| hammerhands |
Posted - 07/23/2004 : 17:37:04
The absolute best way to find an insatrument is to take someone you trust who is knowledgeable to shop with you.
In any area there is usually one repository for musical instrument classifieds. Here it's the Buy/Sell, some places the Bargain Hunter.
To find that paper, and to find a teacher I recommend you go where the musicians are and ask. May I suggest you go where there are Jazz players or possibly Blues players (Universities, open-jams at bars) as they tend to be older, more knowledgeable and less likely to recommend themselves or their friends (for monetary reasons).
Maybe the best way to find a good teacher is to talk to a great local talent and ask who taught them. If they say they are self-educated, they are most likely lying. I think you will find most good musicians are approachable and willing to give the enthusiastic their time and recommendations.
Let me tell you briefly how I found my guitar teacher. I had taken guitar in elementary school and then at Yamaha for a couple of years. They closed the school and I decided not to continue, as they weren't teaching me anything I wanted or was using. I assumed that all courses would be similar to this.
In the years following I read the Heavy Guitar Bible and did make some slow progress on my own. I swore off lessons as stifling to creativity.
It wasn't until I was much older that a friend of my friend's father, who I knew as a polished guitarist, happened to be in a music store. He was attempting to explain to us a very esoteric concept he had developed after taking lessons from a fellow who he described in superlatives. I had only a vague idea what he was trying to explain, but I understood he was imploring us to seek lessons from this man.
Now I will include some hindsight as I go.
I did get the number and took a "beginner's" lesson. The teacher conducted a short interview, because he really doesn't have time for assholes. He threw my way a few concepts that I had previously come across and a few I hadn't, he was assessing my ability and knowledge. At the end of the lesson he asked me if I would be interested in learning Jazz, as that was how he taught. He assured me that I would be able to apply all the concepts in any idiom. I said I was only truly interested in getting better and that was fine.
I knew after the second lesson, and we had covered mostly everything I had ever learned about music, that I was going to get something out of this. I knew after only a few lessons I was learning and understanding useful technique (survival stuff) and theory.
Don't confuse theory with reading music. Useful music theory is understanding why and how notes, chords and keys are connected and inter-connected and is directly applied when trying to understand a song or improvise.
This has been the most rewarding and difficult thing I have ever done.
My teacher is always willing to take a new student to find an instrument. He will have a guitar for a new student to use (mind you he doesn't have a bass guitar). So if you can wait until after you have found a teacher, that may save you some hassle and money.
I hope you are serious to learn!
BTW
Fais l'amour avec moi
What's he saying baby
Viens dormir, mon amour
I asked you not to talk to him
Je t'aime donne moi ton coeur ce soir
I'm begging you
I think it's:
Make love with me
Go to sleep, my love
I would like to give you my heart tonight |
