Wondering what qualities an effective guitar instructor should have? If you’ve been learning guitar on your own, you may find that your motivation decreases once your initial excitement fades and results don’t come as quickly as you’d hoped.
When this happens, working with a professional guitar instructor can be the best way to regain your motivation, build confidence, and take your skills to the next level. But how can you tell which guitar instructor is best to work with?
At Northville Guitar Lessons, our local guitar instructors serve Plymouth, MI, and the surrounding areas. Contact us today to learn more about our guitar lessons for adults and beginners. You can also sign up for a free trial lesson.
4 Qualities to Look for in an Effective Guitar Instructor
When you’re thinking about hiring a private guitar instructor or taking guitar lessons, the instructor you work with is a crucial decision. The right instructor makes learning enjoyable and creates achievable goals you can use to track your progress.
To find an effective guitar instructor, look for four key qualities:
1. Training in How to Teach
It’s not enough for a guitar instructor to know how to play guitar–they should be knowledgeable when it comes to effective teaching strategies.
A musician only knows how to play, but an instructor knows how to pass that knowledge down, tailoring their strategies to different skill levels and ages. They should be able to break down complex music theory concepts into easily digestible pieces, and lead you through a step-by-step process of learning how to play songs.
When you’re evaluating teachers, you can ask about their teaching philosophy. They should be able to explain what your learning journey will look like, and what their teaching style is like.
2. Customization Options
The best guitar instructors understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to learning. While they may use curriculum books as a foundation, they should also tailor your learning plan based on the goals you want to achieve.
Customization is especially important when it comes to guitar lessons, since certain students may prefer to learn jazz theory, while others prefer rock or contemporary.
Whether you’re taking private or group lessons, a great guitar instructor should also understand how to focus on each student’s learning style. For example, some students may be visual learners, while others are auditory learners.
No matter what, the guitar instructor’s lesson plan should align with your goals, interests, and musical preferences.
3. Measurement of Results
A quality guitar instructor will also focus on creating measurable results. When you can see your progress and measure your achievements, it makes it easier to maintain your motivation. Your progress needs to be clear and quantifiable so you can build a feedback loop that drives you to continually improve.
Your guitar instructor should provide manageable practice goals that build on your lessons. These goals should be clear, specific, and measurable.
In addition, lessons should never be abstract. Instead, they should have real-world applications you can use as you keep playing.
4. Experience
Of course, any effective guitar teacher will likely have years of experience, whether as a teacher or a musician. The more experience a teacher has, the more they’ll know how to handle mistakes, common learning challenges, and different student learning styles.
Based on their experience, a guitar instructor can prevent learning roadblocks before they happen.
Looking For a Guitar Teacher Near You? Contact Us
If you want the best guitar instructor near Plymouth, MI, or the surrounding areas, visit Northville Guitar Lessons. Our guitar lessons are designed to keep you motivated and actually show your progress.
Our students’ progress is our number one priority. When you work with our guitar instructors, you’ll see your playing skills grow each week. We also customize our lessons to maximize your learning and make the process fun.
We don’t force you to play anything boring. Instead, we help you learn how to play the music you enjoy. In addition, we offer guitar lessons for adults and kids, so all ages are welcome to learn with us.
Want to learn more about our guitar instructors? Call (248) 308-3799, or sign up for a free trial lesson today.