It is very important for students to develop a good ear and have a good feel for the instrument. In fact, those are probably the most valuable skills a guitar player can possess. But there are a lot of other fundamental concepts that help guitarists get more enjoyment on their musical journey: Music Notation (Standard and Tablature), Chords, Scales and Theory.
These fundamental concepts have been around for hundreds of years, and beginning students who master them save themselves a lot of time, money and frustration. Those guitarists who do not learn the fundamentals at the beginning usually have to go back and study them later on (if they want to get off that plateau!)
Not all students want to learn the fundamentals of music, and that's cool; I am not the right teacher for those students. It is hard work to teach these concepts to all of my students but I understand their value, and that makes my work very satisfying. Since it is not up to me to decide who will become a serious player, I make sure that everyone who studies with me has the same solid foundation.
Everything you need is on the internet, and that may be the problem.
All the scales, chords, theory, songs and technique exercises are all available online, anytime. But where do you begin and how do you know what is most important to learn? How will you know if you have a song right, or if you are developing a bad habit that will lead to a permanent injury?
While there's a ton of information available, nothing can replace the effectiveness of a good teacher. A good teacher will create a plan that is specifically designed to help you reach your goals in the most effective way possible. Challenging concepts can be clarified quickly, and most importantly, the learned skills are applied to the music that you want to play. A good teacher will also be able to inspire you when you need it.
Most students meet with their teacher just once a week, so having access to more educational resources is something that is welcomed by most teachers. Of course, just because something is on the internet doesn't mean that it is accurate. Good teachers will point students to helpful resources and be able to correct some of the mistakes found on others.
When I first started taking guitar lessons…
I was so excited to practice and do everything my teacher told me to do. But I soon discovered that my teacher did not have a plan for me. Each lesson began with the teacher asking me, “What do you want to learn today?” I felt overwhelmed and thought, “YOU are the teacher, YOU should know what I need to learn.” I spent a lot of money, time and effort trying to learn how to play, but I came away from it all just knowing a handful of songs.
When I decided that I wanted to teach professionally, it was important to me that I had a plan for how I was going to teach each student how to play the guitar. Most people want to learn how to play their favorite songs, but first they need to learn the basics. My goal is to help students develop basic skills quickly and effectively so that they can play a lot of songs in a short amount of time.
What You Need: Clear Goals, a Flexible Plan and Accountability!
If you want to learn how to play the guitar, you need to make some goals, commit to a learning program, and devote some time each day to practicing the guitar. But it doesn't stop there. You and your teacher need to periodically evaluate the your playing and the plan that you choose to follow.
A good plan is one that offers small goals that can be met each week and larger goals that lead to good playing and a good understanding of basic music concepts in a year or so. If a student has been taking lessons for more than a year and does not have a basic understanding of music reading, chords, theory and improvisation, that person needs to evaluate their plan and/or their teacher's ability.
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