25 Things to Look for in a Guitar Teacher 

Are you ready to get some help with achieving your musical goals? If you’re thinking about lessons, you’ll also be thinking about the most important things to look for in a guitar teacher. You probably already have in mind some qualities that you value, but there may some you haven’t considered. Here’s a list of what I consider the most important things to look for in a guitar teacher. But before you begin talking with potential guitar teachers, here are some general tips.

If You Are a Beginner

You may be tempted to go with a less educated or experienced teacher to save some money when you’re just getting started. It would seem that anyone who can play well and knows more than you do would at least be able to help you with the basic chords, right?

Not necessarily. When you’re first beginning to play, you will be forming habits that will inform or influence your playing for the rest of your life. Those sticky habits will be difficult to change in the future—and if they’re bad ones, you’ll have to change them when your playing reaches a dead end.

It’s also important to your longevity as a guitarist to have a teacher who provides inspiration and support! According to a study by Fender Guitars, ninety percent of the people who begin guitar are no longer playing within a year. And according to those of us who are full-time, long-term guitar teachers, the majority of those who do continue feel stuck at some point. Many go through periods where they don’t play at all. (I’ve written about ways to avoid or resolve that issue here.)

So, if you want to enjoy guitar for a lifetime, look for someone who’s patient and supportive when choosing a teacher. Starting with a teacher who possesses these qualities could save you a lot of grief, pain, and money in the future!

You can read about the traits that I consider as non-negotiable for beginners in numbers 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 20, 23, 24, and 25 on the list below.

Seeking Help as an Experienced Player

You have a history with the guitar and a body of material that you enjoy playing. You don’t need to learn another song from a YouTube tutorial. Instead, you need a professional teacher and guitarist who can listen to you and determine what key will unlock your next stage of growth. Your ideal teacher will have plenty of experience teaching and playing and will be able to use that experience to open doors for you. Search for someone who can provide you with the traits described in numbers 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 23 of my list.

A Word of Caution

A great guitar player may not necessarily be a great instructor. If you admire someone’s playing, go hear them as often as possible. Listen closely, watch their hands, and soak up everything you can. But don’t expect that amazing guitarist to be a great teacher. Teaching requires a different skill set than playing. A good teacher will also be a good guitar player, but it doesn’t always work the other way around.

 The List

By the time you’ve thought through the list below, you’ll have a good idea of the qualities of a good  guitar teacher. Don’t settle for less than you have to. If you do have to settle on a few items, I’ll give you tips at the end of the list on how to fill in the gaps. Here we go!

1. Experienced
The best teacher will be an experienced guitar player—but they also need to have lots of teaching experience. Look for someone who is a full-time guitar teacher and has been for some time. It takes a lot of hours of consciously honing the art of teaching to become a great guitar teacher!

2. Empathetic
It takes courage to take guitar lessons. As much fun as it is to learn new things, it’s also challenging. In addition, it can be unnerving to play in front of someone who hears every mistake you make. During those times when you’re feeling vulnerable, you’ll be a lot more comfortable with a teacher who recognizes and honors your emotional investment.

3. Educated
The right guitar teacher for you doesn’t have to have a music degree, but they should have serious knowledge of music and the guitar. Someone who has studied music and is a lifelong learner will have the most to offer you.

4. Attentive to your musical goals
When you talk to a prospective teacher, do they ask you about your musical goals? The teacher who listens to what you want to do with your guitar now will probably listen in the future. They will care about how you feel regarding your progress and the things you’re learning.

5. Articulate and Communicative
The best guitar teachers can convey concepts clearly and explain the reasons behind each suggestion or assignment. Good teaching is about more than presenting information!

6. Organized
A good guitar instructor can make and maintain an individualized plan for you. He or she will have quality, organized lesson materials and will keep up with your scheduled times.

7. Flexible
It’s unreasonable to expect a student to show up rested, sharp, and well-practiced every single lesson. Confirm that your teacher can work with you when you have a dental appointment, a sick child, or a work trip. Similarly, your teacher should be able to adjust to the inevitable disruptions in practice routine and create a productive and enjoyable lesson in spite of them.

8. Patient
You can’t rush the rate at which you’re able to understand or ingrain new material. Aside from being no fun, external pressure is counter productive. A good teacher understands the learning process.

9. Open-minded
A good guitar teacher will be open to new music and even new ways of learning. If your teacher can move with you through your musical discoveries, your relationship will have greater potential to last.

10. Personable
There’s really no way around the awkwardness of a first lesson, but your new guitar teacher has the power to diminish the discomfort. As you progress, there will be times when you’re less practiced than others or when you feel sluggish or out of sorts. Someone who is lighthearted, kind, and easy to talk to can shift a mood and create a great learning environment!

11. Professional
Although the best teachers are personable, they are also professional. They will conduct lessons in a quiet, tidy, and pleasant environment. They will be reliable and prompt and will create a safe space. And finally, they will have reasonable policies, which they state clearly when you sign up for lessons.

12. Passionate
The right teacher will be passionate about listening to, playing, and teaching music. Of course!

13. Summarizes
There will be times when you’ll feel overwhelmed or forgetful regarding all you’ve learned in a lesson. The best teacher will anticipate this and will recap each lesson and leave you with a doable practice plan.

14. Has a command of music theory
Depending on your skill level and goals, you’ll need to learn anywhere from a little to a lot of music theory. That calls for a teacher who knows what theory is appropriate to introduce at a given time and who can explain it clearly.

15. Able to play by ear
Your ideal teacher has a keen ear and can play the music (s)he hears. As a bonus, your fabulous teacher can help you with ear training!

