One of the essential keys to choosing a guitar teacher is common sense. Developing and maintaining a relationship with your teacher is critical and essential. The problem is finding the correct teacher. With the guitar now being the most common instrument of choice, it is no wonder that the amount of qualified teachers lags way behind the amount of people wanting to learn to play the guitar.



That being said, here are my criteria for choosing a guitar teacher. Every lesson you take is what is called an encounter with your teacher. The goal of a teacher is to provide the student with a positive encounter each lesson. Students who feel frustrated, feel incompetent, or are unable to complete a lesson, often lose interest due to negative experiences.

Her are four (4) essential ingredients a guitar teacher must have:

#1. ENGAGE: A teacher has to get to know his or her student in order to engage the student. What produces engagement is unique to each student, a qualified teacher will figure out what proactive techniques are needed to be implemented to capture your ongoing interest. Engagement is an ongoing ingredient that has to be adjusted accordingly by the teacher as one grows from playing a guitar for beginners, to playing more advanced music.

#2. EMPOWER: The student comes to your studio for one reason, to obtain knowledge on learning to play the guitar. Empower your student by giving them what they came to you for. Let the student have some input in what they want to learn. Give them the opportunity to be involved with determining the outcome of the direction they are taking. Empowerment gives people the feeling that the desired result is a burning light they can always see and help control.

#3. RELAX: To be relaxed is a reflection of how much effort is required to achieve the desired result of learning to play the guitar. Without ease and relaxation, the results are frustration, fatigue, and abandonment of guitar lessons. Patience, that your student understands the lesson without any negativity will ease the situation, producing better playing skills and enjoyment. Avoid musical jargon and speak that is over the students head, and ensure each lesson is written clearly so your student completely understands. Make sure your teacher is available to you for consultation if you forget a piece of the lesson.

#4. TRUST: It is impossible to have a good relationship with someone you don't trust. There are four elements to trust. The first one is Competence, meaning that the student trusts that you will deliver the proper information. The second ingredient is Predictability, meaning that everything will happen a s expected, no surprises. Number three is Benevolence, or the wish to do good. Knowing that your student is sure that what is recommended is in their best interest and not just a way to make money. And number four is Honesty, that every one involved in the particular learning institute is on the same page and has no hidden agendas are in the back room. everything is as it should be, on the level.

If you find the correct teacher that can put put these ingredients together and you will most probably have a great, passionate, addictive and lifetime learning experience with your guitar. Enjoy.