Thinking about learning guitar and becoming a guitar player? A competent tutor is vital to every successful guitar lesson. It makes a lot of sense to have a suitable person to properly instruct you as to how to do things on a guitar, which you could easily get incorrect without expert guidance.
Experts have stated that if you want to correctly start the process, you should consider taking several lessons. Want to learn to play guitar and become a guitarist?
Want to reap the benefits of playing guitar? Read on!
Are guitar lessons worth the money?
Yes! Working with a good guitar teacher as a student in the very beginning will go a long way in helping you learn the guitar, becoming a guitarist and music in general.
I know that for me, it was a huge help! It is definitely possible to learn guitar techniques without the help of an instructor – regardless of skill level. There is actually no particular technique for learning to play this instrument; much of it will depend on your motivation and goals.
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How much do guitar lessons cost and why are they so expensive?
The pricing for learning guitar through private lessons largely depends on the education and expertise of a great teacher, lesson duration and even the local cost of living. Whatever your interest, whether you would like to learn acoustic or electric guitar, there are instructors available who will teach you how to read music, music theory and many genres of music.
On average, the cost for guitar lessons ranges between $40 and $60 per hour. There are also private lessons that start at $30 for each 30-minute lesson, while online lessons like Yousician typically cost roughly 20 percent less. Some instructors also provide beginners with a free introductory lesson. Looking for a beginner guitar, look at this post on the best guitar for beginners.
What Are Guitar Lessons Like?
Ask yourself the following before deciding on taking lessons or which class or guitar teacher is right for you instead of taking the other route of going self taught:
- Am I truly motivated to master playing guitar or do I just want to be able to strum occasionally to impress friends and family?
To achieve these, there are two totally different approaches that would be applied to each outcome whether you take lessons or not.
For both situations, you should bear in mind that you will not be able to play immediately; you will need to commit to repeated practicing. It is not easier to play the guitar than any other instrument. This misconception stems from individuals who use 2 to 3 beginner chords saying it is easy to play the guitar. However, this is a false notion that should be quickly forgotten.
Here is an example: to play chord progressions or tabs, you will need to be familiar with a particular number of transitions, rhythm patterns, chords and have basic technical skills in order to play riffs and licks. It also take special skills to sing and play at the same time.
Primarily, a guitar teacher serves as a guide. If your preference is to take the assisted-learning path, invest time into finding a suitable teacher who understands your music style and particular needs. For example, if you would like to play the best electric or acoustic guitar music, do not choose a rock music teacher as it is highly likely that frustration will come along with possible stagnation. Unfortunately, there are many teachers who do not pay enough attention to the musical tastes of their students. Similarly, being an instructor is a job that requires specific teaching skills; therefore, a qualified guitar teacher is necessary.
Finding a suitable guitar teacher will definitely be superior to being self-taught; this is especially true when it comes to the learning structure. Taking a self-taught approach could also cause you to lose interest in your lessons. You could face too many obstacles without necessarily knowing the solution. Good teachers provide an adjustable and reliable technique based on your goals. The guitar instructor will actually assist you in developing an effective learning technique and will assist you in learning how to focus on what is important. This will help with improving and eventually mastering your guitar-playing skills.
Your instructor will give you priceless tailor-made advice, which is available online as well. Having a professional to guide you towards a specific exercise according to your difficulties will also help. Being aware from early in the process of the bad habits to avoid can be a great time-savers. This is also true when it comes to tips and tricks that make the process easier.
It is definitely not necessary to have a teacher to learn how to play the guitar, you can certainly learn on your own. However, there is no denying that individuals typically learn a lot faster with a good teacher than on his or her own. But ultimately, learning something new is a good thing, just try to create your own language each step of the way.
How long should I take guitar lessons for?
When beginners to playing guitar songs are seeking out a music teacher, they are typically looking for a multi-faceted and flexible professional. A large number of private teachers have a variety of choices for lesson times with the most common being a duration of 60 minutes, 45 minutes and 30 minutes.
