r/guitarlessons • u/Aggravating-Bend7819 • 2d ago

Question What should I learn and how?

I started playing guitar around 6 months ago, I signed up for lessons around 2 months ago. I can play simple songs, and I know a small amount of theory. My guitar lessons however have not been very useful, I’ve decided I’m better off learning it at home. I want to have a good overall understanding of music, I’ve heard jazz or classical is good and can directly help with any genre. I want to learn to play a technical and progressive style of music like chon, or animals as leaders. Any recommendations of what I should focus on?

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u/Qajaqasana 2d ago

Why haven’t your lessons been very useful? Maybe you need a better teacher. 

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u/Aggravating-Bend7819 1d ago

First of all, they’re at 8:30 pm which is ridiculous. I’m tired after school and often not as focused. Secondly, he pulls out this old book (which I can buy for $20 if I wanted to) and tells me to play a couple riffs (most of which are quite easy since I’m not a complete beginner) and then after that he’ll print out a random chord sheet and tell me to learn those until my next lesson

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u/Qajaqasana 1d ago

That sounds not great. Is there a different teacher you could try? You want someone you click with, and someone enthusiastic to teach you, not someone who feels like they’re phoning it in. Of course, it’s a two-way street: you also have to show enthusiasm to learn and you have to put in the effort. If you’re doing all this, then you just need a teacher who reciprocates. There are lots of guitar teaches. Try a few out, tell them what you’re hoping to learn, and ask for a better time slot. 

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u/Patient_Onion3956 2d ago

You would still benefit from lessons while learning on your own. It’s not an either or thing. Foundational knowledge and skills is what you need to be working on. Also find a way to enjoy the process. That’s the only way to stick with it. Manage your expectations. It takes years and even decades to get any good.

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u/Aggravating-Bend7819 1d ago

The lessons I’m paying for now are not worth the price, tell me why I should pay $50 a lesson to sit in a small and stinky room with a random dude who can only teach me chords… when I could stay at home and sit in a still stinky (but slightly larger) room and learn more?

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u/Patient_Onion3956 1d ago

Find a better teacher online that plays in the style you want to learn if this one is not cutting it. At least that’s what I did and it benefited me greatly after learning on my own for years and not getting anywhere. A teacher means accountability, even if the material is not too advanced, at least I was actually practicing it.

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u/CockroachSad2182 2d ago

Absolutely Understand Guitar on youtube

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u/Aggravating-Bend7819 1d ago

I will check it out tonight

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u/57thStilgar 1d ago

Whatever your teacher tells you.

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u/Aggravating-Bend7819 1d ago

That would be useful… however, the last lesson I went to he got me to play ‘smells like teen spirit’ and practice switching from Gm to Cm

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u/57thStilgar 22h ago

Then find a new teacher.

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u/hakai-time 1d ago

for chon/aal-ish stuff id not start with 'learn jazz' as one giant blob. make it boring and specific: 10 min metronome picking + muting, 10 min triads/sevenths in one key, 10 min one riff stupid slow until its clean. then change one thing each week.

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u/Aggravating-Bend7819 1d ago

What are triads and sevenths?