Is it worth taking lessons for one month???

I only have enough spare funds for a month's worth of lessons locally. Is it worth the effort with that limitation in mind???

If so, how would you approach it? Would you load up on materials/information for woodshedding later, or take at a normal instructional pace?

Thanks,
Scott

It depends on what you need, what the instructor can deliver, lesson length, and how much practice you can squeeze in. As an instructor, I would say yes, it's worth it, as long as you get practice time in and follow my instruction closely.

Good luck!

Peace, Mike.

I've done it. Twice. A month here, a month there. I got great benefit from it, got me out of my self-taught rut. I can feel another rut-adjuster coming soon, maybe in the next 6 months or so.

Well the next question might be "When can you next afford some more lessons?"

It's not a bad idea to do the month's worth of instruction and then go off and 'woodshed'. Under the instruction of a good teacher you can make alot of progress in a month and be given a very clear direction to head in while studyng on your own. The crucial piece is finding a very good teacher for that month. Then after you've set aside some more dough, maybe a few months from now, you can go back for more instruction. It could work.

I also do casual lessons, ie irregularly scheduled, for those who can't do weekly or bi-weekly lessons. I address whatever they need.

Peace, Mike.

Depends.
I can give a dedicated and self-aware student 6 months work in about an hour.
Provided they don't have problems with technique that need to be monitored it is fine.

A lot of people seem to require the discipline of going to see someone weekly though.

With the right instructor, very well worth it! I was lucky to meet a guy from the Pittsburgh area in the early '80's named John Grunder. Taught me more in one month than I ever would've found on my own. 9th's, 13th's, 7th's, substitutions opened up a whole new world of blues playing! I'd like to know where he is so I could thank him but last I heard was he went to CA. to work in Fender's then new custom shop but that was 30 or so yrs ago.

Good idea.
I'd probably space them out: do a lesson, work on the material for a couple or three weeks, then come back.
The key, of course, is getting the right guy. I've taken some lessons that really didn't stick, and others that transformed my playing. The key is not whether the guy is a great player, but whether he's thoughtful, observant, and organized.

I would say go for it. Money keeps me from taking lessons as much as I would like as well, but if you've been playing awhile already and have a good grasp of the basics, a good teacher can really help you improve with only a month's worth of lessons. I still reference and draw on lessons that I've taken from over a year ago...and probably always will.

Yep, I say go for it.

As a long time teacher I will seek a local bad mofo or two for a month of lessons when I get in a rut...it really helps.

As an alternative, if you can find a good instructional DVD you'll have a lot to gain from a one time cost. Lessons are great and a skilled instructor could help with things that you obviously won't get from a DVD in terms of how you approach the guitar, your technique, etc. But for ideas and basic knowledge, a DVD lets you go back whenever you want. I have had a few lessons over the years, I'm taking some drum instruction every 2 weeks at present, and the time flies by and I retain what I can, but I'm sure lots goes by me.
The important thing is to find a good DVD. A bad one is a waste of $$$
Maybe a friend you know has some you could borrow ?

You know, the DVDs ain't a bad idea. For the price of a month of 30-minute lessons I could get 3 or 4 Hot Licks DVDs that I can always go back to. Hmmmm...decisions, decisions.

Don't mean to talk you down from the DVD idea, but the best players don't always make the best teachers, especially in an hour or so video. I just think there's something about sitting down one on one in a room with a good instructor. Plus, there's plenty DVD clips on youtube, for free.

As an alternative, if you can find a good instructional DVD you'll have a lot to gain from a one time cost. Lessons are great and a skilled instructor could help with things that you obviously won't get from a DVD in terms of how you approach the guitar, your technique, etc. But for ideas and basic knowledge, a DVD lets you go back whenever you want. I have had a few lessons over the years, I'm taking some drum instruction every 2 weeks at present, and the time flies by and I retain what I can, but I'm sure lots goes by me.
The important thing is to find a good DVD. A bad one is a waste of $$$
Maybe a friend you know has some you could borrow ?


Big +1. Forgot all about the vids. Keith Wyatt had a couple beginner/intermediate blues instructionals on VHS but I don't know if they're still available.

A month of lessons could be valuable if it gives you some clear direction and motivation for woodshedding. I would ask the instructor to evaluate your playing, tell him where you'd like to go, and together develop a practice schedule. Also he can point you to some books, videos, websites, and other resources. That way you've got material to work on for months after the lessons have ended, and hopefully the lessons will charge you up to really drive you to practice.

