Sioux Falls Guitar Academy

What to look for when searching for a guitar teacher

When seeking out a guitar teacher, here is a list of criteria to look for:

  1. The teacher takes the time to learn the learning style of each student. For example: some are visual learners, some are kinesthetic learners, some are auditory learners.
  2. The teacher takes the time to understand each of their student’s individual goals for guitar. Then balances the lessons with what the student wants to learn with what he/she needs to learn. They’ll also explain to the student how what is needed to learn is in line with their goals as guitar players.
  3. The teacher has a flexible teaching plan, but a plan never the less. (See #’s 1 & 2)
  4. The teacher trains more than they teach new content. The teacher’s role is not to keep teaching the student new things all the time with each lesson, but to make sure the student knows how to do what has already been taught.
  5. The teacher will further train with the student on how to apply what he/she already knows. Many teachers will keep teaching new content all of the time and the student knows a lot, but doesn’t know how to apply what they know to real-life playing because the student’s skills were never integrated together.
  6. Training also involves correcting “bad” habits in the student’s technique. The teacher needs to understand there’s a balance here and the student is “innocent until proven guilty” with having a “bad” habit.

First, the main purpose of proper technique is to avoid injury, i.e., carpal tunnel, tendinitis, etc.

Second, if the current technique isn’t going to set the student up for possible injuries, but is handicapping them from being able to achieve his/her goal on guitar, the teacher knows and understands how to train the motions necessary (proper technique) to accomplish the student’s goal.

  1. They instruct by using principles. Once a student understands the principles involved they can implement them on his/her own to get the results they want as quickly as possible.
  2. The teacher is getting training from world class experts on guitar technique, and on how to teach and train guitarists.