# Your definition of a good guitar teacher!



## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

I am currently searching for the ultimate guitar teacher. 

One who will listen to what I want out of my playing. 

One who will guide me with patience towards my goal that I am wanting but push me when it is warranted.

One who will be honest with me and give me constructive criticism when needed.

One who won't teach stuff that I could learn by myself on You tube.

What are the main characteristics of a good guitar teacher in your opinion?

Just a little sidebar. I had a teacher who was an amazing guitar player but really sucked at teaching. I had one other one who would teach me stuff that I could've learned by myself from You tube. What a waste of my hard earned cash!


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

I think you've pretty much nailed it, Lola.

A couple of years ago my wife took a sabbatical and that freed up enough of my time that I could take lessons for a year. I had some vague goals and eventually found a teacher who specialized in classical guitar that I felt could teach me something. It took a few lessons to really feel each other out, but then we were able to work on some really neat stuff. We worked on dynamics, some complex rhythmic stuff, and did a lot of finger independence work. We also did a lot of analysis of song structure - some lessons we spent more time talking about music than playing. A few times he pushed me to work on stuff that I wasn't really interested in, but I realized fairly quickly that I could trust him and if he was pushing me, then it was something worth knowing. It was a great experience!


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

I have a list of goals in mind. I will add the above statements as well to my wish list.

Please tell me what you think.

1. Need to work on speed mechanics ie. drills, exercises, quick riffs in songs

2. Stage presence

3. Stand and playing at the same time without looking awkward(swivel head syndrome)

4. Playing on the beat as I can screw up when nervous

5. Listening for audio cues as to when to play ie. drums, vocals, lead guitar
Paying attention for visual cues

6. Need to work on finger dexterity and fluidity

7. The need to own the song I am playing and not be so timid

8. Need to work on rhythm and timing

9. How to calm anxiety and not be nervous

10. Work on techniques

11. Pick attack

Anything you can add?


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

Lola said:


> I have a list of goals in mind. I will add the above statements as well to my wish list.
> 
> Please tell me what you think.
> 
> ...


Nothing to ad to your list. Guitar is supposed to be fun, not work(unless you do it for a living).
I've been (trying to) playing for over 50 years and I have some of your listed concerns as well. The bottom line is, I really don't care as long as I'm enjoying myself. Perfection is over rated. Remember, most guitar players feel their playing abilities suck when compared to others. When you play in front of an audience, 99 percent of the crowd know little to nothing about playing an instrument(unless you're playing to guitar players who will note every mistake made)


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

ed2000 said:


> Nothing to ad to your list. Guitar is supposed to be fun, not work(unless you do it for a living).
> I've been (trying to) playing for over 50 years and I have some of your listed concerns as well. The bottom line is, I really don't care as long as I'm enjoying myself. Perfection is over rated. Remember, most guitar players feel their playing abilities suck when compared to others. When you play in front of an audience, 99 percent of the crowd know little to nothing about playing an instrument(unless you're playing to guitar players who will note every mistake made)


I want to get better, not be complacent. I want to play in a band. That's my ultimate goal. I want to, need to achieve this. Hard work always has it's rewards! Play all the stuff that I am good at. I need to work hard at all the stuff that I am not good at!


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## Guest (Apr 22, 2015)

Lola said:


> 2. Stage presence
> 3. Stand and playing at the same time without looking awkward(swivel head syndrome)
> 
> Anything you can add?


these two you can put way down on your list.
but, if you want to work on them though, I'd add 'guitar face'.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

laristotle said:


> these two you can put way down on your list.
> but, if you want to work on them though, I'd add 'guitar face'.


There not in any particular order. Just jotted my concerns down while I was thinking about things.

Hey what happened to the guitar face? I read this message on my phone and saw the female's face!


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## Guest (Apr 22, 2015)

better?


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Nope! Not into contorted faces. Even Angus!

I know I make an expression of raised eyebrows when doing 1 1/2 step bend. Hate those suckers!


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

Lola said:


> I want to get better, not be complacent. I want to play in a band. That's my ultimate goal. I want to, need to achieve this. Hard work always has it's rewards! Play all the stuff that I am good at. I need to work hard at all the stuff that I am not good at!


Great that you're taking the mechanics of playing seriously. A word of advice from someone who also had the "ultimate" goal of being in a band. DON'T wait for all that other stuff to be perfected first. I wasted a lot of time thinking "I'm not good enough to play in a band yet". 

A lot of those skills are automatically honed by playing with other people... often. I also know what a challenge it is to find like minded people to play with but I see in other threads you're at least trying to do that too. Keep at it! 

The true ultimate jam/band situation is where you're good enough to hold your own within your abilities but are not the best musician in the band. If the other musicians are patient you will lift yourself up to their level. Again, easy to say, tough to come by, but worth the effort! Good luck!


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

*
A lot of those skills are automatically honed by playing with other people... often. I also know what a challenge it is to find like minded people to play with but I see in other threads you're at least trying to do that too. Keep at it! 

