Teaching Guitar in Philadelphia
Technique and Theory:
Why they are so important in guitar playing
Learning to play the guitar can be an extremely enjoyable task. There are many small details to learn in order to express oneself on an instrument. The key is for a student to learn or be taught in increments and have the material broken down for him or her in a manner, which will enable the individual to have success as well as fun while studying. Taking guitar lessons in Philadelphia can be a fun and adventurous process if you find the right teacher to guide you.
Good technique is essential for a player of any level. It enables the player to actually get music out of the instrument. A personʼs technique refers to the way they hold the guitar, the placement of both hands on their instrument, the amount of pressure used by oneʼs hands in order to produce sound. Technique also refers to different types of methods used play guitar whether by hands, or pick-style, bending strings, slides up and down the fretboard, etc.
Music theory is the realm or area of music whereby one learns and applies the key ideas and concepts, which explain, and show a musician why music works as it does. It provides understanding so the player doesn’t feel lost or incapable of being able to master songs or even create their own form of music.
If you are taking guitar lessons, ask yourself this question: am I learning to play songs or am I learning to play guitar? There are many who play guitar for the sole purpose of learning songs by other artists and then there are those who advance their skills by focusing on a technique and theory based approach. It is a constant battle in the teaching of guitar, technique versus songs.
Many students have the same problem; they can play a few songs but have no understanding of what they are doing and then they feel like they’ve hit a brick wall. It is a very common plateau that many self-taught guitarists hit. Students who try to teach themselves typically do not possess the knowledge of what techniques need to be covered. They learn what they want to learn which can create playing habits that become very difficult to break.
This doesn’t mean that students should only play technical material such as an endless array of scales. However, as a student develops, they need to incorporate technique and theory into their practice, just as any musician does. In order to understand technique and theory, taking guitar lessons can be very beneficial. A good guitar instructor can recognize what level a student is at so that they can teach and guide them at a level they can comprehend.
At the David Joel Guitar Studio, we teach our students the fundamentals of good, solid technique and music theory and its application, which enable them to progress and improve in a manner which gives them greater physical strength and higher abilities with which to create and learn.