• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Topic: private guitar (no lessons) versus guitar lessons

I have a question, probably concerning a lot of people.
In my case the fact is, I never followed lessons to play guitar, and due to mainly personal reasons (health problems) I almost never played in a music group, the last time is about 10 years ago, and I was amazed how playing in a group changes your "feeling" concerning your interaction with your guitar.
MOST IMPORTANT IS: YOU PLAY FOR 30 YEARS ON YOUR OWN, YOU HAVE DEVELOPED A TECHNIQUE, YOUR OWN PERSONAL TECHNIQUE, and I like to know if, playing on your own for a long time, if it is still useful to follow guitar lessons. I am afraid that following lessons, like to be a good finger picker, are a waste of money, just because I think it must be very hard to leave your own technique to play guitar.
Because I don't play guitar in a band, I have a lot of joy using my little device with bass loops and drum patterns, you can see that your timing is not always good, and many more. I like it when I go electric, following the rhythm section of my little Korg Pandora.
I think this should be interesting for other guitar players too.
WILL YOUR WAY TO PLAY, OR TO HANDLE A GUITAR AFTER ALL THOSE YEARS, WIN FROM A COURSE TO PLAY GUITAR, EVEN A STYLE YOU DON'T PLAY, LIKE FINGERPICKING, OR WILL THE COURSE WIN????

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: montreal, quebec
  • Registered: 2007-04-17
  • Posts: 327

Re: private guitar (no lessons) versus guitar lessons

I have been playing guitar on a regular basis for over 30 years without ever taking a professional lesson. I have on the other hand learned from friends and people I have jammed with over the years also from watching other people play even wathing  music vidieos. I have been seriously considering taking lesson lately not to develop or change my style of playing but to improve certain skils. I have come to beleive that with some lessons from someone who is better than you can only benifit. Hey I figure use what you like and disreguard the rest. Aftrer all if you are paying an instructor he is working for you which makes you the boss

what a long strange trip it's been
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,662

Re: private guitar (no lessons) versus guitar lessons

Exposure to different techniques is never a bad thing. No matter how good a player is(or how good they think they are) improvement can always be sought. There is a difference in playing and practicing. If one plays the same stuff over  and over  they're gonna play what they play really well. But without introduction to new styles or techniques, growth as a guitarist most likely will not occur. It's difficult for advanced guitarists to conceed to instruction but as the late great Miles Davis said."when you stop learning, you stop living".

Give everything but up.
  • From: Powder Springs, Ga., USA
  • Registered: 2007-04-08
  • Posts: 54

Re: private guitar (no lessons) versus guitar lessons

I am going to take lessons when I can find some free time. I've been playing for years as a 'self taught' guitarist and I have developed "my" personal style, but there are still too many things I want to do on the guitar that I can't do ( or just don't know how). I have no fear that a course can ruin or diminish my 'style' of play, its too ingrained by now.

Sooner or later every artist needs a new color for their canvas.

  • From: Murphysboro Il
  • Registered: 2007-02-10
  • Posts: 292

Re: private guitar (no lessons) versus guitar lessons

People ask this question quite often. I think you should take lessons if you can. Use them to expand what you are able to do with your style. One of my best mates is 51 years old and has a real passion for playing but no longer has a passion for being a musician. I can see the frustration on his face when I'm playing something that his basic I IV V open chord with maybe a change in the middle eight won't cover. He wants to play along but not badly enough to invest a few months in learnning barr chords (not as hard as they are made out to be) and a few different strum patterns and chord progressions. Basicly if you are willing to learn and then integrate it into your style I'd say go for!

"Nobody paints by ear so why would I play guitar by sight?" hmm
  • Registered: 2007-06-23
  • Posts: 113

Re: private guitar (no lessons) versus guitar lessons

There is always someone who knows more than you, soak it up!

There is a guy on my block who lives for rock, he plays records day and night, and when he feels down he puts the rock and roll on and it makes him feel alright. - The Kinks, Rock And Roll Fantasy
  • Registered: 2007-06-28
  • Posts: 8

Re: private guitar (no lessons) versus guitar lessons

i think you should start with lessons that is how i started and my friends say i sound great. from kingjosh55