There are a lot of people who sound good playing the guitar, even though they have not had any formal training on the instrument. Many of these people make money teaching other people how to play the guitar; but how do they teach something that they do not understand themselves?
Someone can show you where to place your fingers on the neck to play specific songs and riffs, (which is great because you have to learn the feel of the instrument) but there's more to it if you really want to understand music on the guitar. Trained musicians know how music works: They know the language as well as the theory of music, so they are more capable of clearly expressing themselves through music, and they are more prepared and to explain music to you.
Teachers who do not teach the fundamentals of music to their students lead their students down the wrong path. After years of lessons, thousands of dollars and countless hours of practice, students eventually realize that they have a lot of gaps in their playing. They may feel that they do not have enough talent to really "get" music.
Maybe those students were adamantly against learning the fundamentals of music when they first started taking lessons because they assumed it was a long difficult path that wasn't as interesting as learning the songs that the teacher was willing to show to them. If their teacher didn't know the fundamentals of music her/himself, it may have felt like a perfect fit for both people. Eventually, these students realize that they cannot go any further without going back and learning the concepts they should have been taught in the first place.
Teachers who understand the fundamentals of music know the value of those skills, and they will pass them on to you, right from the start. Good teachers also know that you want to learn songs, and so they will apply the fundamentals of music to the songs that you want to play. By studying with a good teacher, you will gain a clear understanding of music on the guitar, have more fun, and you may actually surpass the goals you originally set for yourself.
I encourage most people to study with a teacher who understands how music works, but that kind of teacher may not be right for you. It's okay if you just want to be able to play a few famous riffs and not take it too seriously. Whatever your goals are, ask prospective teachers how she/he can help you reach those goals, and sign-up for a trial lesson with the teacher who sounds right for you.
Traits of a Terrible Teacher
There are a lot of teachers to choose from; here are a few traits that suggest to me that someone is not a very good teacher:
1) If a teacher begins each lesson asking the student what she/he would like to do, that can mean that the teacher does not have a plan for the student. Students need a plan so they can measure their progress and stay on track to reach their goals. Teachers need to have a plan to ensure that all of their students learn all of the important concepts and new students understand what will be expected from them when they sign up for lessons.
2) If a teacher makes the student feel bad or stupid for asking a question, the teacher is simply not doing her/his job.
3) If the teacher doesn't keep any record of the student's assignments, the teacher is probably not invested in the progress of the student. When a teacher cannot hold a student accountable for the lesson material, the student begins to take the lessons less seriously and does not progress at a good rate.
4) If the teacher plays or show's-off for the majority of the lesson, the teacher is wasting time. (Of course, if I had an opportunity to hear Wes Montgomery play for an hour, I would think of that has time and money very well spent.)
5) If the teacher is unprofessional: late, unorganized, using the lesson time for other tasks, etc., that person shows disrespect toward the music and the student.
Some bad teachers are lazy, some don't want to share their secrets with you because it took them so long to figure them out for themselves, and some teachers don't know enough about music to be able to explain the concepts to you. You are paying your teacher a lot of money to help you learn. If that is not happening, find another teacher.
Good teachers have a total understanding of the guitar and a system of prioritizing and presenting the key concepts that caters to the musical tastes and learning styles of many different types of students. They are patient, encouraging and brutally honest when necessary. They teach because they love the guitar, they get along well with most people and they love teaching people how to play the guitar.
$1,500 for a Few Riffs and An Ego
Many teachers have told me that they understand how important it is for guitarists to know the fundamental skills but they do not teach them because their students don't want to learn them. Really? All of their students are happy to spend thousands of dollars on years of lessons and come away with a few party tricks?
I don't let my students tell me what I will teach them. Sure, they can tell me what songs they want to learn and I will apply the concepts to those songs, but the curriculum is decided by me and informed by the experience and knowledge of my colleagues and myself.
Part of my job involves researching, networking and consulting with other teachers and guitarists. Students pay me not only for the lesson time that we share together, but to do this investigating so that I can deliver the best material in the most effective manner.
Some teachers have told me that the fundamentals of music are difficult to teach and they don't have the stamina to teach them to every student. Teaching people how to play the guitar is work, and that is why students pay teachers.
I am a very meticulous teacher and I work very hard to be consistent with each one of my students. I don't let laziness, boredom or a student's request to skim the material influence my work. The fundamental skills are important, and I work with each student until the concepts are mastered.
My students notice my hard work and my passion for teaching, and they work hard for me in return. I am very proud of them and I know that they appreciate the honest work that we do together. They will take the lessons they learn with me into whatever field they choose to pursue.
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