Guitar Lessons

[lannarebirth]

My stepdaughter, 12, is taking up the guitar. I'd like to find someone to give her lessons. While she'd like to zip straight to some pop/rock music that is familiar to her, I'd like to see she gets a good foundation, so that her skills can take her in any direction she'd later care to go. Just perusing the web, for what to look for in a teacher, I saw this:

Great teachers manage and schedule new materials and effectively explain their importance and meaning. A teacher should encourage you when you are doing well and correct you when you make mistakes. Good teachers will show you how to better organize your practice materials and show you how to effectively manage your practice time (this is crucial to your progress!). They help you build up your confidence level (even if you are not consciously aware that this is happening). A great teacher will help you become secure with your technical skills so that you can execute difficult techniques on your guitar comfortably. These teachers emphasize creativity (songwriting and improvising) and performing.

Great teachers want to make sure that you fully understand what you are learning and, most importantly, teach you how to apply it by giving you detailed explanations and encouraging you to ask questions when something is unclear. A good teacher sincerely cares about your musical growth and development. An experienced and competent teacher will take you far beyond what you could learn on your own. Unfortunately, guitar teachers are not licensed and there is no organization that oversees or regulates them. Anyone can claim to be a good teacher and there are lots of people who make this claim. The number of competent teachers, however, is limited.

That seems like an apt description of what I'm looking for. Can anyone offer any recommendations or advice on who/what to look for when selecting a teacher? Thanks very much.

[Yorkshire Lass]

Hi

Have you tried Santi's Studio?? My daughter has piano lessons there and they are very professional. I know they offer guitar lessons too. The owner Santi also teaches music at Prem International School and has very high standards.

They are located behind Kad Suan Kaew - 22/3 Sirimangkralajahn Soi 5. Telephone 053 224344

YL

[lannarebirth]

Hi

Have you tried Santi's Studio?? My daughter has piano lessons there and they are very professional. I know they offer guitar lessons too. The owner Santi also teaches music at Prem International School and has very high standards.

They are located behind Kad Suan Kaew - 22/3 Sirimangkralajahn Soi 5. Telephone 053 224344

YL

Thanks Yorkshire Lass, I'll go by tomorrow and see what they offer. I have a friend whose daghter studies piano there. I think they're happy.

[meadish_sweetball]

It is true that it is important to learn how to practice and play properly, but technical exercises should never come at the expense of being creative and having fun, which is really the reason for being interested in making music in the first place.

Make sure your daughter gets to practice some of the stuff she likes or you may see her lose interest quickly.

My first piano teacher and the course she put in front of me completely killed my enthusiasm, where some more familiar tunes would have kept me at it.

[lannarebirth]

That's good input, which I'll take to heart. Thanks meadish.

[realthaideal]

And to Meadish's point as well, many young guitarists and musicians in general, will play what they like in the beginning and as they mature and gain greater respect for their instrument and appreciation for the music will seek to refine their techniques anyway. This happens all the time. Trust that you have a good kid, give her a good foundation, but let her run the direction she wants with only some gentle guidance.

And if she wants, let her rock out !

[chaila]

guitar lessons in thai,english,francais,vlaams???

english no problem

francais pas de probleme

vlaams geen probleem

thai big problem for me

[Bill97]

You might try contacting Pyap University Music Department. There was/is an Italian man working there who has been teaching a friend's son very successfully for several years.

[FolkGuitar]

My stepdaughter, 12, is taking up the guitar. I'd like to find someone to give her lessons. While she'd like to zip straight to some pop/rock music that is familiar to her, I'd like to see she gets a good foundation, so that her skills can take her in any direction she'd later care to go. Just perusing the web, for what to look for in a teacher, I saw this:

Great teachers manage and schedule new materials and effectively explain their importance and meaning. A teacher should encourage you when you are doing well and correct you when you make mistakes. Good teachers will show you how to better organize your practice materials and show you how to effectively manage your practice time (this is crucial to your progress!). They help you build up your confidence level (even if you are not consciously aware that this is happening). A great teacher will help you become secure with your technical skills so that you can execute difficult techniques on your guitar comfortably. These teachers emphasize creativity (songwriting and improvising) and performing.

Great teachers want to make sure that you fully understand what you are learning and, most importantly, teach you how to apply it by giving you detailed explanations and encouraging you to ask questions when something is unclear. A good teacher sincerely cares about your musical growth and development. An experienced and competent teacher will take you far beyond what you could learn on your own. Unfortunately, guitar teachers are not licensed and there is no organization that oversees or regulates them. Anyone can claim to be a good teacher and there are lots of people who make this claim. The number of competent teachers, however, is limited.

That seems like an apt description of what I'm looking for. Can anyone offer any recommendations or advice on who/what to look for when selecting a teacher? Thanks very much.

