How to find a good guitar teacher

If you're thinking of starting guitar lessons, finding the right teacher for you is crucial! If you get the right start on the instrument, you'll have a much smoother time moving forward. Finding a new guitar teacher can be daunting, especially if you’re completely new to guitar. But we’re here to help! With a few tips, you can make the process a little bit easier and set yourself up for success straight away.

Or, if you’re in Melbourne, Australia, or looking for online guitar lessons, you could get in touch with us today! :)

Otherwise, read on!

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Michelle Nelson teaches a classical guitar lesson at MGT

think about your guitar goals

Start by thinking about your music goals and what you need from a guitar teacher. What skill level are you? Are you looking to refine specific skills like lead guitar, or fingerstyle? Are you wanting to learn a specific style, and need to search around for a jazz guitar teacher, or a classical guitar teacher? Most teachers specialise in a particular genre, so having a rough idea of your guitar goals before you start is helpful! And, if you’re not sure, or don’t have any goals except having a go, that’s an ok answer too!

Start with a guitar teacher straight away if you can

Get a teacher straight away if you’re a beginner! This is really helpful; it’s crucial to start the right way on learning an instrument.. The better your foundation is, the easier will be the rest of your learning journey. The first year or two of learning music is the most important time for any guitar student. If you get your fundamentals right, your timing, your posture and technique and avoid developing bad habits early, you’ll have a much smoother time as you advance into more difficult material. There’s nothing harder than “unlearning” something you’ve accidentally practiced for years. And there’s nothing that will speed along your progress more than a good guitar teacher helping you set goals, watching over your technique and giving feedback, and helping you move forward.

Ask around and get searching!

Ask around for word of mouth recommendations, check local facebook groups, check for music teacher associations or exam boards. Check with family, friends or coworkers for referrals first, if they’ve had a good music teacher, then great! Otherwise, local facebook groups can be a great way to ask around for a good guitar teacher. Or, search around for music teacher accreditation associations (like VMTA: Victorian Music Teacher Association) or music examination boards (Like ANZCA, AMEB, Trinity, etc). You’ll likely get a strong recommendation from these sources. Or, if you are at a school with a music department, ask the teachers there. Asking questions is good!

Prepare a few questions for your new guitar teacher

Ask lots of questions! Think about what you can ask your new guitar teacher as you’re getting started. If you’ve found a good teacher, you should get convincing answers! Some possible questions you could ask include:

• What is their genre specialisation(s) and teaching experience?

• What is their skill level? Do they have music qualifications?

• Do they teach more traditionally from books, or just teach lots of guitar TABs, or a combination of both?

• How are lessons personalised for the learner?

Find someone that suits your learning style

Every learner is different. Find a guitar teacher that suits your style. Just like every student is different, so is every teacher, but it can be hard to know if your guitar teacher is a good fit when you’re a beginner! Once you’ve begun with a teacher, you should see progress fairly quickly. If you feel you’re not making progress, or something’s not working, talk with the teacher and see how things can change. If you’ve got a good teacher, you’ll get a convincing answer. If you don’t get a convincing answer and the lessons don’t become more productive for you then start looking for alternatives.

Rob specialises in modern electric and acoustic styles

What about online lessons?

Are remote-learning lessons worth it? Yes, absolutely they can be! Whilst you may miss the sound of being in the room in real time, lessons via video-link can be still be well structured, constructive and rewarding, especially if you practice well between lessons. A student doing online lessons, who practices properly, will get better results than a face to face student who never picks up their guitar! The most important aspect of any music lesson is hearing clearly. If remote lessons are set up properly, with both ends using good sound processing, and with stable internet connections, then you should feel online guitar lessons are definitely worthwhile. Get in touch with us if you’d like to book a lesson ; we’re here to help!

Give it a try, and don’t be afraid to change things if it’s not working

Test the waters by doing a couple of trial lessons. Book a couple lessons to start off with. A couple of lessons will give you a fair idea of an instrument teacher’s style and capabilities and whether they might be a good choice for you.

Don’t be afraid to change teachers if your current lessons aren’t working well for you. Many student guitarists over the years have come to MGT from other guitar teachers, clearly not as well progressed as they should be after the time they’ve already invested. Don’t waste 2-3 years of your music journey if it’s not working! If the teacher doesn’t describe things in an accurate manner, or give you clear playing examples, if their teaching seems disorganised and doesn’t follow a structured learning plan and you feel you’re not getting anywhere, trust your instincts! By moving on, by finding another teacher, you’ll renew your focus and energy for learning the guitar.

Good luck on your guitar teacher search, and happy pickin’!