What to look for in a tutor

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I’ve been in a rut for a while, I’m an ok amateur player. The odd basic solo. Solid rhythm chops. Can play in a band happily. 

I’m feeling the need for something to drive me a bit. Would lessons help and if they would then what am I looking for? 
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  • moremore Frets: 230
    edited August 2021
    Have a look at justinguitar .  If you start at the beginning  and work your  way through, it is a  comprehensive course  . You can take on board and practise new stuff , at your own speed .   The problem with most one to one  tutors is they want you to have regular lessons . It is hard to learn fast, so your paying to   go over the same  things . It is better  to  find a tutor  that is willing to go over things you already know,  and is willing  to see you once a month or so.  The  combination of the mix of online and one to one can work well . 
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  • I do regular weekly lessons and I find the routine helps them remember stuff better. Also with anything less it encourages them to practice less and this doesn't justify a monthly lesson. By then they've forgotten everything and probably won't have practiced much. At least with weekly they're coming in and playing with me for an hour and correcting any bad habits/mistakes. Of course this is for complete beginners who probably need the regular routine but I have a lot of people who can already play coming to me and its the same thing.
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  • EvoEvo Frets: 307
    From a good tutor, lessons will always help.
    I can offer advice from both sides of the fence as well, as I am a tutor myself and also (as i'm sure many of us are) always looking to learn more myself. 

    The tutor in me would suggest looking for somebody that doesn't just know how to play. A good theory knowledge and understanding of "why" is very important in explaining things and should add up to a better learning experience.

    The student in me says to find someone that does something you would like to incorporate into your playing and take lessons from them asking them to explain it. I've been lucky enough to have lessons with both Mattias Eklundh and Nick Johnston, I was inspired by their playing and found everything they said incredibly helpful. 
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    What you need is someone who knows what the next thing you need to know is.

    The problem is you won't be able to tell, it has to be with trial and error.

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  • RedRabbitRedRabbit Frets: 483
    octatonic said:
    What you need is someone who knows what the next thing you need to know is.

    The problem is you won't be able to tell, it has to be with trial and error.

    Yeah, you may need to kiss a few frogs and there does seem to be fair number of "tutors" who just assumed that if they can play better than the student then they'll be okay.  Might be okay to get an absolute beginner up and running but they can be seriously lacking for more experienced players.

    I'd be looking for someone who takes notes, follows up on material from the previous lesson and seems to have an overall plan for the lessons.  I've spent far too much time in lessons trying to come up with an answer to the question "what do you want to do this week?".
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  • kelpbedskelpbeds Frets: 180
    Try to get a tutor who is a qualified teacher if possible. If not someone who has had 'formal' guitar education. Lots of guitar teachers out there who either don't know how to teach properly (even if they are great guitarists) or/and have learned in a way that is idiosyncratic to them.
    Check out my Blues lessons channel at:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBTSHf5NqVQDz0LzW2PC1Lw
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  • GrampaGrampa Frets: 938
    I took a year of 1-1 lessons from a brilliant teacher, but the 1hr once a week approach didn't work with my life commitments, hence progress was incredibly slow. I either had the free practice time to learn from the lesson in a day, or at other times it took a month. Since switching to Justin and YouTube progress has been far swifter as I get to learn at my own speed, if I learn quickly I move on, learn slowly and I'm not paying a fortune for the interim lessons.
    My other passion is firearms! Does that make me a closet Redneck???
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    RedRabbit said:
    octatonic said:
    What you need is someone who knows what the next thing you need to know is.

    The problem is you won't be able to tell, it has to be with trial and error.

    Yeah, you may need to kiss a few frogs and there does seem to be fair number of "tutors" who just assumed that if they can play better than the student then they'll be okay.  Might be okay to get an absolute beginner up and running but they can be seriously lacking for more experienced players.

    I'd be looking for someone who takes notes, follows up on material from the previous lesson and seems to have an overall plan for the lessons.  I've spent far too much time in lessons trying to come up with an answer to the question "what do you want to do this week?".
    Yes exactly.

    I am a fan of the self-teaching route with occasional 'check-ins' with an experienced teacher for adults though.
    I have half a dozen students like this- mature self-starters who know what they need to do, they just need occasional guidance.
     
    One lesson every few months allows them to prepare a number of questions that I can answer, and dump a load of new stuff on them that they go away and work on.
    Some people jus don't need to be checked in on every week and it suits me as I don't have the time for it.
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  • Grampa said:
    I took a year of 1-1 lessons from a brilliant teacher, but the 1hr once a week approach didn't work with my life commitments, hence progress was incredibly slow. I either had the free practice time to learn from the lesson in a day, or at other times it took a month. Since switching to Justin and YouTube progress has been far swifter as I get to learn at my own speed, if I learn quickly I move on, learn slowly and I'm not paying a fortune for the interim lessons.
    Yes, I found this as well - sometimes I didn't look forward to the lessons as I knew I hadn't really improved from the previous one (either not having time to practice, or just struggling more with what I was learning), and if you're not looking forward to the lessons, you're paying £40 for a shit time and that makes no sense. I went to fortnightly lessons, and that was better but I found that I wouldn't necessarily practice any more, I'd just have the first week after a lesson where I wasn't worried about it, and then as the second week wore on I'd be in the same place as I was before.octatonic said:
    Yes exactly.

    I am a fan of the self-teaching route with occasional 'check-ins' with an experienced teacher for adults though.
    I have half a dozen students like this- mature self-starters who know what they need to do, they just need occasional guidance.
     
    One lesson every few months allows them to prepare a number of questions that I can answer, and dump a load of new stuff on them that they go away and work on.
    Some people jus don't need to be checked in on every week and it suits me as I don't have the time for it.
    This is what I am hoping to do, once life gets back to a point where I can focus on lessons again. My plan is to do a couple of months by myself, then have 2-4 lessons in a month, then another couple of months before some more lessons.
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  •    Depending on where you are there might be a local music service that provides music teachers to schools.

    They usually have several teachers for each instrument offered in the area. Some of those will take adult students some won't. But they'll definitely have contacts.

    I'm in Northamptonshire and we have a brilliant music service for that.

    See who provides the visiting music teachers to the local schools and give them a call.
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  • BarnezyBarnezy Frets: 2173
    What is your music theory like? 

    If it's limited, I would recommend finding someone who can quickly assess where you are in terms of knowledge and then take you through a process of learning the theory, whilst playing. Teaching you how to breakdown and understand songs you like from a theory standpoint. You will learn a lot that will keep you engaged and interested, whilst learning new technique along the way. 

    When you get to a certain point technically, progress can massively slow down, and I found moving to this approach, helped me focus a lot more. 

    I've had a few teachers that just give you a tab sheet or sit and jam with you. That's fine, but probably a waste of time and money at your level. 

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  • Barnezy said:
    What is your music theory like? 

    If it's limited, I would recommend finding someone who can quickly assess where you are in terms of knowledge and then take you through a process of learning the theory, whilst playing. Teaching you how to breakdown and understand songs you like from a theory standpoint. You will learn a lot that will keep you engaged and interested, whilst learning new technique along the way. 
    This is a really interesting insight. I was playing about with son of a preacher man recently. Simple enough tune but how it works just didn’t feel like home. It wasn’t ‘rock’ so the intervals and rhythm was all a bit different. I’d like to be able to sound like that without having to play like that by wrote 
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