About+Guitar+Teachers

**//Get A Good Teacher!//** How do you find a good guitar teacher? Ask around! Friends who are good players might know someone. Local music stores are another good resource. If you know someone who is a good guitarist, find out who taught them. An experienced, professional teacher will start you on the path to musical success!This page describes some important traits of a great guitar teacher! ||
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**Experience**
==== Experience is a vital characteristic of a good guitar teacher; not just playing experience, but teaching experience too! A teacher who has taught guitar for years has seen the most successful students AND the ones who do not succeed. A seasoned instructor has already diagnosed just about every problem a student might encounter and, in most cases, has prescribed exercises to fix those problems. If you are lucky enough to find an experienced teacher who has a studio near you, go for it! Get on the waiting list and book some lessons! As long as you do your part as a great student, you’ll get a super start with **//Physical Guitar!//** ====

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Friendliness?
Good teachers are friendly and patient, but remember: they’re only human! Expect to get a “teacher’s glare” if you arrive at a lesson unprepared! But after the “glare”, a patient teacher will find a way to make the best of your lesson! Patience and friendliness will usually lead to mutual respect. If you respect your teacher, respect reflects back at you! Respect your teachers for their talent and skill; they will respect their students for their interest, enthusiasm, dedication, and hard work! There’s a fine line between friendliness and professionalism, and a good guitar teacher will find that natural balance. An experienced, professional instructor keeps you mentally and physically active during a lesson, in a considerate, friendly way. Ultimately, a guitar lesson is a business arrangement where you have contracted the instructor to teach you! If you are unhappy with your rate of progress or other issues, walk away and take your money to a better teacher! If the same issues come up with your new guitar teacher, look into a mirror; the lack of progress could be **your** fault! Remember your responsibilities as a student! **Do your part** and you will succeed!

Resourcefulness
==== The most important thing you can learn is how to teach yourself. A guitar instructor should also serve as your **resource** assistant. Be sure to ask questions during your lesson time – questions about technique, posture, music notation, equipment, and anything else related to your study. Fine teachers will have an endless supply of answers, or know exactly where to find them! Occasionally, you might hear, “I’ll get back to you about that,” and that’s just fine, as long as it happens! Resourceful teachers should recommend technical exercises, books, recordings, videos, good web sites, and a variety of other resources to help answer your question or correct your musical problem. ====

**Musicianship**
==== The ability to play guitar in a variety of styles is another important characteristic of a good guitar teacher, but realistically, teachers who can play //EVERYTHING// are very hard to find! Teachers who focus on the basics of proper posture, essential technique, and have the ability to chart a steady path toward your musical goals are rare indeed. It’s just an added bonus if they perform regularly. A good instructor will have the ability to play examples from a variety of styles, but they will admit when they don’t have the skill or answers. Then the **resourcefulness** mentioned previously will come in quite handy! Excellent teachers are fully aware of their own limits. If your skills improve to the point where a more talented, experienced instructor is necessary, the best teachers will tell you immediately! ====

Cost
==== Private music lessons cost money, usually with good reason! Prices for lessons vary as much as the quality, experience, and training of teachers. Good teachers have invested a lot of time and effort in developing their skills as musicians and educators. Many good music teachers are college-trained, while others are professional performers who know “all the tricks”. They have invested years of their lives in research, practice, performance, and teaching. ==== ==== Students gain the benefit of their teachers’ life work and experience. This knowledge and experience is valuable beyond imagination when properly transmitted and practiced! If you feel that you are not getting your “money’s worth”, you always have the option to find another teacher. Just remember that **you** have responsibilities as a student too! Good teaching and good learning go hand in hand. If you have not met **your obligations** as a student, don’t complain about the cost! ==== [|Go To The Tag Cloud]

Are You A Good Student?
==== Successful students of the guitar have a few common characteristics: The finest students attend every lesson wide-awake and alert, prepared with all books and other necessary equipment. They always ask questions and seem eager to learn! Successful music students play their instruments regularly, practicing technical exercises, favorite songs, and other assignments with proper posture, fine technique, and great enthusiasm! The magic number of “thirty minutes a day” means nothing to the best - they always play more! The best guitar students always push the limit by trying to perform difficult studies with good tone, fine technique, and clarity. They also take every opportunity to perform for people and share their talent. Good students listen to a wide variety of guitar music on recordings, in concert, and watch performances on videos. They are very perceptive, absorbing the best ideas and tossing out the bad. The best students always take care of instruments, materials, and equipment. Good students and players know the importance of keeping their gear in top shape! If you take care of your gear, it will take care of you! ====