Lesson Update

[G McBride]

If you all remember, I started taking guitar lessons back in September of 2010. I have played guitar for at least 44 years now and played in bands during school and into my twenties.

 

I am still taking lessons and still learning things. I like the lessons because it forces me to play things that I would not if it were not forced upon me. I enjoy it because I am learning music theory and lots of different ways to play the same thing.

 

I think that my instructor likes the lessons as much as I do because of my experience and age. I will question him and make him think about things also. Last night we discovered ( with a little push from me ) that he was teaching a song wrong just because he wanted to teach people to play and extremely hard to finger 9th chord.

 

I don't mind learning new things but I don't believe that in music it has to be a certain way and it should be fun to play a song, not torturous.

 

What have I learned? I can now read tabs pretty good. I know how to play major, minor scales all over the range on the guitar. I have learned a lot of terminology for many of the things I did but did not know what it was called. I have learned that I still love the guitar as much as I did when I picked up my first one at 12 years old.

 

Any of the rest of you still taking lessons or have you all mastered the instrument.

[Duende]

If you all remember, I started taking guitar lessons back in September of 2010. I have played guitar for at least 44 years now and played in bands during school and into my twenties.

 

I am still taking lessons and still learning things. I like the lessons because it forces me to play things that I would not if it were not forced upon me. I enjoy it because I am learning music theory and lots of different ways to play the same thing.

 

I think that my instructor likes the lessons as much as I do because of my experience and age. I will question him and make him think about things also. Last night we discovered ( with a little push from me ) that he was teaching a song wrong just because he wanted to teach people to play and extremely hard to finger 9th chord.

 

I don't mind learning new things but I don't believe that in music it has to be a certain way and it should be fun to play a song, not torturous.

 

What have I learned? I can now read tabs pretty good. I know how to play major, minor scales all over the range on the guitar. I have learned a lot of terminology for many of the things I did but did not know what it was called. I have learned that I still love the guitar as much as I did when I picked up my first one at 12 years old.

 

Any of the rest of you still taking lessons or have you all mastered the instrument.

 

That was a fascinating read and it sounds like you are still growing musically which is great!

 

I give lessons for a living but have always taken lessons too! The last two years (when he is not touring) I have been taking lessons with a guy called Carlos Bonell on classical guitar and I am always 'unofficially learning' watching how others play etc and then incorporating into my own style...

 

I hope to help others and also keep learning till the day I drop dead!

 

A coach or just another musician watching you; can see things you cannot and offer fresh perspectives.

 

Matt

[sexygibson]

I don't think anyone truly " masters " the guitar. There is always something that can be learned. I read an interview with John 5 once and he said that while out on tour he will sometimes find a local instructor and take a lesson. I am 42 and have been playing almost 30 years and lately have been giving thought to taking some lessons. I am about to be out of work so I will have plenty of time if I can spare the money. I think anyone who thinks they are too good for lessons is probably not as good as they think.

[Andy R]

I don't think anyone truly " masters " the guitar. There is always something that can be learned. I read an interview with John 5 once and he said that while out on tour he will sometimes find a local instructor and take a lesson. I am 42 and have been playing almost 30 years and lately have been giving thought to taking some lessons. I am about to be out of work so I will have plenty of time if I can spare the money. I think anyone who thinks they are too good for lessons is probably not as good as they think.

 

I agree completely as I don't believe anyone can truly "master" anything. There is a saying something like that "when someone stops striving to be great they stop being good". I will be 42 this Saturday and have also played for 30 years. I'm sure by now you have plenty enough skill and knowledge to teach guitar. I did this for about 2 years as a source of income teaching about 40 students per week. I learned more and was at my playing best when I did that. It is one thing to understand something in your mind but until you have to verbalize it aloud and put words around concepts and teach what you know I'm telling you that you truly don't understand it to the level you think you do. I also learned a lot from the students I taught. You might also find another teacher you can grab some free lessons from if you work someplace that has a few teachers working. Just a suggestion even just taking a few students a week is helpful and would pay for your own lessons.

 

In the town that I taught they actually have a Guitar class at the High School ( of course they didn't when I went there) Anyway I got a visit from the instructor telling me that he had a great increase of students that were able to bypass the beginners class and found out they all had the same instructor. That made me feel pretty good. I also had one of my students get a scholarship to Ball State University based on his guitar playing again another proud moment. Now I see a lot of the kids I taught out playing in bands which is also a good feeling. I even shocked one of them who now teaches about taking lessons from him. I said he had far surpassed my knowledge and ability and he owed me!

 

Andy