Guitar Instructor

Jam10

Hi there. I need some advice once again. I live about 30 - 35 minutes from my guitar instructor because we have both moved in the last year. So for me to go to a half hour lesson that's about 2 hours out of my night once a week. I am thinking of getting another instructor who is local but I am worried that I won't get the same level of instruction that I am gettin now. My instructor now, graduated from GIT and he teaches anything you need to know about playing guitar, and I mean anything. I have learned a lot from him but I'm almost wondering if I'm wasting that 2 hours out of my night because the first 10 - 15 minutes of each lesson we end up talking about things like guitar players, gear, or any other questions I have and then that leaves us about 15 - 20 mins. for the rest of the lesson. I could give this other instructor a try but if my instructor now finds out he would probably be upset and that would make for an uncomfortable environment if I decide to stay with him. Or do you guys think that doing home study would be the best bet. There are a lot of books, DVD's and internet programs out there. Any advice please.
Thanks.

lucylespian

Think about doing an hour every two weeks instead of 30mins weekly.
You also need to clarify with him and yourself that the chat time is not productive for you. It tends to be inevitable though, as an ongoing teaching relationship tends to evolve into having a social element.
Personally I find 30min lessons way too short, for exactly the reasons you have outlined. My singing teacher only does 1 hr lessons with 15 mis between students to allow for all this stuff, which works out well.

dunkman

George Harrison never had a lesson in his life.

Jam10

I went to a guitar lesson tonight to a different instructor who is closer to me and things just wern't the same. I prefer the instructor that I have been with for 2 and a half years.

ianvomsaal

Sorry for my laps - I've been recording out of town this last past week - be back later.
I'd suggest heading over to your local University, State College, or Community College and asking
around the Music Dept - it's very easy to do, and you can even take your little girl with you for that.
Most Applied Guitar Instructors give private lessons on the side because they're only adjunct professors.
This way you know you’re getting a qualified instructor (University Accreditation requires a Masters Degree).
It's worth checking out if you find someone good who's only 5-minutes away that can do a full hour with you.

justam

Can I ask the obvious question:

What's wrong with devoting two hours to your guitar study once a week?

Red Burrito

justam wrote:

Can I ask the obvious question:

What's wrong with devoting two hours to your guitar study once a week?

I don't think he has a problem devoting time to his guitar studies.

The problem is:

30 minutes driving
15 minutes bull shitting
**20 minute lesson**
30 minutes driving

I wouldn't do it either, just my opinion though. I could learn more on my own in those 95 minutes than an instructor could teach me in 20 minutes.

justam

I guess I'm just old because when I was a teen-ager I had to take a bus and a streetcar across SF to get to my teacher's house (it'd take an hour!) and then my lessons were two hours long (twice a week) and then I've have to to take the bus and streetcar home. It was kinda gruelling through-out highschool, but I learned a lot.

Driving 30 minutes doesn't seem that big of a deal.

Jam10

justam wrote:

I guess I'm just old because when I was a teen-ager I had to take a bus and a streetcar across SF to get to my teacher's house (it'd take an hour!) and then my lessons were two hours long (twice a week) and then I've have to to take the bus and streetcar home. It was kinda gruelling through-out highschool, but I learned a lot.

Driving 30 minutes doesn't seem that big of a deal.

I know what you mean. It's not that big a deal. I decided to stay with the instructor I have and drive the 30 minutes because he is that good. I have learned a tonne from him. I was just wondering if there was anybody local who was worth checking out. I have a family and I'm not a young teenager anymore so I just wanted to make the best out of my time.

Red Burrito

Oops...nevermind

Jam10

justam wrote:

I guess I'm just old because when I was a teen-ager I had to take a bus and a streetcar across SF to get to my teacher's house (it'd take an hour!) and then my lessons were two hours long (twice a week) and then I've have to to take the bus and streetcar home. It was kinda gruelling through-out highschool, but I learned a lot.

Driving 30 minutes doesn't seem that big of a deal.

You did say that you had a 2 hour lesson so that's totally different than a 30 minute lesson. For a 2 hour lesson, it's worth driving an hour for. I wish lessons were longer than 30 minutes that's all.

justam

Jam10 wrote:

You did say that you had a 2 hour lesson so that's totally different than a 30 minute lesson. For a 2 hour lesson, it's worth driving an hour for. I wish lessons were longer than 30 minutes that's all.

Isn't that an easy thing to fix?

Lucylespian's idea seemed good if it's a cost issue.

Jam10

justam wrote:

Isn't that an easy thing to fix?

Lucylespian's idea seemed good if it's a cost issue.

My instructor is solidly booked everyday of every week, and I work shift work so I can't commit to the same day and time every week. It all depends on my work schedule and what he has available. Sometimes I won't see him for a week and other times I'll see him every week for 2 months straight or more. Our schedules just have to meet. In saying that..it's tough enough sometimes to book a 30 minute lesson, it would be impossible to do a 1 hour lesson.

justam

Jam10 wrote:

My instructor is solidly booked everyday of every week, and I work shift work so I can't commit to the same day and time every week. It all depends on my work schedule and what he has available. Sometimes I won't see him for a week and other times I'll see him every week for 2 months straight or more. Our schedules just have to meet. In saying that..it's tough enough sometimes to book a 30 minute lesson, it would be impossible to do a 1 hour lesson.

Oh. I'm sorry I didn't realize how tight your schedule is. :(

Jam10

justam wrote:

Oh. I'm sorry I didn't realize how tight your schedule is. :(

No worries, it's just that I work days and nights and on my days off I am with my daughter and she is too young to take to a guitar lesson. The only times I can go are when my wife gets home from work and I'm not working nights.

savman

Jam10 wrote:

No worries, it's just that I work days and nights and on my days off I am with my daughter and she is too young to take to a guitar lesson. The only times I can go are when my wife gets home from work and I'm not working nights.

Nah man - never too young hehe.

Anon

Jam10 wrote:

Or do you guys think that doing home study would be the best bet. There are a lot of books, DVD's and internet programs out there. Any advice please.
Thanks.

That should really only be your last option. Lesson are the way to go if you can mange to work it out. They can show you things in minutes compared to hours of reading and working out on your own. Try and see if you can change the lessons from half hour to longer, even if you have to go less often. It sounds like you are really keen on this person and being comfortable with your instructor is half the battle. Can't you talk to him about other options?

I understand it's pretty hard because you don't have a regular work schedule and you have your little one to care for too. I'd just lay it all out to your instructor and say look this is my problem, this is what i wanna do, and is there any way we can do it.

Not much help i know.

Anon

ianvomsaal wrote:

Sorry for my laps - I've been recording out of town this last past week - be back later.
[/b]

I'd hate to be you. What a life. I'm not jealous...

Much

Jam10

Pj_Gurl wrote:

That should really only be your last option. Lesson are the way to go if you can mange to work it out. They can show you things in minutes compared to hours of reading and working out on your own. Try and see if you can change the lessons from half hour to longer, even if you have to go less often. It sounds like you are really keen on this person and being comfortable with your instructor is half the battle. Can't you talk to him about other options?

I understand it's pretty hard because you don't have a regular work schedule and you have your little one to care for too. I'd just lay it all out to your instructor and say look this is my problem, this is what i wanna do, and is there any way we can do it.

Not much help i know.

Thanks Pj Gurl. I like your idea of doing an hour lesson maybe once every 2 or 3 weeks. I think you get more out of an hour lesson than a 30 minute lesson. I don't know if he will have spots available for an hour but it's worth a try.