Finding a direction

This'll be long winded, so bear with me :D

In a nut-shell , this is what I'm looking to do; I'd like to take lessons again with a teacher, but when I walk in there and he asks me what I'd like to do, I don't really have an answer for him, cause I don't know myself. Sounds crazy right?............ok long winded section coming up.

I've been a player for appx 12 years, though my playing level isn't up to the time devoted. I enjoy electric blues, cover rock, acoustic type songs, songs you can play with a band and songs I can do solo.

I had played in a band for 3 years (up until last Apr06). We did cover songs like "Jesse's Girl, My Sharona, Black Velvet, etc. That type of stuff. My role was a rhythm guitarist. After I left, I fell away from the guitar . Well now that my interest is sparked again, I really want to get better in all aspects. I don't just want to bang out power chords, but really get better and understand what I'm doing.

I do know I have to work on my rhythm, soloing, theory and technique. I have to be able to come up with game plan to attack those areas. I do have a teacher who asked me to come in if I needed help, but I haven't yet, cause I really don't know how I want to organize what I'd like to do.

I don't know if I'm expressing myself the correct way here, but it looks like there are a lot of instructors here. So, what I'm asking is, if a person (intermediate player) like myself, comes walking into your studio asking the same confusing questions I'm asking, what would you recommend (other than doubling up on lithium). :D

Also, would it be better to do this stuff on my own rather than using an instructor. I feel like I'm driving down the road fast, but I don't have a steering wheel.

Thanks for hearing me out. ;)

An instructor would probably benefit you quite a bit... But not in the same way it would benefit little Timmy that just got his first guitar for Christmas... Sometimes we all need an outside source to show us a few things and bring light to things that we've either been ignoring or haven't really noticed. That's what I love most about jamming with other people. It seems like everytime I jam with my friends or my friends' friends I come away with something... it may not be much but atleast I learn something. Where as if I stay at home by myself the progress is much slower and it may take me weeks to realize the same small thing...

Go in and tell the instructor exactly where you're at... Tell them that you're at an intermediate level but you would like to learn beyond that. They will most likely sit down and either play with you or watch you play some things to assess where they think you are... Then they can move on from there. Working on scales, chords, rhythm techniques, solo techniques... getting more into music theory and applying it to music... that sort of stuff. It sounds like you have the basic fundamentals down... which is good... as long as you've learned them right... If you haven't learned proper techniques, chances are the instructor is going to correct a lot of them. But you can expect to use the instructor on a very limited basis... Once a week to show you a few things and work on the things throughout the week... That sort of thing...

But yes, I believe an instructor could help you out quite a bit. Even if it's just to get your motor turning again.

Nothing to add to the above except to say just be straight with the instructor as above, and then once lessons are underway keep giving the guy feedback... Hopefully as you go down the road the destination will seem more obvious. If he's showing you a 13th chord and you're more interested in how it's constructed - jump in and let him know...

A good teacher will cover scales/chords and the underlying theory (assuming the student wants it, which it seems you do).

There's actually a good deal of info for a teacher in your post - I'd seriously suggest printing it and handing it to him.... :)

Sometimes I think an instructor would do good for me.........sometimes not. Obviously, a good instructor can set a path that is beneficial and has a program that progresses, if he's good. Sometimes an instructor is not very good in growth. (I'm saying this cause I am an instructor (not for music) myself). I've seen good and I've seen bad. I don't want to get stuck with bad. :rolleyes:

You would think I'd been able to set a curriculum for myself, but I'm not sure in which direction I should go, or where to re-start getting back on track. I know rhythm is important, theory, actual one on one with another musician or musicians or just soloing. All of these are important, and knowng me, I'd be piling everything on one plate, at one time, until it becomes a big mess. :D

Sounds confusing..................it is. :D