Inspired...Now what?

[nuke_diver]

On the weekend I got to see on of the guitar gods, Eric Clapton, in concert. I figured I'd either be inspired or depressed and it was the former. The reason for the question is that I have been playing on and off for about 25 years (mostly off). I have no formal training. Mostly I have played acoustic but recently I got a strat as well. I have been playing much more recently but I wonder what the best way for this old dog to learn new tricks is. The net is full of information but much of it can be piecemeal (though the site from this forum, Guitarknowledge.net is great!).

 

What are your opinions. Should I go and get lessons? Private I am guessing since I probably have too many bad habits to overcome in a group environment. Should I just continue practicing and using the web? I should also state that I cannot read music and most of the stuff I play is chords.

 

Thanks

[Poparad]

Originally posted by nuke_diver What are your opinions. Should I go and get lessons? Private I am guessing since I probably have too many bad habits to overcome in a group environment.

 

 

This would be the fastest way to gaining some musical ground. Private lessons are great for getting instant feedback about how you're playing, plus you can ask direct questions you might have about things.

 

Should I just continue practicing and using the web?

 

 

Continuing this along with lessons is a great idea. I would give you a 'second point of view' about things you might be going over in your lessons, or give you new things to work on and take to your lessons and ask questions about.

 

I should also state that I cannot read music and most of the stuff I play is chords. Thanks

 

 

If you find a good teacher, he should be able to help you with this. Reading is essential for rock and blues guitar, but at least knowing how to will probably come in handy down the line, plus it will make you a better musician.

 

Your teacher will be able to help you learn how to play solos. A good project would be to pick out some Clapton solos that you really like, and either find a transcription of it (internet, or in one of several books that are out there on his stuff), and work on learning it.

[nuke_diver]

Thanks for the advice. I'll start searching for a teacher who can fit into my ideas of what I want to learn and my available time (the latter is unfortunately more inflexible than the former).

I want to make sure that this is something that is fun not work. I get enough work at work. It would seem to me that learning to read music might be that way but I suspect that I could do some of that on my own....if I stay suitably motivated. I can still read right hand music (at a very basic level) on the piano so there is a bit of a background (albeit some 35 years out of date)