The majority of beginning guitar students kick off their learning with 30-minute lessons for many reasons. If you are a beginner, you should bear in mind that during the first few lessons it is important to gauge the interest level you have in the instrument. Particularly for younger students, 30-minute lessons provide an ideal slot of time. This is because many students are unable to effectively focus for a longer period.
For the first few lessons, the teacher typically provides much information about a range of features to help you with effectively learning to practice and play the guitar. For new students, this sometimes feel overwhelming; however, it is vital to remember that your mind needs time to soak in all the material whenever you are learning something new; it does get easier.
The majority of students who choose 45-minute lessons are usually at an intermediate level. They more normally more serious about mastering the instrument at a faster rate of time.
Students who choose a 60-minute lesson typically fall into many different categories when becoming a guitar player. Most commonly, those choosing 60-minute lesson are advanced or they are a potential college student preparing to audition to study music.
Finding Guitar Lessons Near Me
For individuals interested in taking guitar lessons, a remarkable range of option is available nowadays than ever before. Having options is a great thing; however, taking time to select a teacher is still important. Ensure that you consider a variety of factors, from musical styles to costs to lesson platforms. Finding the correct teacher can take your playing to thrilling new heights.
Similar to other things in life, word-of-mouth provides an exceptional method of learning about good classes and teachers near you. It is quite likely that there are other individuals in your community taking music lessons from good teachers. Try to find students who are actually enjoying their lessons and use that information to compile a list of potential teachers. After this, you can move on to doing some online research. Nowadays, personal websites and Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms reveal much about the backgrounds and musical styles of teachers.
Guitar shops like Guitar Center may also have options for you. Or even online guitar lessons instead of in person.
Another remarkable method is simply to pick up the phone and talk to the teachers on the list. Discuss their approaches, talk about your own interests and allow them to explain what they have to offer. Additionally, you could learn that a particular teacher specializes in a specific genre that matches your musical interests for you to play guitar in, which would be a big plus.
Are Online Guitar Lessons Worth It?
Online guitar lessons are fulfilling a great need, particularly for students in rural areas who might not have easy access to music teachers in online guitar. It is also a remarkable solution for busy students who have difficulty fitting lessons into their agendas. Some of the ways in which the online method benefits students are:
- There are more alternatives for selecting the best time and day for the lesson.
- There are more teachers available online versus those available in your local area to help you play guitar.
The main distinction between an actual music class and online guitar lessons with guitar teachers is the level of interaction between the student and the teacher. With conventional lessons, the individual showing you how to play the guitar will be sitting close to you. With this proximity, a tutor will be able to spot mistakes easily and quickly correct any issues you might have. Online guitar lessons limit this type of interaction in varying degrees depending on the type of lesson being taught.
If you choose to work one-on-one with a tutor over Skype or a similar platform, he or she will still have the ability to see and hear what is going on. However, when you buy a pre-made lesson package from a company, you are essentially getting video instructions with no interaction at all from an actual person.
At home, individuals may be more prone to being sidetracked by noises made by animals, siblings and neighbors when they play guitar there other than at a teacher’s studio. However, there are effective ways that can be used to work around these issues.
Personally, I love online guitar lessons and I use it as a practice plan to help me improve – some of these internet guitar teachers are amazing! Back in high school, I also used a lot of video guitar lessons as well but now all you need is an internet connection.
Conclusion
Taking guitar lessons are definitely worth the investment if you place value on your time and want to learn to play guitar quickly. You have specific goals and a profound desire to achieve them. Whether you would like to become a proficient musician or you would simply like to learn how to harmoniously strum along with some of your favorite songs, you can reach your goal with the help of a good teacher to become a guitarist and have lots of fun along the way. When you want to play, use the best approach for you.
My son really wants to learn the guitar. I’ll talk to him about getting a teacher that suits his music style. I want him to grow and do the things he wants with music, not what other people want.