Jun 09
29

is it easier to teach yourself guitar or take lessons?

4 Comments

i want to learn guitar, but i dont know which i should do, get a 'how to' book and teach myself or take lessons, – if you are aa guitar player, i would like your 'professional' [i guess] opinion.

When learning any new skill, taking lessons is almost always the best bet (assuming you have a competent teacher). This is especially true with musical instruments, because without instruction, it is easy to pick up bad habits that can make it more difficult to play or can even cause permanent injury! If money is an issue, at least take a few lessons to start, and then occasional lessons to maintain. Lessons are also a great motivational tool, and can help you stick with an instrument even when it gets frustrating! Happy playing!

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Posted in easy guitar lessons by Brian Nisbet 4 Comments

4 Responses to "is it easier to teach yourself guitar or take lessons?"

  • Matt says:
    June 30, 2009 at 1:59 am

    I am a self taught guitarist who now teaches guitar lessons. When I taught myself guitar, I already had played piano and trumpet. My uncle showed me how to hold and strum the guitar and how to read the chord charts, from there I taught myself and learned by playing with others. I find many of my students learning process does not work in the same way mine did, so for them, lessons are the only answer. I would say take a few lessons to start, if you find yourself moving ahead in your book faster than your teacher is teaching you, then maybe you can skip lessons for a while until you start to get stuck.

    Also….I quit guitar at least 3 times before I finally stuck with it. It takes lots of patience and perseverance.

    Good Luck!
    References :

  • SKCave says:
    June 30, 2009 at 2:42 am

    I'm a self-taught guitarist of over 45 years' playing, and over 20 years of teaching. I would say get a book of chords &learn 2 or 3 . A D E are good to start. Choose 2, Practise them individually, then try changing between them. Then add in the 3rd. there are plenty of songs out there in using just those chords, especially folk songs & sixties music. Hound Dog, Blue Suede Shoes, Johnny B Goode, Twist & Shout. He's Got the Whole World in His Hands, to name but a few. As u learn u can talk with friends who play and learn more that way. It worked for me! Hope this helps, and Happy picking.
    References :

  • Erin E says:
    June 30, 2009 at 2:48 am

    When learning any new skill, taking lessons is almost always the best bet (assuming you have a competent teacher). This is especially true with musical instruments, because without instruction, it is easy to pick up bad habits that can make it more difficult to play or can even cause permanent injury! If money is an issue, at least take a few lessons to start, and then occasional lessons to maintain. Lessons are also a great motivational tool, and can help you stick with an instrument even when it gets frustrating! Happy playing!
    References :

  • seamac56 says:
    June 30, 2009 at 3:01 am

    If you're really motivated to learn the guitar, you have some options- here's what I've found works best(20+ years playing, teaching, horsetrading and repairing guitars on the side)

    1- I strongly recomend a live teacher at least for the basics-there's no substitute for the give and take and the 'urgency'(?) brought on by having to have an assignment ready by lesson time. If money is an issue, offer to trade some services for lessons- I've had students cut my grass and babysit my kids in exchange for lessons in the past.

    2-Another alternative to an individual instructor are group lessons at a local nonprofit music school or community college. The advantage of group lessons at places like these
    are that the instructors tend to be professionals with degrees in the field,the lessons are probably less than what you would pay at the local music store.

    3- The big advantage of group lessons is that you can meet other players at your ability level to jam with. I can't stress the last enough. When I took lessons at this local music school( I was 15 at the time), I'd meet with two other players the Sunday before the lesson, review the material, and work on a song or two- we critiqued each other's playing, and got a lot better because of it. I've never considered myself as someone with a lot of natural talent, but being able to have some input to where my playing was at the time really helped me develop as a musician. Good Luck!
    References :

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