Guitar Lessons Advice: 3 Tips To Find The Right Teacher, Part Two
In my last article I addressed the issue of finding the right teacher to help you learn, because individual private lessons are the best way to develop and grow as a player. Here are my three tips to help you find the right teacher to get you on the path to being a more self-fulfilled musician.
1. Find a Player
I am not surprised at the number of self-professed music teachers who are mediocre and marginal players. It’s a wonder how a student would expect to learn how to play from someone who can’t. I remember in college I heard the expression, “Those who can’t do, teach”, in relation to writing. In music, “Those who can’t do, can’t teach. Period”
Learning from a person who is not a player subjects you to the same pitfalls and weaknesses that plague the self-taught player – gaps in technical training and ability and incomplete and spotty knowledge of what you are doing. And be sure to find a teacher who can play the style of music you would like to pursue.
2. Get Educated Help
I’ve known many really great players who are great people who haven’t a clue about showing an eager neophyte how to play something. Being a good player is simply not enough to helping a student through the challenges of learning to play better. Make sure your prospective teacher has some kind of academic training in the language and concepts of music.
3. Look For Compatibility
If you are going to learn anything from your instructor, you have to feel comfortable in the studio. It’s very challenging for a beginning student to open up to the more experienced professional, so the instructor needs to respect the student and get better acquainted. For example, it’s very important for me to discover how an individual student learns. Once I have an idea of that, I can direct the lessons in such a way so that the student is successful. A “one size fits all” approach to instruction will not produce the success for each and every student that is the ultimate goal of private instruction.
For now, I’ve got to get back to working on a mix of a song that I’m producing that features one of my students playing all the guitar parts. Then it’s back to writing charts for Li’l Ricky Blues.
And remember, I have an open invitation for you to suggest a topic which I can address in an article. Just email me at rickcittar@yahoo.com with the suggestion and I’ll break out the thesaurus and get to it. Till next time.
Peace.
