Lack of Guitar Progress Part 2

The Dangers and Downfalls of "Songs Only" Lesson Formats.

Many instructors teach guitar with the format of simply showing students what they want to play.
Why this method? People inherently have misconceptions about guitar, and about the process of learning the guitar, people (students, and parents) relate progress and quick gratification on the guitar to being able to play bits of their favourite songs. Many instructors oblige this by teaching in this method only. This might seem like the best method in the quick short term, but in the long term it clearly spells disaster and a large loss of invested money.
Why is this? Well for many reasons, and I am speaking in this sense for people with modest to serious goals on the guitar, meaning they want to become a good player.
1) Learning the guitar is like learning to be able to build a house, you need to learn to use the proper tools to be able to build whatever you like. When you are shown songs only, you are not learning proper tools (fundamentals like proper technique, different techniques, etc...)
2) When you are learning "songs only" you are not learning in a methodical chain of lessons, learning to build on what you were previously shown.
3) Let's say you are a fan of Metallica, and you would like to be able to play a particular solo to one of their songs. If the teacher shows you the notes, you still will never be able to play it properly because you are NOT SHOWN the proper way to improve your technique to that level to play it perfectly!
4) You are not being given theoretical knowledge to understand what you are being shown and how the music works. I am so fortunate to have the instruction I had when I started out, and having been shown how to develop proper technique, and having been taught theory as well. Because I was given the tools early on, I learned to use them to keep building on what I had. Students who learn with the "songs only" method will never have that opportunity (unless they try different instruction.)
5. Society is generally subject to misconceptions all the time, and learning guitar is one of them. If you look around, EVERYONE owns a guitar, yet there are so few really good players!

In conclusion, if this is your chosen method, evaluate yourself, are you happy with your progress? Many people do not give themselves a self-evaluation, really ask yourself about your progress. Here's another simple one: If you have been taking lessons for over 2 years, here are a few things a good guitar player will be able to do:
a) Be able to spell out a major scale in any key.
b) Be able to play the 15 beginner chords on command.
c) Be able to play two or three note patterns on each string to eighth notes at 100 bpm (minimum)
d) Be able to perform half step and whole step bends and be in tune.
e) Be able to play at least one scale in any key over the whole fretboard.

If you have been taking lessons for more than two years, and you are not capable of doing this, it's time for some serious reflection.

See you next time for PART 3