How to Choose a Guitar Instructor

Contributor

By eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating: (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

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.
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.
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.
Step 4

Find out if any of the local schoolteachers give guitar lessons, if credentials are important to you.
Step 5

Ask your local private music schools for referrals.
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.
Step 7

Peruse the advertisements in your local newspaper for guitar lessons.
Step 8

Read local and regional music publications; they almost always have guitar instructors advertising their services.
Step 9

Check the yellow pages in your telephone directory.

Selecting an Instructor

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.
Step 2

Inquire if she offers an introductory lesson for free.
Step 3

Ask if she requires advance monthly payment and if she offers any discounts for weekly or monthly payments.
Step 4

Make sure you ask whether she offers the particular musical style you want to learn, if you've chosen a style.
Step 5

Inquire about her experience as a guitar teacher as well as her credentials.
Step 6

Ask if you may contact other students she might have. Contact those people and ask if they'd recommend that instructor.
Step 7

Find out if the instructor can accommodate your schedule.
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.
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.