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How to Choose a Guitar Instructor

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(3 Ratings)

If you want to get to a certain level of accomplishment on your instrument other than just strumming, you need a good instructor. You may choose to remain entirely self-taught, of course, but rest assured that any decent guitar player will tell you she needed to see a teacher at some point in her career.

Difficulty: Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Guitars
  • Sheet Music For Guitar
  • Yellow Pages
  • Local Newspapers
  • Internet Access

    Locating an Instructor

  1. Step 1

    Determine how much time and money you're willing to spend on learning to play guitar before you start looking for a guitar teacher.

  2. Step 2

    Hang out at music stores and go to jams; talk to the guitar players there and ask them if they can recommend a teacher.

  3. Step 3

    Go to a local guitar shop and ask the store manager or clerk for referrals. They can usually give you leads and sometimes are even instructors themselves.

  4. Step 4

    Find out if any of the local schoolteachers give guitar lessons, if credentials are important to you.

  5. Step 5

    Ask your local private music schools for referrals.

  6. Step 6

    Scan the bulletin boards at cafés and music stores for ads and posters advertising guitar instruction. Write down names, rates and phone numbers.

  7. Step 7

    Peruse the advertisements in your local newspaper for guitar lessons.

  8. Step 8

    Read local and regional music publications; they almost always have guitar instructors advertising their services.

  9. Step 9

    Check the yellow pages in your telephone directory.

  10. Selecting an Instructor

  11. Step 1

    Ask the instructor for her hourly rates and if she charges on a sliding scale depending on income. Rates usually range from $30 to $60 per hour.

  12. Step 2

    Inquire if she offers an introductory lesson for free.

  13. Step 3

    Ask if she requires advance monthly payment and if she offers any discounts for weekly or monthly payments.

  14. Step 4

    Make sure you ask whether she offers the particular musical style you want to learn, if you've chosen a style.

  15. Step 5

    Inquire about her experience as a guitar teacher as well as her credentials.

  16. Step 6

    Ask if you may contact other students she might have. Contact those people and ask if they'd recommend that instructor.

  17. Step 7

    Find out if the instructor can accommodate your schedule.

  18. Step 8

    Ask the teacher what type or model you should get for the style you're going to play, if you don't yet have a guitar.

  19. Step 9

    Get the guitar manual that your teacher recommends; you can always change the book or the teacher if you don't like either.

Tips & Warnings
  • You can also search the Internet for leads by typing "guitar teacher" in a search engine; you might find one in your area.
  • The Web offers a wealth of other material on guitar playing that you can use in addition to your lessons.
  • Avoid committing yourself to more than one month of advance payment - you might find out that you don't like the teacher and/or her style, in which case you may have trouble getting your money back.

Comments  

prsfunk said

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on 9/4/2009 FindGuitarTeachers.com is another good directory.

Danlectro said

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on 4/30/2008 Also found lots of tab and videos at www.guitarinstructor.com

colley5 said

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on 5/14/2007 Several online music teacher's directories list guitar teachers, including PrivateLessons.com, Lessons4U.com, and LearningMusician.com.

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