I'm gonna come off like an a-hole, as I sometimes do on music education threads, but, ah...what the hell.

I can teach you more in one hour than any video. I know I can, and I don't don't even know you. I know I can becasue I'd be able to SEE what you're doing. Videos are fine for picking up some licks, but (from the content of other posts i remember) you sound like you really want to get better, not just have some new tricks in your bag.

i say do the lessons. I like the idea of spacing them out, and make some clear goals and share them with your instructor. Talk to a few teachers beforehand. Make sure they're hip to giving real "homework."

then pretend to practice your ass off to make it worthwhile.

go for it, have fun, work hard, and you will reap benefits.

I'm gonna come off like an a-hole, as I sometimes do on music education threads, but, ah...what the hell.

I can teach you more in one hour than any video.

Hey, no "a-hole" violation here. As we say in Texas: It ain't braggin' if it's true!

Both options have their pro's and con's. The DVDs are a one-time cost and I can use them for as long as I please, going back to them repeatedly, as needed or desired. On the other hand, the good thing about an instructor is the diagnostic aspect of it and the fact that they could supply me with an actual game-plan to execute. I may try to find a way to do a combination of both routes.

as an aside, I encourage my students to audio record our lessons...I think any teacher who's worth a hoot would...

The big advantage a good live instructor has over a book or video is that he can give you immediate feedback on your technique and can assess exactly what you need to work on to accomplish your goals. If you just want to learn songs or licks you can do that on your own, but if you want to learn to be a better guitar player getting that first hand feedback can help push you to the next level.

i'd like to thanks everyone,this thread has inspired my to come out of the woodshed and go take a month of lessons. the video/youtube thang just isnt as much fun after awhile.now to find a good instructor in Springfield..

Hey, no "a-hole" violation here. As we say in Texas: It ain't braggin' if it's true!

Both options have their pro's and con's. The DVDs are a one-time cost and I can use them for as long as I please, going back to them repeatedly, as needed or desired. On the other hand, the good thing about an instructor is the diagnostic aspect of it and the fact that they could supply me with an actual game-plan to execute. I may try to find a way to do a combination of both routes.

Do you know that Netflix has lots of instructional DVD's-?--Some have a PDF file on them of the tab---a lot don't and you don't get the booklet--but a lot of times you don't NEED the booklet--you can se what they are doing....-cost $18 a month and you can at the very LEAST--see which ones you want to buy----Cheers! JIMO

The only guy or gal that I wouldn't really recommend taking a short series of lessons to is the player that doesn't have their basic mechanics together or doesn't have enough of a basic foundational element of harmony and theory together to assimilate info as it's tossed their way. This is the sort of situation where an instructor needs some time to help the student develop. If that's not you, go for it (glad to hear that you've decided to do so!).

I think it's a really good idea to be extremely organized for the short term lesson plan thing. Your instructor is only as valuable to you as the information that you supply. Have some goals and stylistic priorities, as well as a brief synopsis of what you feel are your strengths and weaknesses, ready to go before you pursue it. And don't be afraid to (briefly) interview a few teachers before you make a decision. Teachers enjoy a student that cares enough about their craft to put some thought into their choice. If you decide to do so, ask the instructor not only about what they are able to teach, but how they go about presenting their material. You know best about how you're wired, what sorts of formats you're comfortable with, etc. This information helps the instructor as much as it does you. As with any other field of work, independent music teachers network, and will occasionally refer potential students to other instructors that might be a better fit for the client's immediate needs, at least if the teacher is honest - ("I'd love to work with you, but from what you've described, I think ____ _________ would be a better fit for you. Here's the number. If you talk to them and don't get a good feel for it, give me a call back.").

I've taken several 'one off' lessons with specialists over the years. Specialists are pretty expensive, but if they're good (and the student can assimilate), it can be money well spent. In fact, if I find the right situations, I'll do exactly that again for mandolin, banjo, lap steel, and voice. I took a single guitar lesson in the early 90's with local legend Barry Richman, and I'm still finding different ways to twist and apply some of the concepts that he presented. That said, I'd have been totally lost without a decent theoretical foundation going in, and it would've been money down the toilet.

