| You're a beginner, and you want basic guitar | | | | teacher, and you don't have evening/school |
| lessons to start you off. But you're confused by | | | | classes or a friend handy, the second guitar |
| all the choices: which would be the best guitar | | | | learning technique is to teach yourself. You've |
| learning technique?Guitar lessons are like anything | | | | three possible options.You can buy guitar tutors |
| else: there are two ways of learning, and they're | | | | fairly cheaply at most guitar shops, or online. They |
| not the hard way or the easy way, nor are they | | | | used to come in book form, but increasingly |
| my way or the highway. No, they're teach | | | | incorporate CDs and DVDs. There's a one-off |
| yourself, or get a teacher.Let's look at teachers | | | | cost, non-refundable, and you progress at your |
| first. They come in four guises, and some are | | | | own pace.Once you've got past the basic guitar |
| more effective than others. The more effective, | | | | lessons in these tutors, you might decide the best |
| the more expensive--usually.The cheapest and | | | | way to teach yourself is to play your favourite |
| probably least effective guitar lessons you can | | | | songs by ear. So you listen to them over and |
| get are from a friend. I don't say that to be | | | | over, work out the chords, then play. The |
| disrespectful to anyone's playing abilities, but | | | | advantage of this technique is that it'll give you |
| simply to point out that unless that friend plays | | | | confidence, and if you mess up, no one will know. |
| by the book and is a qualified teacher, you'll | | | | It's also cheap--presumably you've already paid |
| probably pick up any bad habits they have. | | | | for the music.Also, there are fan sites online |
| They're also not likely to be available to give | | | | where you can download lyrics and sheet music |
| guitar lessons on a regular basis, and may either | | | | to your favourite songs, thus saving you the time |
| become impatient when you don't pick things up | | | | of doing it yourself.Finally, there's the online course. |
| fast enough, or may just let things slide, allowing | | | | For the cost of a few guitar lessons with a |
| you to form bad habits of your own. So your | | | | professional teacher you can get a course aimed |
| basic guitar lessons will remain just that--basic. | | | | at your level of proficiency. There are anything |
| The cost is good, though--usually nothing.You may | | | | from basic guitar lessons online to advanced jazz. |
| be fortunate enough to be still at school with | | | | The courses usually come with a money-back |
| guitar lessons available there. If so, take them. | | | | guarantee, too, which is not true of the other |
| You'll get a qualified teacher, weekly classes, and | | | | methods. Another advantage is that you learn |
| fellow pupils to swap notes with (and maybe even | | | | whenever it's convenient--teachers are available |
| get together to play with!) after your guitar | | | | only at certain times of the day.So there you |
| lessons.Night school is the next most effective | | | | have it--the seven basic guitar lessons sources: a |
| and cheap source. It differs from school because | | | | friend, school lessons, night school, a professional |
| you have to make the effort to go after a day's | | | | teacher, a book or course, learning by ear, or an |
| work. That usually means you've other things | | | | online course.Which is best?Depends on how |
| going on in your life--things that may intrude. Not | | | | serious you are, how much time you can devote |
| only that, class size will probably be large, so you'll | | | | to practice, and what you want to achieve.If |
| have less input about what you want to learn. | | | | you're just starting, it might be best to go for the |
| And there's usually only two levels--basic guitar | | | | cheapest, most basic guitar lessons you can. That |
| lessons, then improvers. The cost as an hourly | | | | way, if you don't persevere, you haven't lost |
| rate will be very reasonable, though.A professional | | | | much.If you do persevere, and you want to get |
| teacher is the most expensive option. A good one | | | | really good, you'll eventually want to consider a |
| will bring out the best in you, may encourage you | | | | professional teacher.Wherever you want your |
| to take grades, but will get frustrated if you don't | | | | journey to take you, I hope you get there and |
| practice. If you have money, time, and are | | | | have fun travelling!Jamie Jones (The Guitar Dog) |
| prepared to put the work in, this is one of the | | | | has been playing since...well, let's not go there. In |
| most effective routes to take, because they'll | | | | that time, he's occasionally taught, written words |
| correct any bad habits, and your guitar lessons | | | | and music, been in bands, and collected a whole |
| are one-to-one. Obviously, you can save a little if | | | | lot of theory which he shares in |
| you get your basic guitar lessons at, say, night | | | | easy-to-understand language with anyone who's |
| school first.If you can't afford a professional | | | | interested. |