I’ve been self learned for almost the past 4 years now and I am semi-ok with my scales now. I have the basic music theory down with chord progressions. and I have no problem doing rhythm or lead guitar for the most part.
I am no means particularly ::good::, but at this point, I’m wondering if there is a need for lessons still.
I imagine that this point, its just listening to lots of music and sort of exploring the fretboard for cool sounding licks.
and on the technical side, i would also be working on my basic hammer ons and pull offs and legatos and sweeps and etc. etc.
And then on the musicianship side, I admittedly cannot read music like I should. Not tabs, mind you. Like actual musical notes that are quarter notes and 1/8 notes and rests and clefs and what crescendos and dimenuendos, etc.etc. are
I feel like if I were to get lessons, all the guy would tell me to do is to do the things I just described but have been too lazy to practice. I don’t consider any of these things particularly HARD, it just takes a bunch of time for me to sit and practice at (something I’d have to do regardless of lessons)
And my goal? Well I’d like to be a weekend gig warrior some day. Life as a pro musician is way too rough and even if I were to make it semi-well, I don’t think I’d be able to handle touring 300 days out of the year. I love music, but i do not like how rough the business can be. Maybe a youtube superstar someday, though.
I love LOVE guys like Clapton and Buddy Guy and Jimi Hendrix (especially hendrix). So that’s what I’m aiming for at the moment. "Shredding" like in the way that the metal guys do it, does not interest me in one bit. nor do things like tapping or those pinch harmonic things that make it sound like cats fighting.
So all you experienced musicians and guitar teachers out there:
What do lessons offer that I cannot do on my own? Please give a good, honest answer because I seriously do want to get better, but at the same time money is tight and I don’t want to learn something that I could just learned anyways from a place like http://www.gosk.com or http://www.justinguitar.com or something. I will spend the money, though, if I think that i can learn something interesting.
You do bring up a good point. I am self-taught all the way and NEVER took a course. I studied sight-reading, arranging and what helped me immensely if my ear training. I developeda good ear due to the fact that I used to play alond with my fave music. Eventually, the ear got used to picking up chords and notes without using the instruments. Very useful for writing.
I ended up at Berklee College and after audtioning, I studied for 1 year and because a teacher. Their wasn’t much I couldn’t do. Shredding means nothing. Actually, its worthless. Play with the heart and soul and you will go a long way.
The advantage of a teacher is that you have the chance to see if your picking technique is good, the fingering, and other stuff that you never think of practicial liked for instance Isometric fingering. This is so important because it adds versatility in your fingering and soling.
The advantage at Berklee is that we go one-on-one and we improve the technique of the student we work with. So we develop a more friendly atmosphere and I would help improve the student according to what he loves, not what I loved. Their are procedures but eventually, the student got ahead in the field he chose when he auditioned.
Good Luck
In this guitar lesson we are looking at basic improvisation using the major scale. Really good fun and easy to make it sound cool if you follow my tips!
click here to make a song request http://www.guitarjamz.com/new_requests/
http://RightNowMusic.com/
free ebook here http://www.guitarjamz.com/new_requests/
In this lesson you learn how to apply melodic patterns to your scales so they sound more like music than scales when you improvise. Covers 3rds, 4 in a line and more. 
