#31
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This thread gave me an idea for a little video:
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom! |
#32
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I have taken lessons from many teachers, I have given informal lessons- one of the challenges for a teacher is to communicate that what I’m teaching is the fundamental building block to their reaching of their goals- not just scales and metering- I think the fastest way to learn and play well is to play with others. So how do I get to where I can progress most quickly? Metering is critical to playing with others. Scales teach your fingers and ears where the notes are- We don’t need a teacher every week to learn this- but sometimes don’t hold ourselves accountable to practice- so the risk of wasted time and money is a motivator. Lessons move faster than my ability to learn- So periodically I will get lessons, monitor my ability to learn and keep up. The day i get the same lesson on consecutive weeks usually indicates that I need to practice what I am learning, and a break from lessons makes sense. Flat picking- I found that learning finger picking with out a plectrum teaches me where the strings are without trying to learn where the strings are- Could be my learning style, but once I learn how to play a song with finger tips- then I pick up the plectrum and recreate the Arpeggios- that is how I do it... |
#33
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I taught for 40 years, and had many students who would take lessons for a few months and then take a break to let it work into their style. Then some would be back for more, and others had gone as far as they wanted to. I even referred students to other teachers, or suggested breaks from time to time. I saw the hard part for them was they like me, but felt like they were somehow betraying me if they stopped lessons. I assured them our friendship was intact, and in fact often met up with them at open mics or other gigs. I suggest being honest, and do what's best for you. |
#34
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So much great information and opinions here. I appreciate all of the advice.
The more I learn bluegrass guitar, the more it makes me want to get back into playing banjo. I spent years learning/playing banjo(I probably should have mentioned that in my OP) when I lived with at home with my parents. But I haven't picked one up in years. Mostly because the one I learned on is my dad's and I can't afford one as nice as that one. But I've looking at some used intermediate banjos on Reverb and I'm thinking about getting one. As far as guitar goes, the music store I take lessons at have multiple guitar teachers. One focusing electric/shredding/metal, One focusing on flat picking/bluegrass/country and One focusing on general guitar/theory. I think I'm going to switch to the general guitar/theory guy and try to learn how to play and sing at the same time, something I've always wanted to be able to do. I just want to be able to sing and play guitar around a campfire, more than anything else. I just think that bluegrass flat picking is a discipline that I don't have the time to pay the attention to, that it takes to be good at it, where as I've already put that time and practice into the banjo. Last edited by Mad Max; 02-24-2020 at 04:01 PM. |
#35
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Great video and channel. Liked and subscribed
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#36
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I never took lessons and feel that I've not suffered from it, but I was a serious student of the guitar in my own right and pushed myself hard. It wasn't until much later when I settled down to playing for personal recreation that I relaxed. But, I front-loaded the basics and I'm glad I did. |
#37
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As for playing & singing at the same time - that's more of a "just do it" kind of thing (IMO). We play multiple genres of music, both acoustic and electric and, like you, do not care to be pidgeonholed into one category. Clawhammer is more of a "singer" banjo style, BG - not so much.
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Roy Ibanez, Recording King, Gretsch, Martin G&L, Squier, Orange (x 2), Bugera, JBL, Soundcraft Our duo website - UPDATED 7/26/19 |
#38
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I've never been able to play and sing at the same time, hopefully this new instructor can give me some exercises to do or something, to make it easier for me. |
#39
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I'll also throw out the videos from Lessons with Marcel as something to check out. He does a nice job breaking down topics in a relaxed and friendly way.
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Yamaha FS 800/Martin 0-18/1948 Stella H928/Guild M-20/Fender American Performer Telecaster |
#40
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I'm not saying lessons aren't right for you, but I have a hunch your teacher may not be. When you're taking music lessons as an adult with no professional ambitions, the teacher needs to listen to you and develop the lessons according to your goals, not the other way around.
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"I've always thought of bluegrass players as the Marines of the music world" – (A rock guitar guy I once jammed with) Martin America 1 Martin 000-15sm Recording King Dirty 30s RPS-9 TS Taylor GS Mini Baton Rouge 12-string guitar Martin L1XR Little Martin 1933 Epiphone Olympic 1971 square neck Dobro |
#41
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Agree that taking a break from this teacher isn't a bad idea. He'll still be there anytime you find yourself wanting to go back to him, but I suspect you can do better.
I'm gonna go out on a limb with an assumption here - that he may be a knowledgeable guitarist, but probably not a practicing bluegrasser - i.e. plays in a band that only plays bluegrass, goes to jams, festivals etc. Because it sounds like he isn't instilling the stoke for bluegrass and playing it that a well grounded bluegrasser would. He's just giving you tools that are useful. But tools aren't worth a da*n w/out a good supply of enthusiasm, and of the two, the latter is FAR more important. It may be a good time to take a break from lessons and work on material that he has given you at a manageable pace. Or you can see my recommendation below. I've used several lesson formats specifically for bluegrass playing (guitar, mando & fiddle) and my top recommend for when you want to devote time to lessons again is to try a 3 month subscription with Bryan Sutton at Artistworks online academy. It's generally cheaper than in-person lessons and the instructors are world class. I have no affiliation, it's just a brilliant learning format and he's a great teacher who loves teaching bluegrass guitar. You have total flexibility as to how you approach the curriculum and what your pace is; he'll be glad to give you recommendations if you want. |
#42
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#43
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If not, you sound just like him. I called this morning and quit. Like I said in previous posts. I wish I had more time to devote to the discipline of playing bluegrass guitar, I just don't. If playing guitar in my basement for fun, makes me a guitar OWNER instead of a guitar PLAYER, I can live with that. |
#44
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Over the past two years, between being a new parent and a demanding, full-time day job, I have wondered whether I shouldn't be just happy with strumming songs and letting go of that goal of becoming a better flatpicker, because making the time for taking lessons and practicing. let alone gigging, has been incredibly difficult for me. That said, I just can't resolve to being a guitar owner. I can't even resolve to being a guitar player just for my own enjoyment. I guess my passion for this style of music is too great, and that in turn drives my passion to improve all the time and to play this music with others (it's bluegrass after all), and perform, so I go to great lengths to find opportunities to practice with other musicians and land the occasional gig. All this at a time when many people who are "in their right minds" would say, "this is just not the time for stuff like that." But before my son was born, I vowed to not be one of those people who later say they stopped playing guitar because "life and family got in the way." Everybody has to make that decision, and I think what really matters is how much you want it all. There is no reason to artificially impose goals onto yourself that you aren't really passionate about, and that's kind of what shines through your post. There is no right or wrong, and I think our passions guide us to what we really need or want in many ways in life, music being one of them.
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"I've always thought of bluegrass players as the Marines of the music world" – (A rock guitar guy I once jammed with) Martin America 1 Martin 000-15sm Recording King Dirty 30s RPS-9 TS Taylor GS Mini Baton Rouge 12-string guitar Martin L1XR Little Martin 1933 Epiphone Olympic 1971 square neck Dobro |
#45
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You have no idea what the teachers agenda is, nor how much or how little work the OP put in. You may not mean it to, but this post comes off as sanctimonious and self-righteous........
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Roy Ibanez, Recording King, Gretsch, Martin G&L, Squier, Orange (x 2), Bugera, JBL, Soundcraft Our duo website - UPDATED 7/26/19 |