8.08.2008

Guitar Lessons After 30 Years of Playing?

After 30 years of playing the guitar I’ve done the unthinkable……… I started taking instruction again. Yep, this old jammer bit the bullet and is seeking the advice of someone that has been instructing for about as long as I’ve been playing. The reason?

Just to help me put some more pieces of the puzzle together.

Taking what I have learned over the years from The Rock House Method DVDs has sure made it a ton easier.

The first lesson, which was more of a meeting to figure out where I was at with my skill level, was pretty decent. It was basically a question and answer session about what I knew and what I didn’t know. I found out I knew more than what I thought I did. All the scale work, bending, hammer ons, pull offs and riff work I’ve learned from the DVDs had my instructor asking where I learned all this stuff. When I told him he was pretty impressed that I learned all this from a DVD. Knowing the bar chords and how to move them was a major plus too. He concluded the lesson by talking me into moving out of the pentatonic box (for now) and working on the major and minor scales and boxes. We worked on majors and minors for a bit together and he told me what he expected from me for my next lesson. He ended with wanting to know a couple songs I might want to learn. The two I thought of right way that I have never taken the time to learn was ZZ Top – LaGrange and Blackfoot – Train, Train. So we worked on the first part of LaGrange. Not too hard of a song I guess but one I’ve always wanted to learn.

I’m pretty excited about my guitar lessons. I actually just got back from lesson two a little bit ago. I’ll write about that one over the weekend.

Lastly I want to add that if you are struggling with getting started. Get some sort of help. If you can’t afford an instructor then spend 20 bucks on a Rock House DVD. It’s an inexpensive way to get your motor running. At least when you get to the point when you can afford some lessons or find time to take some you can definitely be way ahead of the game.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really need to take some more lessons myself. It's always good to have someone keeping you accountable for your practice and progress.

Sarge said...

Until you do take some Stormy, keep at with those bass DVDs you got!