Pffft! I Don’t Need Guitar Lessons! … Or Do I?
Are guitar lessons just for people who don’t know how to play? Are they only for people who would identify as beginners?
Not at all!
Just like there are guitar lessons that help beginners learn chords and songs in order to become intermediate players, there are also guitar lessons that help intermediate guitar players become advanced musicians.
Unfortunately, a lot of guitar players view playing and learning about their instrument like a video game, there are ten levels to complete and once you finish level ten there is nothing more to do.
In other words, they learn just enough to classify as a lead guitarist and a reasonably good player then stop seeking to improve their playing and musical knowledge beyond the point they have already reached on the notion they “know enough already”, “can already play what they want”, or “no one will be able to tell the difference”.
These damaging philosophies are more common then you think and are one of the primary reasons for becoming “stuck in a rut”, musically unmotivated, musically bored, and even giving up playing entirely.
If you are reading this and you have experienced one or more of the above guitar playing problems, then you may have been guilty of harbouring any of the previously mentioned damaging philosophies.
In reality, we never stop learning, “the more you learn, the more you learn there’s more to learn”… if you know what I mean 😉
I have had students who where shocked to discover that I still practice every day, they said “but I thought when you get to an advanced level you don’t have to practice any more?”
When you get to an advanced level you don’t need AS MUCH practice, but in order to keep growing as a player and musician (and believe me, there is always room for improvement in all musical areas no matter how amazing you become) and avoid becoming bored, disinterested and unmotivated you need to be constantly setting yourself challenges and goals that continue to grow your guitar playing ability and keep you excited about playing and practicing everyday.
As well as the aforementioned damaging philosophies, another reason why a lot of intermediate guitar players don’t seek advanced guitar lessons to improve themselves when they are struggling is because they have fallen into the illogical notion that it would be somehow discrediting for them if they sought the guidance and help of a professional guitar teacher instead of “working it all out on there own.”
This brings me to possibly THE MOST DAMAGING philosophy of all!
Are you ready for it?
Here it is in,
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“People who seek guitar lessons in order to become great players aren’t as talented, or as worthy of respect as people who become great players by working things out on their own”
The reason why this is so damaging is because;
1. It creates unrealistic expectations of guitar players, and;
2. It encourages guitar players to be more concerned about what other people think of them then their own guitar playing ability, improvement and satisfaction.
This philosophy is damaging because no guitar player truly becomes an amazing player all on there own.
Even if they lock themselves up in their room to learn from YouTube and from slowing down their favourite songs and and solos and listening to them over and over, they are still learning from YouTube guitarists or from the guitarists they admire.
When all they really need to do to become the guitar player they want to be is find a great guitar teacher who specialises in teaching guitarists just like them and receive the BEST information and material possible for them to accomplish what they want.
The greatest guitar players in history all had one thing in common, they all shared a burning desire to learn more about their instrument and improve their playing ability and would stop at nothing to achieve this.
Most of them where notorious “jammers”, meaning they would seek out as many new musicians and guitar players to play with as possible so they could always be learning new things and be challenged to improve.
Others hunted down the best guitar players in their local areas and hounded them for guitar lessons or casual playing tips and advice.
Further more, most of them sought guitar lessons in order to become the players they are.
Randy Rhoad’s was renowned for tracking down the top guitar teacher in each city he played in to receive lessons before leaving again.
Jimi Hendrix used to pester B.B King for tips when they bumped into one another while playing the same circuits.
Kirk Hammett and Steve Vai learnt from Joe Satriani, who in turn was mentored by Jazz great Lenny Tristana.
Larry Carlton took guitar lessons from Joe Pass.
Joe Bonamassa was mentored by Danny Gatton.
Slash receives casual music lessons from Steve Lukather.
These great players understand that you constantly need to be seeking to improve yourself in order to avoid becoming stagnant or stuck in a rut.
So next time you feel frustrated that you aren’t playing the way you have always wanted to, feel like you are becoming stagnant and stuck in a rut or are struggling with technical or musical playing concepts, always remember that fantastic guitar lessons are always just an email or a phone call away!
If you are interested in guitar lessons then fill out the form for your FREE evaluation lesson by clicking the FREE lesson button below.
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