Self-teaching advice

Hi,

I want to take jazz lessons but they're too expensive there where I live. Personally, I don't think that DVD/book might substitute a "real teacher" but would like to ask you few questions though:

a) has anyone from you here "learned" from DVD/book only?

b) if so, what's your experience? did self-teaching give you progress or just more bad habits to your technique?

Because the interaction with teacher is 1 hour/week, I'd have to spend most time learning "myself" though...

Maybe I should point out that I'm not a beginner.

Any sugegstions? :-)

sure you can learn from books and cds. i have learnt all i know from books, cds and the internet (probally the best)

Thanx for your post.

Any suggestions from the others? :-)

It's more important that you spend lots of time seriously practicing than that you take lessons. The best instruction isn't going to do you any good if you don't spend those quality hours loving the fretboard.

well, I'm completely self taught. I own one dvd, which I have only watched once... and it was not very helpful. (stay away from "playing guitar for dummies") but mostly I just learned off the internet. once you have the basicis down, and are feeling more comfortable, then just learn to read tabs and then just play those. but don't forget to actually practice too... what I usually do, is if I want to learn something better, say hammer-ons... I would improvise something that used alot of hammer-ons. but, most of the stuff that you need can be found on the internet. check out www.riffinteractive.com sure, they want you to buy their cds, but you can just get every lesson just by viewing the samples. it will just take a while longer to load, but it's good software, you can slow everything down to 10% tempo if you need to (you can adjust to anywhere between 10% and 100%) to learn something... it's overall very good software... I can't remember though, you may need to download something to be able to see the lessons.

Originally Posted by: heartbeatnumberor just more bad habits to your technique?

Yes.

Though, like you, I just couldn't afford lessons so I sat alone in my room and figured out a lot of Primus songs (I'm a bassist, by the way), but I defnitely have a lot of "gremlins" in my playing style.

if you want technique, I'd say head over to www.guitarprinciples.com and consider getting the book, I haven't gotten it, but I signed up for the free newsletter which has helped my technique immensly... for example, it taught me to bend using your wrist, not your finger muscles... which in turn helped me to dramitcally improve my vibrato after a little practice.

How you doin guys, I am self taught too. The way I went about it was I basically learned all the basic open chords and a few bar chords ( Bb, B, F, F#) etc. Then I picked 5 songs I really wanted to learn and stuck with them. Once I had got the hang of them I was hungry for more so I picked another 5 songs I wnted to play, so on and so forth. I have also found that playing along side other guitarists brings you on too, you will always pick up somthing new for someone more experienced. I know it wont work for everyone but it certainly helped me.
Bye for now
Jamie. :)

Thanx for your posts! :-)

Originally Posted by: 6strngs_2hmbkrsif you want technique, I'd say head over to www.guitarprinciples.com and consider getting the book.

hmmmm... I got the book, and it might be OK for classical, but there is very little in it that isn't obvious in my opinion - tells you to watch your posture, look out for tension etc. Nothing in it on any style using a pick as I recall.

I strongly suggest lessons, even if it's only one a fortnight / month / whatever - just helps to keep you on track. Chances are that as you say you're not a beginner, that any bad habits you would develop you probably already have (!) but I' of the opinion that a lesson from an experienced player / teacher helps ensure you're on the right path. I've gone through loads of books and DVDs, but found none of them as helpful or inspirational as lessons with a person..... Yeah, you have to put the work in yourself as well... but we all know that..

Does anyone of you own Andrew Green's: Jazz guitar structures and/or Jazz guitar technique book?

I am primarily a self taught guitarist in my own technique and style that is drawn from many other styles of playing. The experience I have found with books (I've never tried cds/dvds/tapes etc) is that you have to be creative about your exercises. The technique of a style is as broad as the musical spectrum. The same is with teaching. I've had several different teachers in all the styles of rock, jazz, blues, and classical. Each of them with a different approach to the music, this is especially evident in different jazz techniques, not so much with classical techniques. so the technique is only really applicable to whom you've been taught and by what your playing. my suggestion, if you want something to tackle, study classical, pop, and jazz theory and apply everything you learn to the guitar. it should keep you busy for a while.

i have 2 exremly basic guitar books with one dvd n one cd, the dvd was very good to learn the basics but i already new more than half of it off the internet, the best thing for me has just been jamin with a friend who has been playin 2 years (me about 3 months) ive learnt loads just by doin this

I'm a self learner also. Having been learning for two months now. Can't play nothing well yet but making good progress.

A suggestion of mine is, if you can't pay a teacher and/or don't have a friend to help, go to live music bar with a competent guitar player as soon as you can. Buy watching someone find his way with the guitar, you'll quickly dig some things you couldn't get the hang of by yourself.

Don't count out taking lessons alltogether yet. If you're still in school (high school or college) there's usually some kind of jazz band/class. Or there's also sometimes cheap classes at community centers like YMCA's and such. Or you might be able to find a "charitable" teacher. I once told a teacher I couldn't afford to take lessons anymore, and he offered to keep teaching me anyways. But as teachers can vary in effectiveness, so can books...you just gotta find the good ones.