16. Familiar with a variety of styles of music
The broader your teacher’s musical experience, the more she or he will be able to move with you when you grow. No one can be an expert in every kind of music, but the best teacher will appreciate a broad range of sounds. Choose a teacher who can both expose you to new things and help you in your creative ventures.

17. Creative
Of all the things to look for in a guitar teacher, creativity may be the one that’s most ignored or underrated. Sure, you expect a guitar teacher to be able to express their own music creatively. But have you considered how creative teaching can be? If your teacher gets stuck every time you haven’t practiced sufficiently or have trouble understanding something, it won’t be long before you’re stuck, too. Creative teachers find plenty of different ways to keep things moving!

18. Musically literate
Even if you never want to know how to read or write standard musical notation, it’s beneficial for your teacher to be able to.

19. Tech savvy
Although your guitar teacher doesn’t need advanced technical skills on the computer, they should be comfortable with a few basics. You’ll probably want your instructor to create, send, and receive files, as well as easily search for songs and information. It’s also beneficial to have the option of online guitar lessons, even if you usually meet in person. The days of having to miss a lesson due to a flat tire, a road trip, or a pesky cold are over!

20. Body Aware
To be a healthy guitarist, you’ll need to use your body in a way that promotes longevity and avoids injury. A good guitar teacher understands the principles of anatomy and technique and can guide you toward correct body use.

21. Balanced
Want to learn a lot and enjoy the process? You’ll want a guitar teacher who challenges you while simultaneously supporting and encouraging you. A good teacher knows how to help you stretch without becoming overwhelmed. When you’re venturing into new territory, you will be grateful for—and do better with—a good dose of encouragement. And when you’ve pushed hard for a while, your teacher will help you loosen up and come into balance.

22. Personalized
The best thing about private lessons is that they can meet your individual needs. You can probably determine which potential guitar teachers have a one-size-fits-all approach in your first interview. If they do, it doesn’t mean their approach won’t fit you—but make sure the fit is a natural one.

23. Excited about your victories
The best teacher points out your successes and celebrates them as the great accomplishments they are. I am genuinely excited when a student has a breakthrough—even a small one. Don’t you want someone to celebrate with?

24. Expert in technique
Good technique is essential in the beginning stages of guitar playing. As you progress in your playing and want to develop speed and clarity, you’ll experience the value of it even more. Taking lessons from an accomplished professional guitar teacher is a way to ensure proper technique. You can learn poor technique on your own. You don’t need a teacher for that.

25. Meets you where you are
Using materials that are appropriate to your goals and skill level is important, but that’s not all you want to consider. Does your instructor find out what you actually did on your guitar since your last lesson? If so, do they respond in a positive and productive manner, regardless of the answer? If your teacher is only teaching lessons based on what they assigned and not what you actually did, (s)he won’t be able to an create an effective lesson plan on the spot. In addition, you are more likely to feel performance pressure!

You may have noticed that I didn’t include anything on my list about the styles of music you prefer. Likewise, I haven’t focused on whether your teacher is versed in acoustic or electric guitar. That’s because if a teacher meets all of the criteria on my list, they should be able to help you with any music you want to play. But if there’s a particular technique, genre, or style of music that you’re passionate about, by all means add that to your personal list. Just don’t neglect the other qualities in favor of that one. If you’re persistent, you may find the teacher who has them all!

When All the Boxes Aren’t Checked

What if you can’t find a teacher who meets all of the criteria I’ve laid out? Or, what if you already have a guitar teacher you like but doesn’t have all of the traits on the list? After all, it is a long list! If you like your teacher and feel that they’re a good fit, you may be in the right place. You will still need to fill in some gaps, though. Fortunately, there’s a great way to do that.

Start by answering the questions on this page. If you’re working with someone who is a good guitar teacher but unable to help you meet all the criteria for each group, you’ll be directed to ways you can get the knowledge yourself. (For the most complete collection of tutorials that assist with the skills listed, go here.)

Want to Work with Me?

I’d love to work with you, too, I’m sure! Unfortunately, I can’t fit everyone who requests lessons into my schedule on a weekly basis. But there’s good news! I’ve created some great options to the weekly format, and they make it possible to meet with you!

You can read about those options here. I also have some suggestions to help you in your decision.

If you’re an experienced guitar player, regardless of your skill level, it’s possible that meeting once or twice a month will work well for you. In fact, depending on your unique needs, you might even find that a single consultation changes everything! Email me and tell me about your experience and your goals. I’ll respond promptly and together we can determine the best option for you.

If you’re a beginner, I recommend you find a teacher who meets as many of the qualifications on my list as possible. Sign up and get started—but give yourself an advantage by reading (and rereading) You & Your Guitar. It’s the best way to learn how to gain the most from your lessons and your practice time. Get in the habit of using the DAILY regularly to stay inspired, make and maintain high quality lesson plans, and optimize progress. Then use the lessons in the Virtual Studio to supplement what you learn with your guitar teacher.

When you enter the Virtual Studio as a beginner, the first thing you’ll want to do is check out the Level I course. You can learn all of the most important foundational skills you need in those tutorials. There are even more lessons available within each level, though, so don’t neglect those. As you progress, you’ll find tutorials to help with each level.

The lessons in the Virtual Studio cover all levels, so whether you’re a beginning, intermediate, or advanced player, you should give it a try. I refer to the tutorials in it often in my teaching, so you’ll probably want to sign up if you’re going to book time with me. You’ll definitely get more out of your lessons!

Write to me!

When you’re ready for my input, email me. Let me know what you’re doing, how you feel about it, and where you want to go next with your guitar. At that point we can set up one or more lessons or consultations to help you put a shine on your guitar playing experience!

If this is your first introduction to me, you can get a more proper introduction on this page. Also, you can find out what my students think about me and their lessons on the homepage, lessons page, and testimonials page.