Guitar students of all levels and ages are always searching for a method for theory and scales and chords and also jam tracks to gain more confidence. A professional instructor will help guitar students to set goals and develop a plan for achieving them.
Setting up your plan in 3-month increments is what I recommend to my guitar students. For example, I have a student that lives in Lafayette that wants to eventually play bass guitar in a local club that has open mic jam nights on a weekly basis.
This is an excellent goal, but at this point, he can barely play a complete song. So I gave him a method plan “ Hal Leonard Electric Bass Method Complete Edition “ with CD’s. This gives him a 12 month window to go through all 3 methods and play all jam tracks with CD. This will help prepare him for performing with other musicians while he develop his playing skills.
You can do this on your own, but a taking lessons from professional guitar coach on a weekly basis is an invaluable support and a treasure of lived insight and knowledge that are hard to find in most books.
I have students that have been playing for years and can only play bits and pieces of many songs but not a complete song. So, stay focused and have a plan and find some people you can jam with. Most instructors have students they can network you with. I perform all over the Bay Area and always invite my guitar, bass and banjo students to come and listen and eventually sit in and jam with me.
Bass Guitar Lessons
Lafayette – Orinda CA
(925) 695-7060
Amp Up Your Guitar Skills in Danville & San Ramon CA
Many guitarists at all ages and all levels search for help on the internet to improve their music knowledge and “hone their guitar craft“. You can find lots of great information and even get free “lessons” online on subjects such as modes, scales, guitar riffs and theory. But, how do you apply it?
In my 40+ years as a professional touring musician and guitar instructor, the results I have seen from the hundreds of students I have taught has proven to me that students who learn to read music notation, in addition to playing by ear, have a better sense of keeping time, are able to more easily rehearse and jam with other musicians and are much better prepared to take their music playing to a more professional level.
My favorite instruction books for plectrum style guitar are published by Hal Leonard titled “Complete 3 Book Guitar Method Edition with CD’S”. I also recommend “Music Theory For Dummies, Audio CD” [Paperback]. This book shows you how to apply theory by writing music on standard music 5 stave line manuscript paper.
I think self study is great, but I highly recommend hooking up with a private instructor that has a proven systematic approach to teaching the basics and then taking you to the next level. Taking a lesson on a weekly or bi-monthly basis so the instructor can check your progress, give you the things to focus on for the next couple of weeks and then inspire you to practice is what I recommend.
Several of my students in the San Ramon and Danville area who have a band have not only taken their guitar playing to the next level, but have booked paying gigs that has helped to take their performance to the next level as well.
Bass Guitar Lessons
Danville, San Ramon CA
(925) 695-7060
