Beginning again....

As long as you're still playing life is good!

This afternoon I'll have my second lesson.....

I've practiced the finger exercises my teacher asked me to work on so I'll see what he has planned this week.

I tried to call him a couple times over the past two weeks with a question, I never heard back from him?? Didnt give me a good feeling, but hey if he can help me improve my guitar playing I'll let him slide a little.

I'll update the post after the lesson and let you guys know how it goes...

Other than the finger exercises, I've been messing around with lessons on You Tube, and a DVD I have.

So which Guitar do I take to practice, my good ole accoustic, the new Fender Strat, or new EpiMasterbilt....

I'd like to take the electric, because I'm so new to electric guitars he might give me some pointers, but I definitly play my accoustic better.

Okay the update from todays lesson........ It SUCKED!!!!

Showed up for my lesson, and a young guy that works there informs that my teacher is out of town and he's going to fill in for him.

So we sit down and I show him the finger exercises I was told to practice, and his comment was I can tell you've played your pretty quick.
The I played the pentatonic scales I've been practicing on my own, so he tabs out a couple Major scales and I run through them a couple times slowly but I got through them, I'll have to memorize the pattern before I can gain any speed.

I showed him a few things I play, and told him I want to learn some songs soon, he said to mention it to my teacher in the next lesson, suggested listening to a few Country songs there pretty easy 3 chords, I said yeah I IV V, he was like yeah thats it. I dont want to play Country music!

Anyway, I ask him how long he had been playing....... 4 1/2 years ( in my mind I was thinking what! Ive played that long), he's had lessons for the last year and a half, he started playing when he was 15.
I would never pay someone 20 bucks a lesson to Tab out two scales, not one suggestion on technique, timing nothing.

I feel that twenty dollars could have been much better spent on a DVD, book... anything really!

I WANT A GOOD TEACHER :(

I dont want to be the next Jimmy Paige, I just want to be able to sit around with friends and pick and strumm a few songs that sound decent.

I wont keep going winning, but I hope my impression of this school changes soon....

Thanks for letting me vent.

David

Sounds like that was a waste of your money. Ah, but your normal teacher will be back soon, right?

Ha... and the guy could probably shred like a wolverine after 4 years... that's the tough part about starting at age 40!!!!

Don't worry - - half the time I go to my teacher's house and he isn't home! He's a working musician and gets caught out on gigs from time-to-time. I end up talking to his wife for 10 minutes and then get caught going to Guitar Center (2 miles from his house) and buying something!!!!! Maybe that's why I chose him...

At least he doesn't charge me when he's not around...

Okay the update from todays lesson........ It SUCKED!!!!

Showed up for my lesson, and a young guy that works there informs that my teacher is out of town and he's going to fill in for him.

So we sit down and I show him the finger exercises I was told to practice, and his comment was I can tell you've played your pretty quick.
The I played the pentatonic scales I've been practicing on my own, so he tabs out a couple Major scales and I run through them a couple times slowly but I got through them, I'll have to memorize the pattern before I can gain any speed.

I showed him a few things I play, and told him I want to learn some songs soon, he said to mention it to my teacher in the next lesson, suggested listening to a few Country songs there pretty easy 3 chords, I said yeah I IV V, he was like yeah thats it. I dont want to play Country music!

Anyway, I ask him how long he had been playing....... 4 1/2 years ( in my mind I was thinking what! Ive played that long), he's had lessons for the last year and a half, he started playing when he was 15.
I would never pay someone 20 bucks a lesson to Tab out two scales, not one suggestion on technique, timing nothing.

I feel that twenty dollars could have been much better spent on a DVD, book... anything really!

I WANT A GOOD TEACHER :(

I dont want to be the next Jimmy Paige, I just want to be able to sit around with friends and pick and strumm a few songs that sound decent.

I wont keep going winning, but I hope my impression of this school changes soon....

Thanks for letting me vent.

David

I had a very poor teacher. Me! :lol: I taught myself. I have never had a lesson in my life. It took a lot longer than it had to to learn some things, but what I did learn I didn't forget. I think it is personal, a lot of folks do need a teacher, but with what is out there these days .... it is possible to teach yourself. 4 1/2 years? I got guitar strings older than that. :lol:

A friend of minehad a similar experience with a teacher. I happen to know the teacher- took a few group lessons with her at the local college but never private lesstons. Anyhow, he says from time to time he would show up for the lesson and she would have some young dude substituting because she couln't make it- and she'd never tell him ahead of time. He conplained to her about it- saying, "hey, I';m paying to take lessons from you, not somebody else", but to no avail. Finally he switched teachers (to the same one I have been using). When he can't make it he calls and lets me know, and that doesn't happen very often (most of the time it's after a real havy rain as his garage-studio is prone to getting water in it!)

If it were me and this were happening i'd do exactly as my friend and say adios.

And BTW I just turned 50 and have been at it 3-1/2 years. I only wish I'd started in my early 40's, and I still feel like I've got a long way to go.

Hope things work out.

40 ? Forty ?? I started 3 months ago at 60 and a quarter having never handled any form of instrument or music before. Finding GN and particularly Mr David Hodge, may his name be praised, I have learnt more off of this website than any where else or any book. Am gradually fitting my fingers into C and G major but B is beyond me as, too, are barres at this time. Unable to find a teacher as we're English ex-pats in Spain with limited language - don't tell me to learn Spanish first, there are just so many things a brain can assimilate at one time and a new country and culture takes up all available little grey cells. Am enjoying now learning notation as I'd hope to manage this at the expense of tabbing. But isn't the guitar one koool doood? I have a very cheap n cheerful Spanish classical and it sounds a million dollars just plinking and plucking. Watch out Clapton - I've still got time!

It took me about a year to be pretty good with barre chords. Be patient. I'd admire you starting later in life.