OT: Guitar lessons recommendations for a geezer like me

[BobC]

My wife told me that I had to find another hobby now that our younger son has started college. Both my sons play guitar (both bass & 6-string), so I have decided to learn guitar as well (the boys are psyched; the wife just shakes her head).

So, what would the great forum collective recommend for lessons? Online? In person? Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Cheers, BobC

[cmbicycles]

As someone who taught music classes online during the pandemic, an in person lesson is infinitely better for music (most things actually, IMO). A lot can get lost online depending on speaker/mic/connection quality as well as demonstrating certain things. It may be easier since you are an adult to do online if that works better for you, online does not work well for my kids, or my students.

If you can find someone local that teaches or specializes in the style of music you like, that always helps. I took lessons from a couple guys years ago that were into different music and while I was still learning from them, it wasn't as fruitful as it could have been. There is such a variety of music out there it shouldn't be hard to find someone that can show you what you need and you can take it from there.

[ridethecliche]

I'd get in person lessons.

I used to play in high school stopped in college, just picked things back up again in my mid 30's and have been working with a local teacher. It's been great.

That reminds me... I need to practice more.

[climbedthataway]

Truefire is probably the best online & app-based lesson source I’ve encountered — lots of variety in instructor, skill level, and style.

I don’t play all that much these days, but my dad (who plays a ton & has for many years) is the one who introduced me to the platform, and he’s gotten quite a lot of use out of it.

Also, I’ve liked playing around with the tabs from Ultimate Guitar — I’ll just pull up a song on the phone app & strum or (try to) pick along.

Though in-person with a good teacher is probably the best if time & money permits.

[robt57]

If starting from scratch, in person lessons.

If you used to play and can understand Tabs and youtube tuts to your benefit, that is a path as well.

Decide if you wanna go by seat of the pants, or actually learn theory and understand what is what. If you just want to play Blackbird, and a hundred other nice ditties as your end goal just get to figuring them out and playing them.

My suggestion is always learn lots of theory, and why what your playing is a 1/4/5 progression etc. But what is your end? Ti start collecting guitars like lots of us collect bikes? That cool too.

DL a metronome as soon as you finish reading this.


And DO NOT ignore your picking hand, get some finger picking connection to the brain from the start.

[edgerat]

in person for a "beginner" for sure, there are just some things, in my opinion, that are better in person to get your feet wet at least

[benb]

Definitely in person.

At some point (years) it becomes okay to do lessons over zoom. For me that happened during the pandemic as in person had to stop.

But by then I had a lot of the physical stuff down, and knew enough to know when I was doing something physically wrong and ask about it and we could figure it out.

But the early learning curve for guitar isn’t great, and having the teacher be in the room becomes extremely valuable.

Remote disappoints later because most of the online platforms aren’t really good enough to play together. You can still get the job done, it’s just being in the room playing together is much more fun.

[OtayBW]

Originally Posted by cmbicycles

If you can find someone local that teaches or specializes in the style of music you like, that always helps.

Yes!

[deluz]

What kind of guitar and style of music?
I agree in person lessons are best to start with but online can work.
After taking lessons for a few years I feel good just learning stuff online on my own.
One tip - Speed is the least important thing, playing accurately at a slow speed is best. If you play something wrong over and over again now your muscle memory has remembered that and then it is difficult to unlearn it.
That wastes lots of time. Have fun

[Louis]

Originally Posted by deluz

One tip - Speed is the least important thing, playing accurately at a slow speed is best.

Perhaps (I don't know anything about playing guitars) but speed is what gets you views on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/TF6cnLnEARo?feature=shared

[schwa86]

I did the geezer guitar thing a few years ago. I have little musical talent but a reasonable amount of musical knowledge/interest.

I think I might generally support the notion of in person lessons, but I’d offer a friendly amendment. I think a lot of guitar teachers are quite accomplished playing their instruments, and the good ones have some sense of teaching. But some of the online courses are really well structured/thought out in terms of how they build up their curricula, the practice lesson approaches, etc. If I had to do it over, I might have an in person teacher use one of the online courses to provide overall structure to what is being taught. I like the justinguitar stuff as it has online lessons supplemented with available printed materials (lessons, song tabs used in the lessons, etc.)

[jimcav]

I taught myself at age 12 with a very basic Mel Bay beginner book. I did a cheating (non-bar) F and wrong fingering for G (not using my pinky).
I tool a break from age 15-21, then picked it up again in college.

Decades later I still play but still have the same crappy wrong technique from when I taught myself. Of course I just play for fun and mostly b/c I like to play and sing.

I play well enough that fam/friends can recognize most of what I'm playing, but it I had it to do over gain, I'd learn the right way, and focus much more on understanding how chords can link. base runs, etc. I can easily do them with tab, but I don't really have an intuitive understanding of anything. so: lessons

[shred]

Is this your first instrument? If so, I think I'd recommend in person lessons. There's value in having someone helping you with timing with zero latency.

[robt57]

We need pics, so I will start with a few of my fav electrics. Even if you play acoustic, a Tele is mandatory at some point.

I did lessons and Mel Bay on the Accordion @ single digit age. By 12 I started bass, and 15 Acoustic, 16 Electric. It's all good.

[BobC]

I got a very good deal on a G&L S-500 from Specialty Traders in Parkersburg WV. My older son stopped by (he works close by) and checked it out -- gave it a big thumbs up (my younger son plays a G&L Tribute "tele").

Pics to follow.

So other than just googling for in-person lessons, any other recommendations to find a good teacher?