[gumbo]

for me to get some guitar lessons. I have tought myself everything and have been playing for about 5 years on and off, really playing lots the past year. Anyway, I'm at a point where I'm lacking and I dont know what. I'm stuck. I just think a guitar teacher would be nice to have around to learn off some things from. gimme some input

[b weird]

I feel that if you've tought yourself this far and you feel your lacking either try to work on what you feel your lacking in or go ahead and take some lessons. Atleast you tought yourself and didn't go get lessons right from the start. Maybe I should also go take some lessons myself, I've been playing for four years and I don't think I'm as good a lead player as I should be for as long as I've played. ALL my solo's are lame,boring and flat.

[LazyLightnin]

you should tell us where youre really at with playing. what trouble spots are you encountering, what confuses you. i was at that point also, what propelled me was joining a band - any band. go to jams nights around town and read the think tank archives, as many times as it takes till you understand it , if you dont already. and not to mention all the grate help ive gotten from the wonderful contributers ehere. like i said, where do you have problems?

[gumbo]

Its hard for me to venture past 2's and 3's if that makes sense. playing lead I also have troubles with. whats messed up, is that its really hard for me to jam with my 3 close friends, anyone else though, I can. It honestly feels like a phobia or something. I get self conscious and the ideas leave and sore sweaty hands come.

[shakedown_04092]

for me to get some guitar lessons.

NO! What kind of question is that? Sorry, don't mean it that way, but.....

....dude, if you need to learn more, find someone who can teach you, I say. There's only so much you can learn on your own, and we're all different on that aspect, but I too had come to the point after about 5 years and told myself I needed to get better, so I went out and took a year's worth of lessons from the best guitarist in town (who happens to play in a GD cover band of sorts, lucky enough for me) and it was the best move I've made sans from picking up a guitar 7 years ago.

DO IT NOW! It can't hurt, and it's money well spent.

[LazyLightnin]

if you buy lessons, and all they tell you to do is learn your scales and modes, ask for your money back.
I inquired about lessons from a dear friend of mine, a phenominal player, and his first question was if i had learned my scales , modes etc...when i replied "no" his answer was call him back when i did. when i finally got past the little bit of memorization, my imagination took over. thats when it started to sound really cool.

i used to get nervous playing with other folks, i used to not sing, and i used to get shakey before a gig. no matter how small it was. I think you have to be forced into a situation where you have to perform in front of people. thats what worked for me. people will be impressed just by the fact you got up to play in the first place. everybody goes through that phase, and thats all it is. its one of those things that seem like such a huge roadblock, but then when you finally get past it you realize it was pretty silly in the first place. just push yourself, bite the bullet and dive in - it works. beleive me there would be something wrong with you if you werent nervous.

[Tennesse]

If you love playing guitar-get lessons.Bury the pride ,have an open mind, and go for it.Its kind of cliche,but guitar is the easiest instrument to learn but the hardest to master...Esp. if you want to get past the strumming phase and dig a bit deeper.If you are into guys like Jerry and Trey,its almost a given....Both guys are deep in many different styles of music...anyone who is down on lessons is full of it....In the early 60s Jerry traveled the east coast learning bluegrass from the source...Bob took lessons from Jerry and studied under Rev.Gary Davis...Hendrix learned from Guitar Slim...Yeah it will be hard but after a couple of months you will be loving it...

[Pete B.]

I got this link from another thread a week or so ago.
Tons of great knowledge for aspiring guitar players:

http://www.highcountryguitar.com/

[dahmbomb]

Nothing lame about getting more education - just be sure to get a good teacher.

[IamDocWatson]

lol, its more lame you think teaching and learning is lame dude...if you want to learn something that some one who knows it already is willing to show you..why not do it?

dont get lessons from like a beginer teacher, you know make sure you respect and admire their playing ability...preferably get these lessons from some one you know already if possible...

also make sure to develop good communication with your teacher...try to become best friends you want ideas to flow seemlessly and u want to be on the same page with the teacher...theory can get a little confusing if you dont communicate well with the teacher

[Pete B.]

fwiw... The first thing I remind instructors of, immediately after they tell how much they charge "per hour", is that it takes approx 90min to provide 60min of 1:1 "instruction" (I'm not a fan of clock watching instructors).
Also, I always bring a video recorder on a tripod to 1:1 and/or group lessons, in order to "take away" as much as possible from the "lesson", for further study.

[spacehead333]

lessons will deffinatly help you, it will give you a different standpoint from how to approach the guitar. having someone else try to show you how to play a different way will expand yours

[Banjomike0319]

Dude, Here is my opinion on this matter. I have taught myself guitar for 8 years, mandolin for 4 and banjo for 2 years.

I have never had any lessons on any of them. After high school I didn't know what I wanted to major in, so I decided music. Once I was in the program after the second semester I had my first guitar lesson ever in my life and all I can say is wow. It's not that I was doing anything wrong teaching myself but when you teach yourself you dont give your self disoplin and when you have a teacher you have to do things for the next lesson. I would say do it for more than just one reason. You will not be disapointed in getting a few lessons trust me.

And if you good enough you always have someone to jam with.

Its worth it for sure man. I havn't had any other lessons for any of my other instruments but guitar so I cant wait to get some lessons for banjo.

I guess I like have disoplin when I play so I know that I am doing something.

[gumbo]

Maybe lame was the wrong way to put it. Any of my friends dont think its a good idea (they had them years ago), they say they didnt learn much. Plus, some kids that I do know that have had them become tottaly "lessoned out", or they will play just like their teacher. I dont think a few would hurt either, so I will probably indulge in one. thanks for the advice too

[gratephulphish123]

i've had lessons from the get-go and really love takin em. i'm horrible at self teaching, and i've learned alot about leads and solos, ALOT about less is more (though i rarely ever listen to that) and i like my playing alot more now.