Finding the right guitar teacher can make or break your progress. Colin learned this lesson firsthand as a teenager, and the advice he got from a working musician back then still holds up decades later. In this guitar practice lesson, he shares what to look for — and what to avoid — when choosing someone to learn from.
Ask Them to Play Something
When Colin was 17 or 18, he approached a guitarist he admired after a club gig and offered a generous sum for lessons. The player couldn’t take him on — he was always on the road — but he left Colin with advice that shaped his entire teaching philosophy.
The advice was this: before you sign up for lessons, ask the teacher to play you something they enjoy. Watch them play. Does their style appeal to you? Do they play the kind of music you want to learn? If what they’re playing doesn’t excite you, they’re probably not the right fit, no matter how qualified they are on paper.
Then, if you like what you hear, sign up for a few lessons to see if they can actually teach you what they know. Being a great player and being a great teacher aren’t the same thing.
You Need to Click With Them
The personal connection matters. You need someone whose sense of humor you can relate to, whose communication style makes sense to you, and who treats you with respect regardless of your current level. Colin has had older students question whether a younger teacher could help them — but age doesn’t determine teaching ability. What matters is whether the two of you connect.
Colin eventually had to drive 50 miles to find a teacher he clicked with. It took time and multiple attempts. That’s normal — don’t settle for the first option if it doesn’t feel right.
Avoid the Book-Only Teacher
A teacher who relies entirely on method books is a red flag — especially for beginner guitar players who need hands-on guidance. Colin has strong feelings about the old Alfred and Mel Bay guitar books — they focused on first-position single-note melodies like “She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain” before ever getting to chords and strumming. The theory coverage was weak, and they ignored the upper register entirely.
A good teacher should be playing with you, not just pointing at pages. Music gets passed from person to person through shared playing. That’s how you develop feel, timing, and the dozens of subtle skills that a book can’t teach. If your teacher isn’t jamming with you regularly, you’re missing the most valuable part of the learning experience.
Beware the Song-Only Teacher Too
On the flip side, a teacher who only teaches songs without any theory or technique instruction will turn you into what Colin calls “an educated parrot.” You’ll be able to play specific songs, but you won’t understand why those songs work or how to create anything on your own.
The best teachers balance both — they use songs to teach concepts, they play along with you, and they make sure you understand the scales and theory behind the music. That combination produces players who can think for themselves.
What Good Teaching Looks Like
Colin teaches in groups of three or four when possible, creating a band-style environment. He’ll sit down for focused theory work when needed, but most of the time he’s playing alongside his students — on guitar, bass, or even drums. That immersive approach builds musicianship in ways that one-on-one, book-based instruction simply can’t.
Whether you’re searching for your first teacher or thinking about switching, trust your instincts. Find someone who plays what you want to play, who can actually teach you how they do it, and who makes the process feel like music — not homework.