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Lessons

NovawindNovawind Posts: 836
edited June 2006 in Musicians and Gearheads
Just took my first guitar lesson today, after 5 months of playing on my own. A little background in music theory does wonders. Tonight while practicing I started breaking a lot of bad habits and my picking is sounding tons better. Any new players who haven't, seriously take lessons. It's helping already.
If idle hands are the devil's workshop, he must not be very productive.

7/9/06 LA 1
7/10/06 LA 2
10/21/06 Bridge 1
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • BinFrogBinFrog MA Posts: 7,309
    I have been taking lessons for a year and a half, after having played for 10 years. Best thing I ever did for my playing.
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
  • jbdjbd Posts: 65
    Never took a single lesson in my 3 years of guitar/bass playing. Just acquiered the technique by watching Pearl Jam Dvds. I don't think taking classes would help me.
    "Fuck the kids ! Except the ones who are buying our records! They're fucking themselves!" - Mark Arm
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    I've taken lessons on and off for a few years. It's hard to find a good teacher though.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • Thumbing My WayThumbing My Way Posts: 1,073
    jbd wrote:
    Never took a single lesson in my 3 years of guitar/bass playing. Just acquiered the technique by watching Pearl Jam Dvds. I don't think taking classes would help me.

    Really?
    "I Miss You Already!!!!!"

    "Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

    .NJD.
  • jbdjbd Posts: 65
    Thumbing My Way wrote:
    Really?

    Yeah, really ! As long as you don't start off with bad habits such as having strange ways of holding your pick or not using the appropriate fingers for the different chords (I noticed that for some beginners for the G and D chords), I don't think lessons can really help. All it takes then is practice. And watching Mike ripping it off. Watching DVDs totally helped me.
    "Fuck the kids ! Except the ones who are buying our records! They're fucking themselves!" - Mark Arm
  • Thumbing My WayThumbing My Way Posts: 1,073
    jbd wrote:
    Yeah, really ! As long as you don't start off with bad habits such as having strange ways of holding your pick or not using the appropriate fingers for the different chords (I noticed that for some beginners for the G and D chords), I don't think lessons can really help. All it takes then is practice. And watching Mike ripping it off. Watching DVDs totally helped me.

    Oh me too....

    But lessons helped a ton at the same time, I played for a year on my own and got really far and then took about 5 lessons and I've improved durastically since.

    I found it so helpful, and I think that alot of the time you don't even know that you're doing something incorrectly.....I found them really useful and can hopefully take more, they're not cheap though.
    "I Miss You Already!!!!!"

    "Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

    .NJD.
  • moster78moster78 Posts: 1,591
    I find lessons to be invaluable. I have a great teacher, and its not the expensive. $20 a half hour.
  • Thumbing My WayThumbing My Way Posts: 1,073
    moster78 wrote:
    I find lessons to be invaluable. I have a great teacher, and its not the expensive. $20 a half hour.

    That's what mine were to, and I was suprised at how much you can accomplish in just a half hour.

    I'll hopefully go back this summer. :)
    "I Miss You Already!!!!!"

    "Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

    .NJD.
  • NovawindNovawind Posts: 836
    Mine are $40/hr so same deal, my lessons are once per week for an hour. Bit long but it gives me more to mull around and practice with during the week.
    If idle hands are the devil's workshop, he must not be very productive.

    7/9/06 LA 1
    7/10/06 LA 2
    10/21/06 Bridge 1
  • RhynoRhyno Posts: 304
    I just started playing guitar a few months ago and took a group lesson through a community ed program. I'd say this was a great way to start, however, I think if I do continue on with lessons, I'd want more individualized attention (which will cost more). I found a couple of good books that I've started working through, but agree that a good teacher can help so that you don't pick up bad habits...
    Cheers!
    Rhyno

    11/30/1991 ~ 3/25/92 ~ 8/28/92 ~ 6/30/98 ~ 10/8/2000 ~ 6/18/2003 ~ 6/21/2003 ~ 6/26/2006 ~ 6/27/2006 ~ 7/7/2006 ~ 8/5/2007 ~ 6/24/2008 ~ ALPINE VALLEY in '09 ;-)
  • DOSWDOSW Posts: 2,014
    I just started playing guitar a little less than a month ago. I plan to take a few lessons once I've been playing for at least a few months... I want to be able to fully understand and be able to properly use what the lessons teach me before I take them. But right now, I'm having a lot of fun simply playing on my own.

    Thanks for the recommendation, though. I'll definitely keep that in mind in a few months.
    It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
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