There've been several guys that have popped in and out of my teaching studio frequently over the years. They'll come in for a month or two or three, disappear into the woodshed for a while, and will ring me back when I least expect to hear from them. I love it, these guys are really aware of how they're wired, when they've reached a plateau, and when it's time for some new stimulus. As an independent contractor, I need to set these guys up with non "prime time" spots, meaning usually early in the afternoon or later evening (post 7:00). I mention this because it's a matter of courtesy to state outright one's short term intentions. The student doesn't have to be forthcoming with said info, but teachers certainly appreciate the courtesy.

Recently, a guy contacted me and said that he was dissatisfied with teachers in his area, and made arrangements with me to drive in from a neighboring state for a single two hour session. We spoke at length via email and spoke over the phone once, such that I could prepare material in a way that I felt would be worth the fella's considerable efforts just to arrive at my door. I can't speak for the guy, but I think (hope) that I sent him down the road with his head spinning, and with enough material to occupy him for months.

if you have something specific in mind you want to learn and be able to ask questions(and see the other guys fretboard in 3d!)---yeah, for sure. that being said, i've learned alot of licks just watching you tube.

I say go for it as well. +1 on all the positives about getting feedback directly from the teacher.

Another pitfall of DVDs is that you have to be disciplined to take the time to go through them. I have several that I've glanced at but never went back and worked at them.

It's much easier to blow off your self and say you'll look at the DVD tomorrow than it is to set up a session with a teacher and blow off another person.

Cheers,
Doug

It's much easier to blow off your self and say you'll look at the DVD tomorrow than it is to set up a session with a teacher and blow off another person.

Agreed. Accountability is a huge part of the equation for success.

I would like to chime in on this. As a fairly new beginner ( started within the last year ), I have had 5 lessons so far, and am going to take some time off to let it soak in, and get down what I have been taught so far. Just the lessons I have had have helped a bunch! Its nice to have someone actually right there to adjust things your are doing wrong,etc.... I do have to admit though, it was tough getting up the courage to go do this----I am not a real outgoing person, and to sit in front of someone and have them see my lack of skill was not much fun, lol. But the more I learn, the more I get out of watching online videos and such. On a side note, I actually started to record myself with GTP4 Cakewalk. That opened my eyes up also!! LOL. Enjoying every minute of it though

I may try to find a way to do a combination of both routes.

This is probably your best bet. I started learning via DVDs and found that while they were organized well and I was making decent progress, I improved by leaps and bounds once I started taking lessons.

Granted, there are days where I sometimes feel my instructor is dialing it in a bit (not feeling good and just wants to get the lesson over with -- he plays in a popular local band [lots of rehearsal and travel time], has a side acoustic gig and then teaches a lot of lessons per day) but most of the time, I leave excited and wanting to practice/play (unfortunately, I take lessons on my lunchbreak from work, so I have to return to work immediately which drives me nuts, heh).

I still, on occasion, supplement my learning with DVDs and books, but I also make my teacher aware of this so that he can assist me in case I have questions or if he has a personal perspective on the material and wants to share it. He's even made suggestions about certain material that I might like, so I don't think it intimidates him or makes him feel obsolete and I certainly don't think of his instruction that way; I'm well aware that it has great value.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

The last time I tried instructional videos it didn't last long...all there was was VHS. I imagine DVDs, with their indexing, make videos a much more effective and less frustrating tool to use than the old tapes.

I just have to chime in on this thread. First off some great advice from some very knowledgable people. E5RSY some things to ponder your level of playing, your goals for said lessons and of course check out your teacher thouroghly. If you are at a certain level of proficiently, clearly know what you want to achieve and have found a teacher that you have faith can get you there; then my suggestion to you would be to see if you could pay for a month of lessons, but spread out over time i.e. once a month for say three or four months. You could/should practice what you learned studiously over the month then it would seem you could make tremendous progress. I'm thinking about doing this for the first time in a long while. Also the fact that a teacher maybe able to correct a flaw in your technique and offer real time feedback is definately a positive. Also the teacher may be able to recommend a particular DVD that may put you on the right track foar advancement. I took lessons 15 + years ago my teacher recommmended the Paul Gilbert Intense Rock VHS at the time. I blew it off. Purchased it a couple years ago. How I wish I'd have taken his advice all thoseyears ago.