Guitar Lessons

[cookster50]

Thinking about taking guitar lessons, anyone in the KC metro area have a good experience with an instructor they'd be willing to tell me about?

[gblowfish]

I have a friend who teaches beginning guitar, PM me and I'll send you his phone and email. He's in Overland Park.

[mcan]

Hey man. I taught guitar for 6 years while living in Manhattan going to school and for a few years after. haven't taught since coming back to kc, but might be willing to give lessons at your place. Pm or email me mcan2333@gmail.com if you're interested.

What kind of guitar do you have?
What kind of music do you like?
Are you a straight up beginner?

[cookster50]

One badabump to see if there are any more responses.

And for mcan, Ovation Celebrity, looking mainly to just play accompaniment when I go camping, yes, big time beginner.

[alpha_omega]

Well, i haven't taken any lessonse, but i have bought equipment from here and have heard good things about some of their instructors. That being said...I do not have a specific personal recommendation, just trying to provide some names for you.

http://www.guitarsourcekc.com/display.php?t=3

[FAX]

I'll tell you what, Mr. cookster50 ... if I were a beginning guitarist, I'd practice the crap out of scales until my fingers bled and use this website ... www.jamplay.com.

I even have a free membership password I got with a capo purchase ... go to www.jamplay.com/kyser ... the password is C4P1K7S3R.

FAX

[FAX]

I'll tell you what, Mr. cookster50 ... if I were a beginning guitarist, I'd practice the crap out of scales until my fingers bled and use this website ... www.jamplay.com.

I even have a free membership password I got with a capo purchase ... go to www.jamplay.com/kyser ... the password is C4P1K7S3R.

FAX

[mcan]

Originally Posted by cookster50

One badabump to see if there are any more responses.

And for mcan, Ovation Celebrity, looking mainly to just play accompaniment when I go camping, yes, big time beginner.

Cool. Since you've never played before, the first thing id do is make sure your guitar is properly set up. Most acoustic guitars need adjusted every so often (and restrung) to keep them playing well. A lot of beginners have the notion that they don't care, since they're just learning. This is backwards thinking. If the guitar isn't set up properly then its usually very hard to play, let alone learn on. This is typically because the strings are too high off the fretboard and hard to push down. Its an easy fix.

Next, I would practice the crap out of the main open chords. This is the bulk of what guitarists do, so if you get these down, you're golden.

C, D, dmin, E, emin, G, A, amin

Lessons are to ensure that you're doing it right, keep you motivated, and try to make the process fun.

Good luck man. The first two months are the toughest, but once you get over the hump, its pretty easy. The way I teach is a method of making practical players out of people quickly, and eventually teaching you who to write your own songs. Don't dick too much with tabs right off. Just get your chords and learn how to strum to a rhythm.

[DMAC]

Originally Posted by mcan

Cool. Since you've never played before, the first thing id do is make sure your guitar is properly set up. Most acoustic guitars need adjusted every so often (and restrung) to keep them playing well. A lot of beginners have the notion that they don't care, since they're just learning. This is backwards thinking. If the guitar isn't set up properly then its usually very hard to play, let alone learn on. This is typically because the strings are too high off the fretboard and hard to push down. Its an easy fix.

Next, I would practice the crap out of the main open chords. This is the bulk of what guitarists do, so if you get these down, you're golden.

C, D, dmin, E, emin, G, A, amin

Lessons are to ensure that you're doing it right, keep you motivated, and try to make the process fun.

Good luck man. The first two months are the toughest, but once you get over the hump, its pretty easy. The way I teach is a method of making practical players out of people quickly, and eventually teaching you who to write your own songs. Don't dick too much with tabs right off. Just get your chords and learn how to strum to a rhythm.

If by hump you mean barre chords...then you are wrong about that easy thing.

[Demonpenz]

come over to play with me! /Shaun smith

[mcan]

Originally Posted by DMAC

If by hump you mean barre chords...then you are wrong about that easy thing.

Barre chords are a few hurdles away. But by the time you're at that point, you should be having fun playing songs with the basic chords, so its not as frustrating as first learning. That said, if you don't do them right, then barre chords can really be a tough obstacle. Its all about building up to those in the right way and having a guitar that is properly adjusted. Believe me, there are plenty of ways to teach barre chords, and a few ways of making them easier. I've taught 7 year olds to do them. I've only taught 1 adult that practiced hard and couldn't get em because his fingers were crazy long and he lost the ability to arch his index finger in an accident at work. It would just bend backwards in this terribly awkward looking way. Even that guy was able to learn substitute chords though.

[DMAC]

Originally Posted by mcan

Barre chords are a few hurdles away. But by the time you're at that point, you should be having fun playing songs with the basic chords, so its not as frustrating as first learning. That said, if you don't do them right, then barre chords can really be a tough obstacle. Its all about building up to those in the right way and having a guitar that is properly adjusted. Believe me, there are plenty of ways to teach barre chords, and a few ways of making them easier. I've taught 7 year olds to do them. I've only taught 1 adult that practiced hard and couldn't get em because his fingers were crazy long and he lost the ability to arch his index finger in an accident at work. It would just bend backwards in this terribly awkward looking way. Even that guy was able to learn substitute chords though.

Yeah...I have been teaching myself for over 2 years and have reached a wall. My girl just bought me guitar lessons out of the blue though. I never did want them but I will give it a shot. She rocks.

[mcan]

Originally Posted by DMAC

Yeah...I have been teaching myself for over 2 years and have reached a wall. My girl just bought me guitar lessons out of the blue though. I never did want them but I will give it a shot. She rocks.

Very cool. Enjoy em. And do yourself a favor by actually practicing. Keep it on a stand and practice for even 10 minutes before you go to bed. Whatever you gotta do. Just don't go a day without playing thinking you'll "make it up" later. Muscle memory doesn't really work that way.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by cookster50

One badabump to see if there are any more responses.

And for mcan, Ovation Celebrity, looking mainly to just play accompaniment when I go camping, yes, big time beginner.