Mikes Guitar Lessons - choosing a teacher

How to Choose a teacher

Ultimately the right teacher for you may not be the right teacher for someone else, however there some questions you should ask that will help you determine whether a person is suitably qualified to teach you or your child.

Can the person teach the style(s) you wish to learn? Being a well rounded musician is important if you wish to make a career out of it but if you really just want to learn classic rock shouldn't the lesson be tailored to that end using material that is genre specific.

Can the person teach the songs you want to learn? A good teacher should be able to learn the material you want to learn either from a recording or from written music and then teach it to you in a manner that you can understand.

Can the person teach you how to teach yourself? Not everyone will be able to sit down and listen to a recording and play along in minutes or sight read an unfamiliar piece but through practice and a basic understanding of theory anyone can learn to interpret music so that they can advance on their own at some point. While it is important to have a teacher who shows you material you want to know, learning proper technique and theory can help you develop on your own as a musician.

Does the person have any credentials? This is a bit tricky because many people play quite well without ever having studied any theory, however teaching someone else and learning yourself are totally different things. If the person is just going to show you some bits and pieces of songs and tell you that you'll just sort of figure it out as you go along you might as well be on your own.

Can the person read music? You may not want to learn this yourself but shouldn't the person teaching you be able to interpret the language in which music is written?

Does the person, or have they in the past, played profesionally? This is also a little tricky because someone who might be an excellent teacher may never have had performing experience. However if you wish to perform someday it is helpful to have a mentor who understands the demands of appearing before an audience as well as someone who has some insight into the business end of things.

How long have they been teaching? Learning to teach is just as hard as learning to play so experience is a plus.

How many students do you currently teach? This should give you a good idea of how serious this person is.

Do you offer private or group lessons? I personally feel that group lessons really don't allow the teacher to focus on what individual students are playing and make suggestions as warranted. A good instructor is a good listener and they can tell when a student is struggling with a concept or technique. That is difficult in group situations.