Share This Thread I quit my lessons... again... Cinda Private (4763) Instructional Forum 8/18/2009 3:22:22 PM · 53 Views [Respond to this Message] But this instructor lasted 2 months! We have covered everything from Jazz to blues to lead lines to arpeggios... Regardless of how crazy the chord is, or the arpeggio, I usually have the concept mastered by the end of the lesson and come back the next week expanding what we taught. I think... I need to actually play with people... I'll be forced to learn more. I'm pushing the instructor to give me a TON of things to work on, but we still just cover what's on his mind. I think we'll cover "New Age Guitar" ideas this week... Then... maybe string skipping runs the next week... rolling and tumbling... something fun. E-pinions?

Responses  [ Pages: 1 · 2 ]

• Respond to this Re: I quit my lessons... again... 8/18/2009 10:20:03 PM Dan Klotz (180) wrote: What do you want to learn?

• Respond to this Re: I quit my lessons... again... 8/19/2009 10:07:57 AM Cinda Private (4763) wrote: I want to learn how to sound like a guitar player. I am self taught and have my own style of playing. So over the 2 months we covered: 1) Jazz comping 2) Writing jazz lead lines 3) Harmonizing song using jazz chords 4) A TON of jazz chords, substitutions, inversions 5) Blues comping 6) Blues licks/Jazz licks in blues/Phrasing 7) Chord substitutions and long turn arounds in blues 8) New Age Guitar - standard tuning. Leveraging the droning E, Dropped D, A and incorporating 3rds, 6ths and 10ths in your playing 9) (Next/Final Lesson) String skipping, arpeggios and sweep picking I know you can't get mastery in these things in just a week, but what it was more for me was how do I get to things that I hear, but can't figure out on my own. Each week we covered a concept, then I would go home and morph what we were talking about into my own music... I really am much more of a writer, but this has made me a stronger player.

• Respond to this Re: I quit my lessons... again... 8/19/2009 1:56:49 AM Randy Hano (5375) wrote: I would definitely start playing with others. Therefore you can express what you already know. You may want to consider taking a college music course such as Music Theory or Aural Training. This will help to open up your mind to music in general. Take your education and try applying it to your playing. You will get messed up in the beginning because of having to many concepts to absorb but once you accept it, a new course in playing will begin. Good Luck!!!

• Respond to this Re: I quit my lessons... again... 8/19/2009 10:14:00 AM Cinda Private (4763) wrote: Randy, The foundation of my music theory comes from Guitar College (http://www.guitarcollege.com) - it layed the foundation of a lot of what I know musically. I've also added some things from http://www.greenmonstermusic.com/ and The Rock House Method as well as a ton of other books. But when you learn like that, sometimes I put things in a way that I understand it... which isn't really practical in some senses. I'm writing for my next project, so... I'll post some new music for you soon.

• Respond to this Re: I quit my lessons... again... 8/19/2009 2:44:46 PM Chris Bond II (1707) wrote: More information please. For example you speak of your musical knowledge, vs. what you would like to do. If you could please explain how you were taught initially I would have more insight. Also, a "concept a week" approach to teaching is a telling thing for me.

• Respond to this Re: I quit my lessons... again... 8/19/2009 3:05:45 PM Cinda Private (4763) wrote: Chris, I am a self taught musician that has a fair understanding of your basic major/minor chords with a little knowledge of how to use some extensions for color... but for the most part, everything that I write (even my jazzier tunes) are major/minor with maybe an added 6th or 9th to convey a melodic sense. I also have an exceptional ear, so sometimes when I need to play a particular chord for color, I can pluck it out on the guitar. I intentionally learned guitar in a vaccuum and even now listen to very little music. A lot of times I'll write something out then get my hubby to come in and sing... it's tons of fun... he writes bad lyrics, I write bad music. The "concept a week" gave me the ability to fill in the gaps. We touched on everything that I was hearing, but I couldn't figure out on my own. I have no problems with the mechanics of playing. If he tossed a new scale or chord at me, I have no problem playing it through perfectly by the second time. My overall desire was to add new "tools" to my collection so I could get out of the musical writing rut that I was in. Remember - "I'm not trying to play guitar, I'm trying to make music" - Michael Hedges.

