Guitar Resources
Have you ever just recently discovered a great guitar player, only to find out that they have been around forever and you are just now finding out about it?
The Guitar Resources Page is where you can find links to top notch guitar videos, links to top notch guitar instructors, links to music colleges, and resource links to good books, studies, and courses.
I will continue to add more resources as I come across them. If you have suggestions, please let me know. I would love to check out anything that you feel would add value to the page.
Jimsuttonisg@gmail.com
I have selected 4 topics to initially focus on for the Guitar Resources Page. Great Guitar Videos, Great Instructional Videos, Guitar Schools, and Home Study Programs. All of these topics are of particular interest to the guitarist, or future guitarist that is interested in finding where they can get information to further their education.
The Great Guitar Videos is more for the “wow” factor, inspiration, and to get some ideas. The others are straight up instructional resources.
Great Guitar Videos
Great Guitar Videos are links to exceptional guitar players, or great guitar solos. This is not limited to any particular style, so how much you agree or disagree with the selections might depend on your personal preference. For example, if you are a blues player and you are checking out a heavy metal guitarist, even though you might not care for the music I hope you can find an appreciation for the skill level and creativity. If you are a heavy metal player, please don’t close your mind off to watching a country picker. There are excellent guitarists in every field. Watching top notch players can spark great ideas, give you insight, and be motivational. It can make you think of things from a different angle.
Great Instructional Videos
Great Instructional Videos are links to some of the better YouTube instructors and their videos. These are instructors that I have watched on YouTube and got some value from. I have either learned something that will help me with my own students, or just flat out learned something new! All of these instructors are very talented at playing and communicating. In other words, these instructors are not trying to talk over you and wow you with how sensational their own knowledge and skill is, but rather are really interested in you helping you learn and understand what they are presenting.
Guitar Schools
Guitar Schools are links to schools and universities that offer music programs for guitar players. I briefly studied at the Conservatory of Music at the University of Arizona, and at Berklee College of Music in Boston. At the time, both were excellent schools but very different. I think college is great even if you are not planning on a teaching career. That’s a hot topic with many players who feel schooling is unnecessary. Even so, it helped me and I am glad I went through it. It was a super opportunity to play with a wide variety of musicians, to network, and get a grip on possibilities that I would not have been aware of otherwise.
Learn Guitar at Home
Home Study has links to guitar studies that you can study at home and at your own pace. I have included links to my own courses here as well. I can vouch for my own studies as being high quality, thorough, and successful in guiding students to learn or improve their guitar playing. The other links are reference links that I have selected based on the reputation of the instructor or the demo information they provide.
Home study requires self discipline to stay on task. Beginners often think that they are going to pick up the guitar and it is going to be easy. The truth is that there really is a big jump up in your abilities and knowledge right at first. That is true as you pick up any instrument for the first time, but that learning spurt will plateau out as you reach a point where your skills need to develop in order to go much further. It is at that point where it is easy to get discouraged and put the guitar down. You need to have self discipline to push on through. Keep in mind why you picked it up in the first place. Some courses will offer you support and give you feed back and guidance. Most will let you travel at your own pace.
There is nothing wrong with taking a home study course and taking private guitar instruction at the same time. Both have advantages and disadvantages. A home study course can delve deeper into the nuts and bolts of music whereas a private instructor is limited by the 1/2 hour lesson that you take with them every week, or every other week. On the other hand, a private instructor can immediately see your strengths and weaknesses and can be an inspiration to you which helps keep you motivated.
Guitar Resources
Home Study:
Jim Sutton Institute of Guitar : Beginner Course, Music Theory Course for Guitar, Modal Course for Guitar
For information, costs, etc., on Local and Online Instruction via Skype/Facetime: https://guitarlessonsspring.net
Great Guitar Videos:
Tommy Emmanuel: Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Great Guitar Instructional Videos:
Keith Wyatt: Great Blues Instructor
Josh Smith Blues Fusion Guitar Masterclass