Finding The Right Acoustic Guitar Teacher

If you feel that your skills in playing the acoustic guitar is still not up to the standard that you desire, despite getting formal lessons, then maybe you are not being taught by the acoustic guitar teacher that is right for you. But then again, how would you know the right teacher for you when there are so many of them offering their services?

 

The easiest place to look for the right teacher is online, where they usually have their own web pages. Do some research on their teaching style and lesson tracks. The better option is to ask around with your friends or acquaintances, and have them give recommendations.

 

Once you have found several possible teachers, there are still a lot of things that you should consider when you are looking for teacher that matches your need. Here are some of the things you should look out for:

 

  • Experience:

You do not want someone who is only slightly better than you. You would want teachers that have years of playing experience behind them, preferably as professionals. A teacher should be teaching from experience and not from a book or manual only. Find out if the teachers developed their own lessons and materials, or they just copied materials online or from other teachers.

 

You should also find out how many students your teacher has taught. The more, the better! If you can, talk to a couple of student that has taken the teacher’s course. Ask them about the strengths and weaknesses of the teacher, so you will have a better understanding of their capabilities.

 

  • Customized teaching:

Good acoustic guitar teachers should customize their teaching and lessons according to your need and style, as an individual. They should not have a template of teaching that they will use and implement for every student they teach, with no consideration of each student’s playing style, learning speed, and personal progress. This method may frustrate you if you cannot catch up easily, and you might even end up quitting learning the acoustic guitar.

 

The best way to make sure that the teaching is customized for you is to start the course with a detailed discussion of what your current playing level is. Make sure to mention what areas you think you need help the most, and do not hesitate to ask your teacher to focus on those areas.

 

  • Progress tracking:

Your progress should be monitored carefully by your teacher. In fact, some sort of a report or chart should be kept by your teacher, and shown to you regularly, preferably at the end of each lesson. You should then have a thorough, detailed, and honest discussion about it. Whatever the outcome of these discussions should determine the progress and pacing of the succeeding lessons.

 

Do not hesitate to ask your teacher to go back to previous lessons if your progress is not satisfactory. A good teacher will not encourage you to move on to the next lessons if you have insufficiently learned the earlier lessons.

 

A good acoustic guitar teacher is not hard to find, as long as you plan ahead by keeping in mind some of the things mentioned above. It is important to remember that not only are you investing your time and money by taking up formal lessons, but you are also investing in a possible future career in music and guitar playing.