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Comments
For background:
I'm in a functions band (read as: covers band) so i gig around 7/8 times a month so plenty of live experience and the like. I've also done an acoustic duo recently so learning new songs is a box I can tick but your point is valid about learning new stuff.
I've got a degree in business studies and I work in a project management enviroment anyway so plenty of business skills there
I achieved grade 6 Practical RGT a while ago so I've done some grades etc.
Where Id like to be: Essentially, I'm a huge Paul Gilbert fan and love his style along with people like Sam Bell, Guthrie etc. I'd like to get to the point where I felt I was one of the above doing my current band and other opportunities as they arise (depping, other bands, some original material).
My plan is to go back to my local tutor (who I've used before) for a recover of some basics (scale theory, chords etc) and look at my technique for alt picking, legal, sweeping etc in a few months
I took drum lessons a while ago from a private tutor, before I went to ACM. When I told him I was going he said they're very "one-size-fits-all" and recommended finding a good private teacher and brushing up my playing. The main reason why I wanted to go was to meet other musicians and join a band, which I did and am now very experienced. My playing has obviously improved. But the courses were really good back then, I think they've scrapped the Diploma course which is very band orientated and now make you choose from artist development or technical or something like that. From what I hear from people on the course its a right mess and has gone downhill.
Fair enough if its working out ok for yourself though.
I learnt some important basic principles but the problem with a group class is that it cannot tailor to your individual abilities/needs. You can either get left behind and feel stupid(like me) or the more advanced people get told stuff they already know or have worked out - and I don't know if there is a happy medium in a class with maybe 12 people.
I could not imagine having the stamina to attend it either online or in person for the 3 years because ultimately it's about what someone else thinks and they are not really interacting with you personally. Surely you can get all the degree type theory from reading books without having to spend £15k+.
Being a tutor my role is more than just showing people new stuff. Its how to understand and apply it to their own playing and to make sure they're doing it properly. Who else is going to check on them if they've practiced right and applied the knowledge?
Like anything, it only works if you put a shed load of practice in. But how can you not learn from the likes of Dave Kilminster, Shaun Baxter and Lee Hodgson. Was a fab period of my life.
Very exciting for me, but very different to having private guitar lessons. Both are valid approaches - depends on your objectives.
Most of the pros I do know didn't go to music school - they just practised for hours on end, got their theory in order and went out and gigged with anybody and everybody. If there was a gig/dep slot available they'd take it, regardless of genre, if the drive was a bit far, if the money maybe wasn't enough etc etc. They just got out there, gigged, and made sure they had the set nailed (or nailed enough to convince the casual listener).
You don't need to go to music school to know that serious practise, being versatile and professional and being prepared to start at the bottom are what will get you work.
Although, if you can afford to and really want to then go for it. It'll be great fun.