opinions please...

I started back up with face to face lessons. I felt like I needed that extra kick in the ass. I really do LOVE guitar tricks, but I think with my learning style the face to face helps ( in addition to what I do here on GT ) . The guy is great but he doesnt have the personality that half the instructors here have ( kudos to you guys! )

Anyway...I know there are people here who also take lessons in person and I was wondering if what I am feeling is typical? The day before my lesson I start to feel like im in 4th grade all over again and didnt practice enough ( which I know I didnt) Although many people make sure they play for 2 hours a day I have not made that time. So when it comes time for my lesson I feel really unprepared!

In my opinion I feel like I am paying the money so if we go at my speed then it just is what it is.

So all you teachers who have dealt with students....which is the correct perspective?

1....I am a paying customer so what I dont make myself learn is my own fault. For ex. If I wanted to play twinkle twinkle ( im not ) for a month at a snails pace then that is what I will do. I am paying for it after all.....as long as Im paying then what should he/they care?

or

2. I am paying for lessons this guy is trying to give me and if I cant keep up or practice the amount of time he thinks I need to devote daily then I shouldnt be taking in oerson lessons.

opinions?
thanks

Hm, interesting.

It should make no difference to him how long it takes you or how long you want to take. If you were committed to being ready for some concert with other students at a particular date, then he'd justifiably have a "coaches perspective". Otherwise, he should be sitting back and be happy to take your money. The longer the better.

However, I think part of the in-person factor is that it [u]should[/u] be driving you to meet certain expectations. He (or she) is laying out what should be a reasonable course. It may be that your money is being unwisely spent if you aren't able to commit to it for whatever reason that may be. (And perfectly justifiable reasons they may be!)

Just my opinion, of course.

It sounds like you need some sort of casual classes. Not every week, but something you can arrange ad hoc when the class meets YOUR schedule.

Back in the good old school days you were expected to adjust to the tempo of the whole class. Not in the least, because there were fellow students involved. If you did not keep up you were asked to speed up or your notes would lead to an invitation to do the whole year one more time.

Now, in your case, I believe it is different. You are paying a private teacher and in this case the teacher should adjust to your schedule. If he has a problem with this then the teacher - student relationship is not balanced and the collaboration shall be ended.

However, I believe this shall be discussed witht the teacher beforehand. He should know what time you are willing and can spend on excersizes, so that he can schedule is lessons on this.

Just discuss with the teacher and I am sure you can work something out.

Regards,


Jan

he should not move on untill you have learned what you are currently working on. like in school you do not get promoted to the next grade untill you can pass the previous. so if every week you have to repeat the same thing he should not care. altho for you maybe you should look into paying lesson by lesson. take a lesson then take as long as you want at home to master what was in that lesson, then go back to proceed.

I very much endorse taking face-to-face lessons as well as using GT. I still take lessons, and so do many of my fellow working musicians. It's important, regardless of whatever level you are at. Guitar Tricks is a very, very useful tool that is very economical. But, there is absolutely no substitute for the face-to-face time that you get with an instructor. We all need our butt kicked from time to time. :D

As far as the approach, it is all about what you are trying to get out of it. I can tell you as someone who teaches private students as well, I very much appreciate when students come with questions and show that they want to learn. You really can't put all the hope in the world on one instructor to realign your universe. If you come with questions, that really motivates the lesson and makes the instructor function much better instead of them conjuring up whatever it is THEY think you need to know. Tell them what YOU want to learn.

To do that, mix the two worlds together. At your next lesson, take a lesson or concept from GT that you are learning and find something that interests yet puzzles you. Be realistic and be able to accurately assess your ability and find something that you understand, but want some further clarification that only a private instructor can give you. That way, both of your worlds are helping each other and you aren't completely lost in one way or the other. Whenever I take lessons, I usually bring to the table concepts and questions that pertain to gigs I am doing or musical situations that I am not so confident about. That way, both worlds work together.

Do what you can to make the instructor work for you, and don't go in without something to talk about or work on. If you do that and they steer you into something you don't want to do, than find another instructor. I firmly believe it is about giving the student what they want.

Hope this helps. :D