Conference napalm::guitar

    1/ How to choose instructor - Don't sign up for any long term lessons.
    Private lessons are more expensive than group lessons but are worth the
    money (i.e. don't have time for you at group lessons). The way I found 
    a good teacher is by basically trying out a few. You'll know when you
    found a good one when you can see definte improvement in your playing
    from week to week (assuming you practice). Now I noticed this because
    I had a couple of shitty teachers before I got a good one and then my
    playing improved dramatically with a good teacher. I guess you can try
    music stores, as long as they let you play what you want to learn, not
    whatever method books they want to force feed you. 
    
    2/ I found once a week for an hour was good enough. A half hour is
    a little short. 
    
    3/ For a beginner, the first thing you should learn is how to play
       properly with your fretting hand and your picking hand. Once
       you learn this, learn some simple tunes you would like to play,
       because this will keep you motivated to play. It's easy to 
       get discouraged when your first starting out, so it's important
       to start out doing simple tunes when you first start out. Learning
       how to play good rhytmn guitar should preclude any lead playing.
    
       Later on, I found that learning chord theory was important, In order
       to learn chord theory, you have to know all the scales (this can be
       memorized). Reading music opened up a lot of doors as far as more 
       different styles/complexity of music is concerned. Also, combine 
       this with picking stuff off of records (ear training).
    
       Anyways, this is the route I took, everyone has their own ways.
    
       Hope this helps
    
       Good Luck!
    
    
      
       sure your teacher 
       playing
       you learn how 

    re -2
    
    	Hi Simon,
    		Finally another aussie!  I'm located in MEO.
    	RE "what should every guitar player know"
    
    	Answer:  How to sing harmonies.
    
    
    
    P.K.

    My teacher has 28 years experience teaching and playing. The
    first thing he taught me was to do a series of finger exercises
    to build up some coordination. This was the first lesson. He did not 
    want me to waste my money with more lessons until I had some
    proficiency with the pick and the neck. A month later we started
    lessons. His belief is that more can be accomplished in a one hour
    meeting once every two weeks than meeting for a half hour a week.
    He gave plenty of material to practice and think about between lessons.
    This felt comfortable to me, and worked out well. A few years later I
    took lessons with another teacher once a week for a half hour, and for
    me at least felt that it accomplished less. With a family I have to
    martial my time. If guitar playing was the only thing I cared about or
    could afford to do ( in terms of time), maybe an hour a week would be
    fine. You haveto find your own "rythm" and personality type to teach
    YOU effectively.
    

basically, any REAL guitar teacher will get you from where you are 
now, (ground zero) to the next step...

It's really up to you in the beginning...  The first step you
want to take is to a: Get a decnet gutiar, and b: get a fairly
comprehensive beginners book..  One that really starts with the
basics,, tuning, strings, basic chords and drills...  Nothing
major, like playing songs here,, REAL basic stuff.

If you think it's for you, than it's time to get an instructor..
Then stick with him for a few months, and practice daily...
(At least 40 minutes..)

After a while, you may find yourself stuck at a certain
platuea.  At that point you would want to mention your
feelings to your instructor, and give him/her the oppourtunity
to adjust your lessons to your new level of ability...

if he/she can't then it may be time to seek a new teacher...

But to foster a good open relation ship is more important
in the long run.  most teachers, (at least this is what I tried to
do in the past when i was teaching) was flavor the lessons
to the students ability and musical likes.

    >>  Get a decnet gutiar...
    
    Hmmmmmmmm..........

    >>  Get a decnet gutiar...

ahh,, yea,, complete with a wireless protocol.ini....

(yep, I guess I been working to much again....)

    
       The key is practice, practice, practice.  
    
       I was taking lessons from a deccie.  Great teacher. 
    In three weeks I advanced more than I did in the previous 
    year. Maybe not in regards to playing ability, though 
    there was instant improvement when he pointed out basic 
    style mistakes, but most certainly in music theory, scales 
    and chord structure.
    
       My down fall was time.  I never ever had time. No matter 
    how hard I tried, I couldn't get there.  Quite frankly, I 
    cannot even begin to fathom how a married man or woman, 
    with kids could have even a free second to even pick up a 
    guitar. 
    
       Get a good teacher.  Learn scales in the different 
    positions AND learn to noodle within the scales. (As 
    oppose to 100% ascending and decending scale practice.)  
    One will teach you the fret board the other will be fun 
    as all get out and before you know it you'll hear your-
    self ripping out these little leads.   It  may  sound 
    infantile,  but it is VERY gratifying when YOU do it 
    verses copying something from a recording.  After you
    know your way around the neck then go to chord structure.
    Things quickly fall into place.  (If you practice.) 
    
       Hats off to those who have time. It's a mystery to me.
    
      -Rick. 
             

    ...self ripping out these little leads.   It  may  sound 
    infantile,  but it is VERY gratifying when YOU do it 
    verses copying something from a recording. 


Infantile,,, you kidding,,, I've been playing since I was
8,,,  that was 30 years ago,,,  playing guitar is about the
only thing I can say is 100% kick...

It's a hoot...  always will be...

    
      Well, what I meant was it may seem infantile to all of you 
    highly accomplished players, but gratifying to a beginner.
    
      I've got all sorts of books here and there, I listen to CDs
    and play along, (as best possible) but it never felt quite right.
    With the knowledge my teacher passed along to me, one afternoon 
    I was working the scales ascending-decending in different positions,
    then I started mixing it all up - then the clouds parted and gawd
    smiled on my guitar.  IT MADE SENSE!!!  IT FELT GOOD!!! 
    
      I'm sure that I did a couple of little licks that have been done 
    a million times by a million other people, but it was the first time 
    that *I* did it.  It was the first time *I* expressed my self through
    my guitar. That's what I meant by infantile.
    
      I wish I had more time.  I wish...
    
    

    
    
    You guys are inspiring me to get in there and *really* learn how to
    play.  I'm mostly a singer who plays a bit, but more and more I find
    myself listening to and appreciating the guitar work on the albums I
    bought because I liked the singer!   And gosh, I've gone from listening
    to mostly folk music to throwing in some blues (don't want to restart
    any arguments here - I *like* the blues) and even rock and roll (no
    metal, yet, though).  Can listening to Jazz be far away?  :-)
    
    Anyway, thanks for the inspiration.
    
    TGIF,
    
    Justine