The true ultimate jam/band situation is where you're good enough to hold your own within your abilities but are not the best musician in the band. If the other musicians are patient you will lift yourself up to their level. Again, easy to say, tough to come by, but worth the effort! Good luck![/QUOTE]*




This /\ is the answer you're looking for. 
---end of thread---


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## Guest (Apr 23, 2015)

ed2000 said:


> ---end of thread---


don't think so. lol.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

ed2000 said:


> *
> A lot of those skills are automatically honed by playing with other people... often. I also know what a challenge it is to find like minded people to play with but I see in other threads you're at least trying to do that too. Keep at it!
> 
> The true ultimate jam/band situation is where you're good enough to hold your own within your abilities but are not the best musician in the band. If the other musicians are patient you will lift yourself up to their level. Again, easy to say, tough to come by, but worth the effort! Good luck!*





This /\ is the answer you're looking for. 
---end of thread---[/QUOTE]

Yes Ed that is the key that is going to unlock the door! It's just finding the right key!

Perseverance is one my best characteristics, so giving up isn't and option!


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

laristotle said:


> don't think so. lol.


I second that!


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## GTmaker (Apr 24, 2006)

The perfect teacher for anyone who wants to be pretty good...

G.

[video=youtube;xDAsABdkWSc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDAsABdkWSc[/video]


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## Guest (May 1, 2015)

good movie. I can't resist throwing this in.

[video=youtube;mVt_1lGTUcg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVt_1lGTUcg[/video]


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

GTmaker said:


> The perfect teacher for anyone who wants to be pretty good...
> 
> G.
> 
> [video=youtube;xDAsABdkWSc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDAsABdkWSc[/video]


And he also played JJJ


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

What a dick! But here's a teacher with a little different perspective!

[video=youtube;SRwrg0db_zY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRwrg0db_zY[/video]


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

This video was so popular during the MTV invasion. 

My boys love this video. As soon as they would here those first few words coming out of the teachers mouth, they would stop what they were doing an watch mesmerized. They could play this song 20 times a day. But then I am no different then them I had songs that got pretty tired because of the repetitive replays.


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## Guest (May 1, 2015)

who remembers these saturday morning educational spots?

[video=youtube;RPoBE-E8VOc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPoBE-E8VOc[/video]


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

One who is able to teach me what I want to learn and am capable of learning. Not one who wants to teach what they want to teach.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

So, I got a teacher. One that I thought was so capable of teaching me what I wanted to learn. The dumb ass never returned my calls! I text him, phoned and left messages. He finally returns my calls this week. I made up an excuse not to come and take lesson from him. I was so pissed off at him. It's a business after all. He lost me as a student. I am checking out L & M teachers.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

As a rule, you'll find your best teachers at a music studio because that is their business. They are not selling instruments and trying to meet a projected sales target but doing the best in teaching because that's what will keep them in business. 

Make sure the teacher has a structure to their lessons and asks enough questions of you so they know where you are in experience and where you want to get to. Here is a list that may be of some help.


1) How long have you been teaching?
2) How many students do you presently have?
3) How many of your students have been with you over one year?
4) Ask for two or three references.
5) What structure do you use for teaching?
6) Do you teach your students to read music?
7) What types of music do you teach?
8) How much do you charge and what are the lengths of your lessons?

Numbers 5 and 6 are, in my opinion, the most important.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

These discussions are always interesting, but we're getting a cross-section of forum members which is not really representative of all students. Many students don't know what they want, or can't articulate it initially, or are happy to have the teacher set the agenda (as are many parents who are the ones paying for the lessons), or change their minds by the hour, etc. 

My intake form always asks the question about music preferences, plus I survey my students annually (in September) with another form, and I frequently ask them what they're interested in musically so we can set goals throughout the year.

Student retention is a huge indicator of teacher value, as are references. The number of students can be an indicator, though not all of us teach full-time (I do) so it's not always fair to compare one with 60 students to one with 20 students, plus not every teacher teaches most styles. One of my competitors won't teach much modern rock (or classical) so even if he's great at what he does, it's difficult to compare him to someone who teaches modern rock if that's what you want. Few things in life (never mind in music) irritate me as much as screamo so if that loses me students, I don't consider that a problem, there's always another student willing to take a spot on the schedule, and hopefully the student can find what they want elsewhere.

Regardless of a student's specified wants, they often don't realize what it takes to achieve their wants, i.e., what they need to get there. To a certain degree I can achieve my agenda along the way by including it in their lesson plans as a step to achieve their wants. Names of things are important, they allow us to communicate as musicians, universally. Chord recognition, major, minor, diminished, and augmented, etc; the relationships between key, scale, and chord; efficient fingering and general technique; rhythm notation if not standard notation, and so on. Where many teachers fail is in finding a balance between these things for each student. That said, some students can't be led to the facts at all, though there are usually personality reasons for that, and any teacher at some point can slip up, being human and all that.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Hey Mr. Stuttersfastly and Mooh thanks for your input!~ I already have a list of questions! Your replies put a different spin on a few things. I will keep them in mind!


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