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I agree. The best way to learn, and especially if you have some experience,
(you say you have 20 years or so), is to play with other people. I started
out with lessons about 17 years ago, studied jazz performance at the
university...but my best learning experiences have been with other players.
I was never into learning covers and I've just plain forgotten most of the
songs I knew. It is good to learn some and better to figure them out
yourself, by listening. Training your ears is important.
I also think knowing some theory and scales/modes and arpeggios is important
as well. Of course, that's all kinda boring to sit and run thru scales, but
it helps. It even helps to close your eyes and imagine your fingers playing
the scales - then it gets absorbed into your brain as well as your fingers.
There are also many finger exercises to help train, stretch, and strengthen
your fingers and hands - for both your picking and fretting hands.
Recording a chord progression and playing over it is very beneficial if you
don't have friends to jam with all the time.
The great thing about coming up with original material is that you develop
your own sound. If you spend all your time playing covers, all you're going
to do is end up sounding like someone else. All the great guitarists have
their own distinguishing sound.
I think it's ridiculous if a guitar instructor attempts to teach you if
he/she hasn't even heard you play...how are they to know where to start?
Everyone is on a different level, unless you're just starting out.
As long as you keep on playing, you're only going to get better. I see/hear
myself getting faster everyday...but I need to not forget how to play slow
as well, and with feeling. It's not about how fast you can play and how
many notes you can play in one second, it's what you play that matters. It
should come from the heart. He's not a surf player, but one of my favorite
guitar solos is Neil Young's 'Cinnamon Girl' - it's all just one note, but
he puts so much soul and feeling into it, it's perfect, and perfect for the
song.
Hope that helps...
Erik
-----Original Message-----
From: Fred Pleasant [mailto:]
Sent: Monday, June 03, 2002 6:08 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [SurfGuitar101] Guitar Teachers and Students
I'm pretty much self taught. Instructors were a waste
of my time. What I've found it great is to have
friends who also play musical instruments and play
with them and they can show you stuff and you can show
them. Also, if you don't want to learn covers, trying
to figure them out for yourself is always fun.
Knowing how other people play songs can always help
you learn new styles.
--- ultra_blue <> wrote:
> Hey, everybody:
>
> I've had some recent experiences with guitar
> instructors and I
> thought y'all might be able to provide me with some
> advice.
>
> First off, let me say that I've noodling for about
> 20 years; I've had
> some theory at the college level, and some band/gig
> experience, a few
> years ago.
>
> Ever since I first picked up the guitar, I've never
> really played
> covers. Sure, I learned some standard guitar store
> licks (Smoke on
> the Water, Stairway to Heaven, etc), but the vast
> majority of my work
> has been original. I would much rather play my own
> stuff than other
> people's, and frankly, I'm pretty good at it. This
> has left some
> pretty big gaps in my edumacation (especially with
> leads) and I've
> sought to fill those holes with formal training.
>
> However, I'm a little soured by the experiences that
> I've had. Of the
> last three instructors that I've tried (who have
> also gotten the
> above introduction), not a single one has asked me
> to play for them
> or requested a recording before beginning
> instruction. This seems to
> be an utter waste of my time. In addition, they all
> told me that if I
> want to improve, I have to start learning covers. I
> have to say that
> I think this is total BS. I'm pretty well set in my
> ways, and I know
> I hold the pick funny, and that I should probably
> change my right
> hand position, but the days when that kind of stuff
> mattered to me
> are long gone.
>
> So, my questions to y'all are:
>
> Do I really need instruction or should I consider
> collaboration
> instead?
> Should I seek out mentors instead of instructors?
> Am I an unusual student and therefore need an
> unusual instructor?
>
> What's your feeling on learning covers as opposed to
> working on
> original material?
>
> Are there any instructors (or students) out there
> that could provide
> some guidance as to what to look for (and look out
> for) when choosing
> teachers?
>
> Is there a point in the learning process where
> "traditional"
> instruction is no longer going to provide good
> results?
>
> Would I be better off getting instruction with
> song-writing as
> opposed to technique? Do people teach that kind of
> thing?
>
> I would appreciate any responses... feel free to
> respond directly to
> me, but I would prefer if the group had a chance to
> participate.
>
> Thanks!
> Blue
>
> Albuquerque, New Mexico
>
>
>
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