How to Find a Guitar Teacher: Questions to Ask!




Finding the right guitar teacher starts by knowing where to look, then knowing the right questions to ask. Guitar lessons are not the same with every guitar teacher. Many guitar teachers will schedule an initial interview with the student and parent. Knowing what to ask can help you find a guitar teacher that is the right match for your guitar lessons or your child’s guitar lessons.



QUESTIONS TO ASK AT THE GUITAR LESSON INTERVIEW

Education

Most guitar teachers will have some training beyond their own private lessons. This could include a few college classes or a few college degrees.

Do you have a college music degree?

  • YES. What kind of degree do you have?

    • Bachelor of Music (BM). This is usually a 4-5 year degree. It could have an emphasis in guitar performance or music education, or some schools offer a “Bachelor of Science in Education with an emphasis in music”. Most “education” degrees are geared more towards teaching in the public schools. Minimum requirements for most undergraduate degrees include at least two years of music analysis (theory) classes, one year of music history, several years of private lessons, and also concerts/recitals and other public performances.

  • NO. What kind of professional training do you have?

    • A few college classes: this could include two years of basic theory classes, private guitar lessons with a collegiate teacher, music history classes, or music education classes.

    • Only private guitar lessons. If the only training your potential guitar teacher has had is their own private guitar lessons, you may want to ask about the level of students this guitar teacher has taught. Even if you are a beginning guitar student, finding a guitar teacher that can teach all levels is a good idea since this would keep you from having to find a new guitar teacher once you begin playing more advanced music in your guitar lessons.

    • Other professional training. By attending many workshops and/or master classes, some guitar teachers can acquire enough insight to shape their private guitar teaching in a positive way.



Guitar Teaching Experience

While experience alone is no substitute for a solid educational foundation, a music degree alone will not guarantee competency in the teaching studio either.

How long have you been teaching private guitar lessons?

    • YEARS. Some teachers learn a great deal in a short time once they start teaching, while others learn very little from many years of teaching. Therefore this question is only slightly revealing. However the general assumption that more experience produces a better teacher can hold true when considered with all the other factors described here. Remember that decades of experience built on a poor foundation is often far less valuable than a few years of experience built on a solid educational foundation.

    • VERY LITTLE or NONE. If a guitar teacher has no teaching experience, the ability to communicate complex subject matter to a younger child is usually the primary concern.

Have you changed much about the way you teach private guitar lessons over the years?

    • Nobody has all the answers, and few guitar teachers begin their guitar teaching careers as “mature teachers”. A willingness and ability to grow and adapt is an important quality for teachers and students



Teaching Philosophy for Guitar Lessons

A guitar teacher’s “teaching philosophy” is a fancy way of describing what he/she believes is important about who they are as a guitar teacher and a musician. You may simply ask your potential guitar teacher to describe their teaching philosophy. This could provide you with some insights about what kind of guitar teacher they are.

Below are listed some of the more common components of what many guitar teachers consider to be an important part of their teaching philosophy:

  • GUITAR STUDENTS SHOULD ENJOY THEIR GUITAR LESSONS. This sure sounds great, but be sure to ask how this is accomplished. If the words “fun” and “good time” are the only responses you can get, then this might mean that the guitar teacher makes lessons fun simply with an uplifting personality. Keep in mind that this alone rarely transfers into the student’s home environment since the guitar teacher is not there to “keep it fun”.

  • GUITAR STUDENTS ONLY PLAY THE GUITAR MUSIC THEY ENJOY. How is this music selected? It is difficult for guitar teachers to find only music that students are 100% in love with while making sure that all necessary principles are being taught. Some guitar teachers suggest students bring in recordings of their favorite bands. Then they begin transcribing the music during the lesson.

  • POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT. Most guitar teachers and parents really believe in this idea and either do it through sharing verbal compliments, candy, stickers, or all of the above. Just remember that undeserved praise can produce a false sense of accomplishment which is quite detrimental in the long term. So try to ascertain if a guitar teacher gives appropriate feedback.

  • TECHNIQUE. Different guitar teachers address the physical aspects of learning how to play the guitar in many different ways. Some guitar teachers simply hand out scale assignments without much instruction regarding the mechanics of playing the guitar.

  • IMPROVISATION AND COMPOSITION. Very few guitar teachers teach improvisation or composition since they are not proficient in these areas themselves. “Improvisation” is essentially the process of creating new music “on the spot” with very few decisions made beforehand.



Activities for Guitar Students

Depending upon how much time you have and how active you want to be, you should ask your potential guitar teacher if he or she has students participate in different kinds of performances.

Do your guitar students participate in concerts/recitals? How often?

  • Most guitar teachers have one to two recitals featuring only their students each year.

  • Some guitar teachers will have additional opportunities for their students to play in a band. Band concerts can be held privately or publically.



Personality

Don’t forget to consider if the guitar teacher’s personality would be a good match. While a good personality does not make a good teacher, it can certainly help make your guitar lessons or your child’s guitar lessons go a little smoother.