 6:00 a.m. on Saturdays (we were usually up watching cartoons anyway) because our teacher was just knocking off from a gig at the NY Playboy club at 4:30 a.m. or so. He'd pick up danish and show up at the house ready to give us lessons. By the time he was done and gone, my parents were still asleep.

Loved that guy. I've had several other teachers since, usually with classical based training. They would try to correct my bad habits of 'jazzy' eighth notes, etc. But none ever lit the fire in me for music like he did.

Enjoyed that

[Forgotten]

Although I haven’t had formal lessons on guitar and most other instruments that I play, it’s probably not accurate to say that I haven’t had teachers. So many friends and other musicians have taken the time to explain and demonstrate to me over the years that it would be unfair to not consider them as teachers.

My grounding in theory came from musicians who were at that time far more advanced than I was, and I probably wouldn’t have any ability to play slide or know how to play alternative tunings if it wasn’t for a few people who stuck with it and patiently helped me progress.

[BERFAB]

a teacher can learn you how to shred, how to play like your guitar hero but he will not learn you how to translate your feelings into music

That sounds like a terrible guitar teacher. If all a teacher is giving you is how to mechanically reproduce music then it’s time to find a new teacher.

There are good teachers and bad teachers. But no teacher can teach you how to be you. You have to define your own fate. You have to say "This is who I like and why I like what they represent."

It's not that YOU like Taylor Swift or that I like Taylor Swift. It's that the student wants to learn Taylor Swift because he or she identifies with the artist. Will that student become Taylor Swift? No. But the student would have a foundation to start his/her own direction.

Agreed. This is the essence of it.
Over the years, I've had friends ask me for recommendations for first guitars for their kids. I always tell them the same thing: as long as it's within your budget, buy the flashy one that the kid is attracted to. They have to want to pick it up... to touch it, to play it. As they grow into it, they can always upgrade to something with better tone, or faster frets, but they'll never get there at all if it doesn't speak to them.
Cheers
-B