From the article: Ten Questions to Ask a Potential Guitar Teacher
Have you had experience in looking for a guitar teacher? If you've had success in finding the perfect guitar teacher, please take a moment to share any tips you can offer here. Share Your Advice
Interview the Teacher
- Often teachers will arrange a time to meet with perspective music students to assess their readiness for lessons (if a young child) and/or their goals for their music study. Parents and perspective students should use this time to interview the teacher as well! Ask about their music education, and performance and recording experience, how they motivate their students, what practice requirements they have, and their teaching philosophy. Learn as much about the teacher, their teaching style and personality as you can during the interview. Finding a good student-teacher match is crucial for success in music lessons.
- —charlottemusic
Very good advice
- I'm a guitar teacher in Boulder, CO and a lot of the stuff that you mentioned is stuff that I bring up whenever a prospective student calls me. I believe a teacher should have a college education. Would you want a high school graduate teaching your child math! The ability to read music is a huge advantage to aspiring musicians. By music, I mean standard notation as well as tablature, but standard notation is essential. This will help the student learn new instruments later on. Interestingly enough, out of all of the criteria, I would almost say price is one of the least important. A good quality guitar teacher that inspires a student to play and practice is worth his or her weight in gold.
- —Guest Jason Kirby
Grandpops
- My granddaughter has been taking lessons for over a year (at my expense...$20 a pop) I don't think she has made much progress...what should her skills be now..8yrs old
- —Guest Grandpops
5 Tips for Choosing a Guitar Teacher
- 5 Tips for Choosing a Guitar Instructor There are many, many choices when you’re looking for guitar instruction. Most players know that books and CDs are pretty ineffective. Primarily this is because these materials are designed to satisfy publishers, rather than students. Publishers are interested in selling the next book in the series. Students are interested in learning to play guitar. That being said, you’re left with looking for instruction in person from a guitar teacher. Even in this vein, there are many options. Below is some food for thought when you’re making this important decision. 1) Choose a Teacher, not just a Guitarist. The most common mistake both teachers and students make is assuming that a good guitarist must be a good teacher. This is simply untrue. Some of the best guitarists in the world make awful teachers, and some of the best teachers aren’t the greatest players. This is an extremely important concept to understand. Therefore, as a general rule, if a pr
- —Guest Paul Felice
What criteria
- What criteria make a guitar teacher bad? The world also has amazing people. It's good to have standard to find a good one, but remember that self-standard is not always reliable. You should know about what purpose you plan to learn and find a teacher that fits your need. Note that i.e. learning acoustic, it’s different than electric. Teaching is differ knowledge than playing. The teacher must know what steps provided to make their student has a right skill. Teacher is not always good on playing but yes they had to be able to play standard songs. And the teacher must know theory, technique otherwise they could explain about something matter of music. Hope you get good one. Regard.
- —Guest IwingMusic
Guitar Instructor- 35 yrs
- Offer a 30-45 min trial lesson for a small fee, $15..Meet with student, test all his skills and technique (strength in both Hands)show him imeadite playing skills to spark up a reality check..Share a few things they may like to see and hear,no matter what they like.Ask questions, get answers. Both decide what lessons they can handle: weekly, bi-weekely, monthly, and agree on your price.Ask for referrals, offer a free lesson each time.
- —Guest Joe Faiella
Performers!
- I've found it's unbelievably important to make sure that your teacher is capable of showing you the things you want to learn, which is why the best way to find a teacher is to actually go to shows, find someone whose style you appreciate, and approach them about taking lessons. Many if not most musicians are open to taking students, and the ones who aren't have an infinitely better shortlist of respectable, quality musicians you should study with than you will ever find in a phonebook or on the internet! Whenever I've wanted to take guitar lessons with a new teacher, I've just gone up to guitarists after the show, told them how into their music I was, and introduce myself as a player who wants to take lessons and I get good feedback. Even if you're just starting or haven't even picked up an instrument yet, I'd definitely get an idea of what types of things you want to learn by going to a show and explain it to the guitarist after - musicians are generally friendly, laid-back people!
- —Guest Eternal Music Student
