Option 1: Learn by Yourself
Many self taught guitar players just don't know WHAT they SHOULD be learning. Some do have well defined goals and that is great, but too often guitar players don't understand the best strategies to achieve those goals. It can be extremely frustrating to practice aimlessly and never truly reach those goals, or if they are reached, it may have taken 10 times longer than it should have. Good guitar teachers can spot weaknesses that need improving and bad habits that must be corrected. Many guitar players may be totally unaware of these habits or their very negative affects. More importantly, the guitar players may not know how to correct them. This is exactly what coaches and trainers do for their athletes and that is why these people (trainers and coaches) are so valuable to the sport and are made huge sums of money.
Using linear guitar teaching methods to learn.
The vast majority of beginning guitar books are written in a logical linear way. The problem with this approach is that it doesn’t work well for beginners. Students of such method progress slowly, or give up, leaving themselves very frustrated. Reading this, you may think: ‘But all books for beginning guitar students are written in this way?’ You are right, they are written in a very logical linear way, and this is a huge part of the problem. The linear teaching approach makes perfect sense if you are learning a topic that is linear such as mathematics or science, but you are learning music - an art that requires a different method to teaching and learning.
Yet the conventional way beginner books are written is typically very linear.
New students of the guitar (total beginners) like yourself are totally clueless about learning to play guitar, guitar lessons, and most importantly, about ‘themselves’. Beginners don’t know if they will actually be able to ever learn to play guitar. They don’t know if they have any potential. They are wondering if they have any natural talent at all. They’re wondering if they actually need to have natural talent to play guitar. They worry that they might be too old, or too young. They worry that maybe their hands are too big, or too small. They don’t know if they will enjoy practicing or not. They worry they may not have an ‘ear for music’ or if they have any rhythm.
A Good teacher helps his/her students to remove these self-doubts as soon as possible… but encouraging words are often not enough. Guitar teaching methods and materials which will naturally and quickly show some very real tangible proof that you really can, will and are learning to play guitar well.
Option 2: Learn with friends who knows how to play guitar
Using the trial-and-error approach to learn guitar. Fact is most beginners try to learn how to play guitar by treating themselves like laboratory rats in an experiment. Of course you can learn some good things from hands-on experimentation, but it’s unfair to yourself and your friends to learn ‘only’ in this way.
Your friend who plays the guitar probably is able to use some spare time to teach you some guitar. But teaching beginners (you) using a similar approach to teaching themselves (your friend) about intermediate and advanced level of playing can actually do you more harm than good!
For example, advanced players (your friend) are more likely to understand, appreciate and be willing to practice a tedious exercise countless times in order to achieve something on the guitar – most beginners cannot (or will not) fully understand, appreciate these ideas nor actually be willing to practice in this way for long periods of time.
Your learning methods must match the general mindset of the level of guitar playing skills you possessed now. Building self-confidence in yourself should be the foundation with which to build your lessons upon.
Let's think about other types of people (non musicians) who try hard to make extensive progress in their area of interest. Even the greatest athletes in the world still NEED coaches and trainers so they are able to do their best and improve.
Music teachers are like conventional teachers in that, they pass along information, knowledge of music theory, aural skills, composition, improvisation, chords, scales, the elements of music, etc. It is somewhat true that you can find some of this information on the internet, but you can also find a lot of wrong and incomplete information there as well! But what about performance practice, work ethics of practicing, physical techniques, finger independence, economy of motion and tension control. These are all things that are almost impossible to learn on your own via the internet. A trainer/coach/teacher can help you not only learn them, but master them.
Option 3: Learning from an established guitar teacher
If you really want to learn music well, you will do so much faster with a good guitar teacher. Imagine a secondary school student saying he doesn't need to go to school anymore because he thinks he has already learned what one needs to know in life. Sounds ridiculous right? Well it is, but that is the exact same attitude that many guitar players have about music. Before I go on any further, let me clarify to you that if your goal is to play a few simple songs around the campfire your need for a teacher is not really needed. For those of you who want to reach a higher level of guitar playing than where you currently are, this is for you.
Most of us can think of some good guitar players out there who never had a formal music lesson in their life, and yet they still seem to have done quite well for themselves. Many people look at a guitar player like this and think "Hey if that person can succeed on his/her own, why can't I?" It is a valid question, and sure you can learn some things on your own without a guitar teacher. But why take the risk of doing it on your own when it usually doesn't work, when you could find a guitar teacher that can make things work for you? Most people who choose not to work with a teacher either:
1. Have significant financial problems (that make paying for guitar lessons impossible).
2. Don't care enough about one's own musical progress to invest the time and money in himself/herself.
3. Just doesn't understand how much a great teacher can help a student in more ways than one may have realized.
Most people who don't take guitar lessons fall into the last category. So it is to these people specifically that this article is written for. Let's go over the obvious. Without a good guitar teacher, you may spend hours, days, weeks, months and even years trying to learn things with limited results, when a teacher might be able to show you in as little as a few minutes. Your progress is going to move much more rapidly (and correctly) with a teacher than without one.
In addition to the obvious musical benefits that are gained when taking lessons with a teacher (such as learning techniques, theory, songs, etc.), there are even more nonmusical benefits. Many of these nonmusical benefits are worth their weight in gold! When I was a music student taking private lessons in guitar and music composition, there were times when I wasn't able to practice the current lesson materials as much as I needed to for the next lesson. But I knew I had to face my teacher at the next lesson, which gave me more incentive to practice harder and longer to master the previous lesson.
Even if I felt like I wasn't learning as much from a specific guitar teacher as I would have liked to, the subliminal pressure of having to practice each lesson was worth the cost of the lessons because it made me a better player by forcing me to strengthen my work ethic. Had I not had a teacher during these times, I probably wouldn't have reached the level I have, at the rate that I did.
Guitar teachers can give you many good opportunities that you might not be able to obtain so easily on your own. Experienced guitar teachers have so many more connections, because they are already in the music business (some more than others) and that can make a big difference in your musical life. Whether you want a successful career in music as a guitar player, guitar teacher, songwriter, studio musician, etc. or just want to do it for fun.
Life is too short to waste time on the trial and error approach.
Life is too short to waste energy doing things that don't really matter or don't work.
Life is too short to not pursue your music-related goals, dreams and ambitions with all your effort.
What would have to happen for you to be, do and have what you want in your musical life?
What choices could you make now which would likely bring you great benefit tomorrow?
What is it going to take for you to move from where you are to where you want to be? </b>
What are you waiting for?