I fully agree with all of the above. My biggest regret is that I didn't begin with a formal musical education. Of course I say that now as an adult. As an 11 year old (when I began playing) I never would have put up with such serious study. I wanted to be just like the Weavers or Pete Seeger and sing folk songs. Practicing scales at age 11 would have put me off the instrument quickly. That's what I'm doing NOW at 60!

However, I was teaching by the time I was 18, and I always had one warning for parents of younger students: do NOT ask the kids to practice for an hour! Besides the finger pain, they don't have a large enough repertoire to fill up an hour's practice without getting bored. And they will miss their favorite shows on TV!!! Instead, I encouraged the kids (and parents) to let the child watch their favorite TV shows with the guitar beside them, and only play for the couple of minutes during commercials then put the guitar down again. By the end of three hours of TV the child will have played MORE than an hour, and never felt as if they were missing their favorite programs nor have their fingers in pain!

If you can convince your child to take formal lessons, PLEASE do so. Tell them they only need six months of them to give them the foundation to build on. From that point they can go off in ANY direction they choose; continuing formal classical lessons, learning rock, jazz, flamenco, etc. Who knows? She just might really get off on Bach! On the other hand, you may really get lucky and she'll want to play like "The Unwashed Toejam Chewers."

[Crow Boy]

My stepdaughter, 12, is taking up the guitar. I'd like to find someone to give her lessons. While she'd like to zip straight to some pop/rock music that is familiar to her, I'd like to see she gets a good foundation, so that her skills can take her in any direction she'd later care to go.

I fully agree with all of the above. My biggest regret is that I didn't begin with a formal musical education. Of course I say that now as an adult. As an 11 year old (when I began playing) I never would have put up with such serious study. I wanted to be just like the Weavers or Pete Seeger and sing folk songs. Practicing scales at age 11 would have put me off the instrument quickly. That's what I'm doing NOW at 60!

However, I was teaching by the time I was 18, and I always had one warning for parents of younger students: do NOT ask the kids to practice for an hour! Besides the finger pain, they don't have a large enough repertoire to fill up an hour's practice without getting bored. And they will miss their favorite shows on TV!!! Instead, I encouraged the kids (and parents) to let the child watch their favorite TV shows with the guitar beside them, and only play for the couple of minutes during commercials then put the guitar down again. By the end of three hours of TV the child will have played MORE than an hour, and never felt as if they were missing their favorite programs nor have their fingers in pain!

If you can convince your child to take formal lessons, PLEASE do so. Tell them they only need six months of them to give them the foundation to build on. From that point they can go off in ANY direction they choose; continuing formal classical lessons, learning rock, jazz, flamenco, etc. Who knows? She just might really get off on Bach! On the other hand, you may really get lucky and she'll want to play like "The Unwashed Toejam Chewers."

Similar to Folk Guitar I started playing at school. I had formal lesson and was given homework etc. I liked the guitar but there was one major disconnect. I was learning Classical and had a nylon string acoustic and I wanted to play rock and get a Fender Strat. I was having to practice some weird arse Spanish piece and I wanted to play like Eric Clapton who I was convinced at the time wouldn't know an augmented seventh, flat ninth chord but could RAAAWK like the bejesus. I ended up giving up the guitar because basically it wasn't fun and I couldn't play what I wanted.

Some time later I got the desire to take it up and bought a cheap steel string acoustic. Bought some copies of "a tune a day" and practiced. Got to play a bit and enjoyed it. I hit an early plateau and found a teacher for about 6 months. He got me to learn the basic chords and explained the theory behind them. The theory wasn't the focus but the playing was. I was moving around a lot and so was back to teaching myself. I then made the big discovery of "let's form a band?" Four friends with differing levels of musical talent and we had a lot of fun. Learned songs and then I got another teacher. I wanted to learn more complicated songs and so we combined songs with scales and chord structure. I was older and better able to understand modes, scales and why this chord works here but not there. We analysed songs I liked and subsituted chords to see how it changed the song. I learned a lot of songs and a lot about theory. He also gave me the most important piece of teaching advice which was similar to what folk guitar wrote: "short stints of playing with breaks between doing someting else". He added a second part which was to always keep my guitar out of its case and close at hand. The third part was during the commercial breaks try to pick up the riff line from the music and then pick it out on the guitar. Most commercials use simple "hooks" to stick the advertisement in peoples mind. Think the opening bars of the Simpsons or the Addams Family or whatever. When you hear that hook you will think of the product or program.

I still play the guitar and it frustrates and delights me, I practice as much as I can but if I don't have time I don't get upset by it. Music like art is a lifetime of experience and something that should enhance your life not dominate it. I play guitar because I love it, I appreciate the talents of people who can play better than me and that's most of them

One thing if your beloved daughter does start up the "The Unwashed Toejam Chewers" don't dispair. Keith Richard's mother was concerned that he was wasting his time with his band and it would be too late to get a real job.