• Respond to this Re: I quit my lessons... again... 8/19/2009 4:43:00 PM Dan Klotz (180) wrote: A couple of thoughts: 1. I agree that getting together and playing with other musicians is probably the best thing that you could do at this point. One jam session is worth about 10 practices at home. Playing with other musicians forces you to make your knowledge functional, and to be able to access it quickly. 2. I teach guitar lessons, I always ask new students what goals they have and what they want me to help them with. Sometimes, they haven't really thought about it, we think it through and list it out. Sometimes you have to trust your teacher to guide you there. EX: I've students that wanted to learn how to play all over the neck and solo over different chords, but didn't want to get into theory. That just isn't possible. I could keep the theory as light as I could, but at some point, a person is limited by their knowledge. 3. I would agree that a concept per week is just crash course approach, and it would be hard to really get it, and make it function to the fullest. I like to teach concepts, and then show examples of how those concepts have been used already in the real world. I think it's better to know one thing well, than to have several things half way. Maybe it would be better to go study with the jazz guy for a while, and focus on that, then go study with the shredder, etc. It could give you more time to absorb and grow within that style. 4. I used those Guitar College books years ago and I loved them. I learned a lot. Another good.. no great book that I highly recommend is called " Chop Shop" by Matt Smith. This book covers a lot of concepts without going too deep, yet deep enough to make it useful. He has a very easy way of explaining things, as he was a self taught musician.

• Respond to this Re: I quit my lessons... again... 8/20/2009 8:23:28 AM Cinda Private (4763) wrote: All good thoughts Dan. About 4 years ago I use to do all night jam sessions every weekend with musician friends of mine. When I started travelling for work 4 years ago, I could no longer dedicate half of my time at home to having these weekly sessions. Wanting to still play, I've spent about an hour a night working on scales, writing, etc. but as a result... I've become less musical. Since I was going to be in a location for a couple months I wanted the jump start to start thinking musically again. Honestly, taking the things that I've learned I have fodder for 3 different CDs and about 12 different songs in all kinds of different styles in my pocket! I have always considered myself more of a writer than a player. These lessons, although not deep, have proved to me that I can be a player.

• Respond to this Re: I quit my lessons... again... 8/20/2009 7:10:17 AM Chris Bond II (1707) wrote: There would be no sense in starting with say, "Mel Bay 1" because you're just not going to get any satisfaction from simple rudiments. But there are different kinds of rudiments as well. The most important being the unique aspects of guitar as opposed to other instrument. If you don't know of it already, there is a great book called "Fretboard Logic" It is guitar indigenous, or rather explains things in terms from the point of view of the guitar; its special tuning and how to bridge the spaces (trust me there are more than a few). Get a teacher who is well versed with this concept, not just the simple CAGED system, but how it relates to upper extensions as well as diatonic theory. This will cover most of the things you want to learn, as well as teach you a few things that you don't know are out there yet. But remember, don't just buy the book, find a teacher who specializes in teaching it and also has a strong background in composition. Preferably someone who knows large and small ensemble dynamic. Especially how stringed, reed and brass instruments interact.

• Respond to this Re: I quit my lessons... again... 8/19/2009 9:51:27 PM Randy Hano (5375) wrote: Forgive me Cinda but my scope for going to school was not guitar based. Your reply to CB mentioned things about not listen to a lot of artist. My basis really was more classically based. The example of theory in college covers a classical approach that may open new horizons. Its intent is to carry the concept over to guitar which can open new ideas. Why do I approach it this way? There are many guitar teachers who teach their method of playing or a combination of the teachers before them. Learning theory from a college takes you to a different view point that is not biased towards guitar, but towards the piano. As for Aural Training and/or Solfage, this relies purely on your ability to hear notes and music and replicate it on paper or mentally. It is challenging because the guitar is not your base or foundation for the pitch. Irony has it that the guitar is not evenly tempered so the same notated pitch may be the same note, but the timbre is different due to the instruments resonance.

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