Why You Should Consult a Teacher Before Buying a Guitar
Would a private or public school be comfortable sending their students to local book stores to choose their own books and course materials, not knowing what kinds of materials they would return with?
Of course not! Likewise, it only seems reasonable for a music teacher to take action in providing well-crafted and easily playable instruments for their students. This is not an area that a teacher or parent should leave to chance, especially given the consequences of a poorly playing instrument.
As a private music teacher I was frustrated with the quality and playability of the instruments that many of my students had. They were difficult to use and interfered with the lessons and consequently the students private practice time. Obviously, these instruments hindered the development of the students potential. It was like construction workers or mechanics having to use cheap tools, they just wouldn't hold up and slowed or prevented the completion of the job. Or it was like trying to meet an important deadline and all you had to work with was an old, slow computer with outdated software. The frustration of using these kinds of tools is that they impede the quality of the work and sometimes prevent it altogether.
When contrasted with the results of using poor quality tools, the solution seems quite simple . . . GET BETTER TOOLS! But what happens if you don't know that you have poor quality tools because you've never experienced the work before? Or if you have experienced it you may think that it's just the way it is. Chances are you will not want to stay with that kind of work even though you had a great desire for it before you were exposed to the use of the tools.
It is just these very circumstances that led me on a search to find good quality instruments for my students that were very playable and adjustable. This has been a great benefit for the students, the parents, as well as for me in my role as a teacher because the lessons could be used for helping the students discover their potential and abilities rather than readjusting their instruments. In their private practice time they could focus on enjoying their music, not fighting frustration and their instrument.
A dedicated private music teacher can be sensitive to the learning styles of his or her students and provide plenty of encouragement and guidance, but they can rarely help them in selecting an appropriate instrument without personally selling instruments or going with them to make a purchase. For this very reason we feel it is not only very appropriate but even necessary to provide instruments that are easy to play, affordable, and exciting.
