I have finally progressed as a player by using Learn and Master Guitar

dink · #1 02-07-2010, 08:23 PM

I started playing in 99 and became a fairly good acoustic rhythm player. I learned tons of chords to flavor my background playing in a praise and worship band. Then I got addicted to buying and selling guitars and never really progressed any further than a rhythm player. I finally lost interest and quit playing in 2003-2004. I got the bug again to play last year. So I decided I would only play and study guitar and forget about buying them. I got the DVD series Learn and Master Guitar in March 2009. I just finished the 20 lesson series today. I played and practiced just about every day for at least an hour. You learn a lot about music theory and how to read music. (see www.learnandmaster.com ) Some lessons took just a few days and a few I spent over a month on. IE., the lessons on fingerpicking , pentatonic and blues scales. My playing and understanding and appreciation of music has increased by leaps and bounds. Granted the everyday playing and concentrating on just playing helped a lot but the course really is organized and well presented. You have to be willing to work but I can't say enough about this course. It has transformed me as a player and increased my love of playing the guitar.

15 Man · #2 02-08-2010, 07:35 AM

Good for you! Keep at it! I found out a long, long time ago that playing them (at least for me) is a whole lot more fun than collecting them. It is definitely also a lot more work. But it is also more rewarding in the end.
Play well, live long and enjoy!

dink · #3 02-08-2010, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 15 Man

Good for you! Keep at it! I found out a long, long time ago that playing them (at least for me) is a whole lot more fun than collecting them. It is definitely also a lot more work. But it is also more rewarding in the end.
Play well, live long and enjoy!

Yeah I had to get it out of my system. I should have known that collecting them would'nt improve my playing. I remember back in 98-99 being in a MARS music store. I knew about 4 chords and I was in the Taylor guitar section hammering away on all the nice Taylors. MARS had a special $199 Elvis guitar. There must have been a 100 of them sitting on guitar stands. They were all black and had a huge Elvis painted across the top. I was too good to mess with those el cheapos. This guy walks in obviously in a hurry. He picks up 1 of the cheapo Elvis's, tunes it and proceeds to absolutely make that thing sing. It sounded like heaven coming out of it........ lesson I didn't learn then.... It is mostly the player and some the guitar. I have 2 Taylors now a 1999 514ceAB and a 2004 short scale 510 L9. I am extremely happy with both and love to play them. Now my goal is to learn how to make them sing like that el cheapo Elvis guitar!

qimaster · #4 02-08-2010, 11:01 AM

That is really good to know. I just recently purchased Learn and Master Guitar as I am starting to play for the first time since about 20 years ago. I had heard many good comments on this system and I currently do not have access to a good guitar teacher.
Thanks for the feedback.

dink · #5 02-08-2010, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qimaster

That is really good to know. I just recently purchased Learn and Master Guitar as I am starting to play for the first time since about 20 years ago. I had heard many good comments on this system and I currently do not have access to a good guitar teacher.
Thanks for the feedback.

My take on Learn and Master Guitar is that it doesn't cover absolutely everything about music or guitar playing but I believe with alot of practice and study and playing and asking questions and seeking the answers it will open up your mind to the instrument and it's unlimited possibilities! It sure helped jumpstart me on the road to being a player!!!

jbhiller · #6 02-08-2010, 02:25 PM

Congratulations to you for all your hard work.

Also, so well put on the issue of playing v. buying/collection. Wisdom for sure.

Keep going!

Broadus · #7 02-09-2010, 09:37 AM

Dink, it's good to read a long-time poster's experience with L&MG. I started with the guitar about 2 1/2 years ago and have worked through some of Mark Hanson's fingerstyle material (and still am) and am about 1/2 way through the Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method, expanded ed., book 1, having started with that a couple of months ago in an attempt to really read and understand what I'm doing when I play.

The turn-off, for me, with the L&MG is not only the fake reviews all over the internet but the "special" pricing that has a date two or three days in the future in order to get folks to jump on it before it goes back to regular price. The day after the special is supposedly over, voila, the special price is continued with a new "until" date (perhaps not always, but it seems like it). Case in point: there was a special Valentine's Day price for the expanded edition that was to end on February 8. Today (February 9) we find this posted:

Make Your Sweetheart's Dreams Come True This Year!
Our 3-Day Valentine's Sale is going on Now!