CB

[lannarebirth]

Thanks everyone, for your very helpful responses. I will try to find an english speaking teacher that doesn't kill her enthusiasm for playing by making lessons and practice unnecessarily tedious. More than anything I want her to find something that is special to her that she can feel passionate about.

[Crow Boy]

More than anything I want her to find something that is special to her that she can feel passionate about.

For the moment be grateful it is guitar, the next thing will be boys and then your life will become really interesting

CB

[FolkGuitar]

One thing if your beloved daughter does start up the "The Unwashed Toejam Chewers" don't dispair. Keith Richard's mother was concerned that he was wasting his time with his band and it would be too late to get a real job.

CB

30 odd years ago I taught a close friend named Ted Lewis how to play guitar. He preferred nylon strings and jazz/latin sounds and went off in that direction musically. At the time he had a toddler as did I, and the kids often met together for play groups with other friend's kids. Both of us usually 'played' our kids to sleep at night, and the kids all had their favorite songs. Eventually, Ted moved to another state, but we stayed in touch. Both of the kids grew up and learned to play guitars themselves, forming garage bands. However...... Ted Lewis's son, Aaron Lewis went on to become some sort of rock star, making millions. My son got into bluegrass music and 'enjoys' playing in weekend music festivals with his band. He makes his living owning and running an up-scale deli/cafe.... There but for fortune.

[Crow Boy]

One thing if your beloved daughter does start up the "The Unwashed Toejam Chewers" don't dispair. Keith Richard's mother was concerned that he was wasting his time with his band and it would be too late to get a real job.

CB

30 odd years ago I taught a close friend named Ted Lewis how to play guitar. He preferred nylon strings and jazz/latin sounds and went off in that direction musically. At the time he had a toddler as did I, and the kids often met together for play groups with other friend's kids. Both of us usually 'played' our kids to sleep at night, and the kids all had their favorite songs. Eventually, Ted moved to another state, but we stayed in touch. Both of the kids grew up and learned to play guitars themselves, forming garage bands. However...... Ted Lewis's son, Aaron Lewis went on to become some sort of rock star, making millions. My son got into bluegrass music and 'enjoys' playing in weekend music festivals with his band. He makes his living owning and running an up-scale deli/cafe.... There but for fortune.

Interesting Aaron Lewis is the lead singer and plays acoustic guitar in the band "Staind". Still I think that playing music for pleasure is one of life's great joys. So you are from Vermont? I am pretty sure that is where he was born.

CB

[FolkGuitar]

One thing if your beloved daughter does start up the "The Unwashed Toejam Chewers" don't dispair. Keith Richard's mother was concerned that he was wasting his time with his band and it would be too late to get a real job.

CB

30 odd years ago I taught a close friend named Ted Lewis how to play guitar. He preferred nylon strings and jazz/latin sounds and went off in that direction musically. At the time he had a toddler as did I, and the kids often met together for play groups with other friend's kids. Both of us usually 'played' our kids to sleep at night, and the kids all had their favorite songs. Eventually, Ted moved to another state, but we stayed in touch. Both of the kids grew up and learned to play guitars themselves, forming garage bands. However...... Ted Lewis's son, Aaron Lewis went on to become some sort of rock star, making millions. My son got into bluegrass music and 'enjoys' playing in weekend music festivals with his band. He makes his living owning and running an up-scale deli/cafe.... There but for fortune.

Interesting Aaron Lewis is the lead singer and plays acoustic guitar in the band "Staind". Still I think that playing music for pleasure is one of life's great joys. So you are from Vermont? I am pretty sure that is where he was born.

CB

Fact is, I helped Ted build the log cabin in Shrewsbury where Aaron grew up for the first few years of his life. I built my own house just down the road from them, along the Cold River , and lived in Vermont for about 20 years before moving to SE Asia, where I've been now for the past 18 years. We spent plenty of quiet summer evenings playing guitar on the porch of his cabin, with a huge meadow in front, often filled with grazing deer and the occasional black bear.

As for playing music... well, I think of it this way; the guitar is the only instrument that you 'hug.'

[chaila]

you already find somebody?

I like to teach her [E-mail address removed as per forum rules. Your e-mail has been forwarded to the original poster by personal message. E-mail addresses are not allowed on the forum because they attract spam bots. /Meadish]

[lannarebirth]

you already find somebody?

I like to teach her [E-mail address removed as per forum rules. Your e-mail has been forwarded to the original poster by personal message. E-mail addresses are not allowed on the forum because they attract spam bots. /Meadish]

Thanks foryour post chaila. As noted, meadish was kind enough to forward me your email and I shall be contacting you soon.