Today I decided to take a break from much needed guitar lessons

[tallcoolone]

I tried a bunch of different picks for probably the first 20 years until I found what really works for me. The past 20 years it’s been Dunlop nylon -.88mm for electric and .73 for acoustic. They’ve got the right amount of texture to be grippy for me. I still have some of the others around that I hand out to students in need. Picks really are trial and error. Fortunately they’re inexpensive

Picks can def change your technique. I just got hooked on these giant thick Winspear picks on the right here. Used Dunlop nylon 1.0mm for decades. Really helps relieve strain I’ve found and much easier to keep a comfortable hold on. But cheap they are not lol.

 

[G the wildman]

Someone resurrected this thread with a like. So I thought that I would update you.

I found a new tutor and the good news is he very enthusiastic about music.

He plays live and does stuff for TV and film. He also has teacher status. Even better we get on well.

So I am up running with lessons again.

Thanks again to everyone for your help.

G

 

[thesunship]

Today after a frustrating lesson I decided to take a break from lessons.

My current Tutor is an excellent teacher and outstanding player. But he has big expectations of me and I am letting him down. His expectations are largely based on the high number of hours that I practice each week and he believes that I am not practicing properly because I am unable to do the tasks he sets me. He has showed me so many things that I recon it would take me a year to go through them without another lesson.

One of his main frustrations is that I do not pick hard enough. He wants me to hit the strings really hard, so much so that my guitars needed setting up again as I am producing frett buzz.

Do I really need to pick hard, if so why have previous teachers not mentioned it. Obviously there is more to it than that, but he tells me in a band context that I will not be heard. But surely I turn my amp up.

I know he must be right he has taught for decades and played professionally at a high level. But I am just confused with the situation and my confidence is dropping.


How do you play - do you stroke the strings or hit them hard.

The style of music he was prepping me for was rock and blues.


G

I don't know your past teacher of course but to me it sounds like he was trying to get you to play like him and that's not really the way to teach. Give ideas, enthusiasm, and encourage experimentation, of course. In the end, you have to let the student find out what he likes and what he naturally gravitates to physically and emotionally. Glad you found someone else who inspires you.