Why Bother Taking Guitar Lessons at all?

Playing the guitar around the campfire on a warm summer evening, rocking out on the big stage, or playing some cool jazz guitar at the coffee house. We all have a reason why we want to learn how to play the guitar.  Whatever your reason you might be wondering where to begin your guitar journey.  Should you just grab a book or watch a video?  There appear to be a variety of options out there so you might ask yourself why bother signing up for guitar lessons at all?

When I was 13 years old my neighbor gave me an old Yamaha acoustic guitar they had sitting around.  I had never thought about playing the guitar but when I opened the case it was like magic.  I remember there was a subtle smell that reminded me of chocolate.  I’m pretty sure it was just the glue that held the padding down but it was very nice.

My parents couldn’t afford guitar lessons at the time so I had to start with an old book of chords.  It’s hard to believe but we didn’t have Google or YouTube yet.  In fact the internet wasn’t even a thing!

So, my journey began with a few guitar chords.  I did my best to play them smoothly and I tried to copy the musicians on the radio but it took a long time to get anything that sounded good.  Looking back, I wish I could’ve had guitar lessons because it would’ve seriously sped up my learning,  Having a guitar teacher show me the tips and techniques would’ve made a huge difference.  Especially at the beginner stage when good technique is essential in learning how to play the guitar.

Why am I telling you this?  While I did learn how to play the guitar and became an accomplished musician there are many basic skills and techniques that I didn’t learn until years after I started.   I developed a few poor guitar habits that took a long time for me to correct.  It was years later when I could finally afford lessons and found a good guitar teacher that I realized why I couldn’t play the guitar as well I wanted.  If I had started guitar lessons at the beginning, I would’ve avoided the pain of starting over again and again and re-leaning fundamental guitar techniques.  I would be a much better guitarist today if I had been able to take guitar lessons from the very beginning.

A good guitar teacher will teach you all of the important stuff like reading music, guitar tablature, chords, scales, and even playing the guitar by ear.  They will make sure that develop strong technique from the very beginning so you that you won’t have to go back and re-learn.  You might be introduced to different guitar styles and learn about classical, rock, pop, jazz, or others.  You just never know what might catch your ear.

I hope that my message is crystal clear.  Learning the fundamentals from a qualified guitar teacher is essential!  I am certainly not complaining about not having guitar lessons from the start.  I am saying that if you are in the position to take guitar lessons or provide your children with lessons then you should do it.  It will make sure that you don’t miss out on important techniques and it will help you become a better guitar player in the long run and you will get there much faster.

James Franczek

Ready to start your guitar lessons in Oakville?  Call, Text, or Email Oakville Academy of Music to get started!