Get $100 off all Learn & Master courses, Tuesday thru Thursday Only!
*Sale ends Thursday, February 11th

So the expanded edition is now $149, the same as yesterday when the sale was to have concluded. IMO, the "end date" for the sale is to get impulse buyers.

Regardless, I've read that the company is very good about refunding money as they promise if the material is returned within the allotted time, and I have read some regular folks, such as you, who have benefited from the program. I just wish they didn't inundate the internet with bogus reviews and have their "sale price" strategy.

Bill

dink · #8 02-09-2010, 10:47 AM

Bill I couldn't agree with you anymore!!! That is part of the reason for my post was to give my opinion of it. In retrospect the course is priceless to me today, but I was really wary when I got it because of all the overblown bull or hype on the internet. All of the reviews and the multiple web sites are just money making sites that get a cut of the sales. The company that promotes the course really stops at nothing to sell it. Steve Krenz is the guy who created the course and is a great instructor. I have never had any problem getting a response from the company. But most importantly the community support site is great to get questions answered and to discuss playing with other students.

Broadus · #9 02-09-2010, 10:57 AM

Just about the time I've finally decided again to save $150 and not buy L&MG, somebody legitimate comes along makes be re-think it.

BTW, the only "Dink" I've ever run across is a character in Richard Belcher's theological novels. I think Dr. Belcher lives in Fort Mill, SC.

Bill

dink · #10 02-09-2010, 08:25 PM

I live in Monroe,NC which is about 15 miles from Fort Mill, SC. Maybe he owes me royalties by using my name. LOL!. The course covers a lot of areas and helped organize my growing and learning and playing. Hey man give it a shot and I believe you have 60 to 90 days to return it.

Broadus · #11 02-09-2010, 09:35 PM

It's tempting, simply because I always want to try something else, but I think I'm going to continue what I'm doing: working my way through Mel Bay's MGM, interspersed with William Leavitt's Modern Method for Guitar (which comes with a DVD containing 14 hours of instruction), and Mark Hanson's Contemporary Travis Picking. Besides, I don't really need to tie up $150 with April 15 looming.

I'm pleased with the results thus far. My biggest problem is impatience. It simply requires time and persistence to build the knowledge and skills one bit at a time.

What direction are you going to go now that you've finished L&MG?

Bill

dink · #12 02-09-2010, 09:45 PM

I plan on learning and mastering new songs and jamming with better players. I always pick up something by playing with someone else. I may even get a teacher and take some lessons. BUT THE MAIN THING IS TO HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!

kats45 · #13 02-10-2010, 10:09 AM

Learn & Master is a great course, though even Steve Krentz says it's good to supplement with other materials, such as songs.

Broadus · #14 02-10-2010, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kats45

Learn & Master is a great course, though even Steve Krentz says it's good to supplement with other materials, such as songs.

Hi Kats. Would you mind sharing your experience? How far along were you when you went through L&MG, or are you going through it now? If you don't mind, perhaps you could share specifically what the course has done for your playing.

Thanks,
Bill

Lacks Focus · #15 02-15-2010, 01:49 PM

I've been using L&MG since last October or so, after playing a bit many, many years ago and then giving it up. Since starting it, I've found it to be extremely well thought-out, well-produced, informative and inspiring, and in general well worth the money.

I agree the "reviews" and their pricing scheme is really cheesy, and for most customers more sophisticated than a 6th grader, their marketing technique probably does more harm for them than good. For an antidote to that kind of marketing, I suggest looking at this impartial review from Gibson's website:

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyl...on-review-610/

The thing that sold me on it in the end, and the aspect of it I never fail to take advantage of, is their online forum community of fellow students, and Steve Krenz himself. It's almost unbelievably friendly and supportive.

If anyone is looking for a good lesson program, I would not hesitate to point them in the direction of L&MG.