By Nicholas Anderson
1. He Should Receive Ongoing Training
Unfortunately, most guitar teachers have had very little, if any, formal training as teachers. They may be highly skilled players, but this does not mean they are good teachers. In fact, I have seen estimates that 98% of all guitar teachers have never even read a book about how to teach guitar! This is astonishing, but I believe it may be the reason most beginning guitarists quit taking lessons after a short period of time – they take lessons from a teacher who does not have the skill and knowledge that will enable them to teach a beginner in effective ways that lead to success. When you are looking for a guitar teacher, do not be afraid to ask them what books they have read or what training they have had to teach guitar. Most will either not have an answer or might cite a method book (many of which are poor as teaching aids). Also, ask the teacher if he has any ongoing training or mentoring that he participates in. Teaching is not a static skill. Over the years, I have seen my teaching change and improve as I have studied, learned, and taught. I have found many ways to increase the rate at which students learn because I’ve continued to search for better, smarter strategies.
2. He Should Have Experience As A Teacher
Chose a guitarist who has a lot of experience teaching. Of course, this doesn’t mean that a new teacher will be bad, but a teacher with experience has a body of knowledge that a new teacher does not have – knowledge that only can be gained in the course of teaching. The advantage of choosing an experienced teacher is that he will see problems that he has seen before and immediately know how to fix them. He will know which processes work and which ones don’t. He will know the correct order in which the material should be taught. He will know, only by experience, when to give new material and when to back off. Most new teachers fall into the trap of thinking that says, “I have to give new material every week or I’m not doing my job.” An experienced teacher understands that new material is not always what a student needs. Many teachers, even some experienced teachers, do not understand this. I have been teaching guitar for over 10 years; go here to apply for admission.
3. He Should Have Testimonials
Ask the teacher if he has testimonials that he can furnish upon request. If he does, read them and see what his students have to say. Generally, a teacher who has been effective shouldn’t have a lot of trouble getting written testimonials. He doesn’t need to have hundreds of them, but he should have at least a few that you can read to see what his students have said about him. Go here to read what people are saying about me.
4. Should Your Guitar Teacher Be In A Band?
Some people believe that their guitar teacher should be in a band or be active in the local music scene. While this can be a good sign that he is a serious musician, it does not automatically mean he is a quality teacher. In fact, his gigging schedule may take so much time that his teaching suffers, meaning his students suffer. This isn’t not always the case, so do not assume that, but it is a possibility. Consider this question: how does being in a band make someone more qualified to teach over someone who is not in a band? The answer is that it doesn’t. There are very good teachers who are not in bands for various reasons. There are very good teachers who tour regularly. Neither is better or less qualified to teach based on this one factor alone.
5. Does Your Guitar Teacher Need To Be A “Virtuoso”?
The short answer is no. Think about this: how many virtuosos, on any instrument, do you know? Probably not very many. I know and have met a few. Truth be told, the category of virtuoso is reserved for a select few people. Your local guitar teacher is probably not going to fall into that category. I have taken lessons from great players who were lousy, and I mean lousy, teachers. Of course any teacher needs to be not just competent but a very good player. Their skill level should be on a higher plane, but again, this is not one of the primary concerns you should have when choosing a guitar teacher.
6. He Should Ask You About Your Goals And Tailor Your Lessons Accordingly
Many guitar teachers will ask their students a few general questions- like what your favorite bands are, favorite songs, what styles you like, etc. Few will go beyond that. A great teacher will probe deeper to find out as much as possible about the student, ask about musical goals, get the student to think and articulate their goals and desires, and then tailor his lessons to fit with those goals and desires. A great teacher knows that no two students are the same, they do not learn the same, and they all have differing dreams and aspirations. A great teacher will be able to customize his plan for each student accordingly. Unfortunately, many guitar teachers use one or two method books for every student. They either do not realize that this is counterproductive, do not want to make the effort, or simply do not know any better. The fact is, most guitar teachers “wing it” in their lessons. Most of them do not think and plan ahead. They do not know how to get a guitarist from where his is to where he wants to be, aside from a method book (which are often times inadequate). If you’re interested in signing up for guitar lessons, tell me about your goals and together we will achieve them.
7. He Should Offer Multiple Learning Formats
Most guitar teachers offer one format and one format only: private lessons. Some offer group lessons. Most do not. A great teacher will understand that there are advantages and disadvantages to both formats, and will offer both. However, a great guitar teacher will also realize that these are not the only formats in which he is able to teach. He will offer other unique formats and innovative programs that will serve to help the student progress at a much faster rate. Ask your prospective teacher if he is able to offer more than just private and group lessons. If you’re interested in one of my innovative formats or programs, apply for admission so we can determine the best plan for you.
8. How Much Should Price Factor Into Your Decision?
The price of a teacher can tell you a lot. Some teachers charge as little as they can in the hopes that they will get many students based on this one factor. Others will charge more, but no more than anyone else. Other than these reasons, the price they choose for their lessons is rather arbitrary. My opinion is that a guitar teacher should charge based on the value of their service. Your concern when looking for a guitar teacher should not be how much a lesson costs, but how much value you are getting out of the lessons. To be specific, you should ask yourself what kind of result am I paying for? When you go to a doctor, you are not paying him for his time. You are paying for his expertise, his knowledge. This applies to any knowledge-based service. You want the result to be good. If your doctor took 3 hours to tell you that you don’t have some condition and he was wrong, but didn’t charge as much as the doctor who spent 10 minutes and was correct, you would be happier with the doctor who was correct. Likewise with guitar lessons. If you find a teacher who charges more than others for lessons, ask why? Is he a great teacher? Is he able to deliver superior results? Does he meet the criteria in the report? Will you learn faster with him and therefore save money, time, and frustration? You will with me.
9. He Should Not Do Whatever You Ask Of Him
This may seem counterintuitive to some people. After all, you are the one paying for the lessons, so shouldn’t your guitar teacher do what you want him to? Think about it this way. When you are in a class at school or in a training program for your job, you don’t dictate to the teacher what he is going to teach. Generally speaking, you have no say in the curriculum. This also applies, to a certain extent, to being a guitar student. Most guitar teachers, when asked if they will teach songs, will automatically say yes (sometimes they say yes because it makes their job much easier). A good guitar teacher will know better than to do anything and everything the student asks for. Of course, this is conditioned on the goals of the student, but a good teacher will do more than just teach specific things requested. A good teacher will teach the student the skills he or she needs to play more than just a specific song, thereby enabling the student to go far beyond what his request was. This doesn’t mean that a good teacher never teaches songs. They do. But they do it in such a way that it is just one part of an overall, comprehensive training.
10. He Should Not Teach In A Linear Way
Linear means logical, step by step, master this first and then build on it. Learning music is too complex for a linear method. Unfortunately, almost every guitar teacher uses a linear method when they should be using what I call a 3Dimensional Method. In the 3D Method, the guitarist will learn much faster, make better progress, experience more success, have more fun and therefore continue to play longer than the average guitarist. By the way, when a guitarist continues to play, it means he has not wasted hundreds of dollars and countless hours playing guitar. Many beginners who quit have done just that. The failure of the linear method is that it develops the guitarist in few areas at a time and does so slowly. With the 3D Method, this is avoided. The guitarist learns multiple skills together and grows at an even pace, so nothing lags behind. If you are interested in learning through the 3D Method. Apply for admission today.