Beginner Guitar Students

Hi, everyone.
Over the past 30 years or so I've had the opportunity to work with a lot of beginner guitar students. Many of them had unrealistic expectations about what a guitar teacher can do for them. Most of them thought I would just show them where to put their fingers and they would play like Eddie Van Halen, or Jimmy Page in a couple of lessons. They think that it is purely an intellectual exercise and they don't realize there is much more to playing guitar.

It is as much a physical activity as golf or baseball; you just use smaller muscles. You have to condition your fingers, build dexterity and build muscle memory. This takes a lot of repetition of basic movements. It doesn't happen overnight.

I often get asked how long will it take to learn to play guitar. That's a difficult question to answer and I don't know if it can be answered. It depends on what your goal is, how far you want to take it. Do you just want to learn a few chords and play a few songs? Do you want to be a rock guitar hero? Or something inbetween. Having a clear goal is important and your teacher should help you define a goal.

I hear people say that it is easier to play the electric guitar than an acoustic. Or that it is better to start with an acoustic guitar first, then switch to electric. That is true only from a mechanical level; it is easier to press the strings against the frets on an electric. But you still have to condition your fingers and develop the dexterity. I do believe that it is good for your finger strength to start with an acoustic then play an electric later.

But for kids, I think it is better to keep them interested. They want to play the latest cool songs from Drowning Pool or even Jonas Brothers. They want to play AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. They want to sound like their heros and they want to do it on an electric guitar. I say it's OK and it will help keep up their interest.

The Great American CAGED Shoot Out

We had our CAGED contest and it was a great hit! Lucas won by performing 9 chords in 5 keys in 16 seconds! Everyone did very well. 

Here is a link to the pictures from the evening.

http://picasaweb.google.com/candrewmorrison/CAGED2008

Thanks to Marc Morrison for taking the pictures. I was busy running the contest. 

We had a lot of fun and after the contest, the kids got to jam. They got to play whatever they wanted, with whomever they wanted and as loud as they wanted! It was great!

Adult Jam

Hi there.

  On Saturday, February 2nd, we will be start our second season of Adult Jams. This is primarily for the benefit of my adult students , but everyone is welcome (no kids please). Most everyone is a beginner and still feeling their way around a guitar. You can bring your guitar and play along but, if you're more than a beginner,  you can't show off. (If you do we'll escort you over to Guitar Center and let you play with the 15 year olds! )

  We always start off with Stand By Me in G. Since it's getting close to Valentine's Day, I'll play a love song or two. Then, at any point, if someone wants to play a song for the group, they are welcome to  do so. No pressure, you don't even have to play if you don't feel like it. We just like getting together and playing some songs. 

  Location: Vocals and More , 481 N. Commons Rd, Suite 100, Aurora IL   640-851-3262

  Time:  7:00 PM to (officially) 9:00 ( or what ever )

  Thanks, hope to see you there!

  Terry