Guitar teacher is taking a short hiatus

[HomespunEffects]

My guitar teacher has been getting some pretty awesome gigs lately. This usually takes him away for lesson day and he appoints a substitute. It’s worked out and i also like the subs.

His upcoming gig is going to be beyond a one day thing (more like 5 weeks) and he asked if i wanted to go with the subs. After thinking about it for a couple days, I decided to join him in the hiatus. I’m super busy at work and just so tired. Honestly, I haven’t put 100% into lessons since work started up in March.

The problem is, lessons are the only thing keeping me playing new stuff and the only drive that I have to learn songs beyond simply playing them. I have a feeling that I will become lazy and maybe not bother joining up again.

He’s the best teacher that I’ve ever had and he’s very kind, I’d hate to lose my spot permanently but i also know myself. Lack of motivation has always kept me from doing/completing things. I’m admittedly lazy and this break from weekly lessons may just be the end of it.

I’m not sure why I’m telling you this.

 

[Fishbulb]

I feel ya - I was taking Zoom lessons a few years back with a someone I really dug both as a teacher and a person, but I work full-time, play in multiple bands, have gigs every week and at the time, my mom's health was declining and I needed to be around to help with that as well. I felt really, really bad about it at the time but I had to stop. After teaching for a while now myself, I can confirm that a pause like this is a very natural, common thing - even the young kids I teach seem like they have a packed schedule and things have to get moved off the plate sometimes.

One big conclusion I've come to is that after a while, lessons with someone who's a good teacher not only teach you songs, scales, concepts etc, but also how to teach yourself stuff. This is probably the most empowering part of the whole thing. If you've got a hiatus coming up but still want to keep making progress, keep working on songs and concepts you've worked on previously with your teacher and see if you can expand on them even more, or apply concepts and practice methods to new things you want to learn. Hard to say much else because I don't know what you've been working on or your goals but if you've been taking lessons for a while, deep down you might know more what to do to keep at it than you think.

Also, maybe I'm reading a little too into your post, but if your lessons were the only thing keeping you playing new stuff and the only thing giving you drive to learn, it might be a good idea to think about your mindset towards them and playing in general. This plus the "busy at job, tired" comment makes me wonder if guitar and practice has become an more of an obligation subconsciously?

 

[mbenigni]

I have a feeling that I will become lazy and maybe not bother joining up again.

There are some simple ways to "put a pin in it", so to speak. For instance, you could pay him in advance for a few lessons on his return, so that simple business etiquette compels him to give you a nudge when that time comes?

 

[HomespunEffects]

… maybe I'm reading a little too into your post, but if your lessons were the only thing keeping you playing new stuff and the only thing giving you drive to learn, it might be a good idea to think about your mindset towards them and playing in general. This plus the "busy at job, tired" comment makes me wonder if guitar and practice has become an more of an obligation subconsciously?

I think the biggest part of his effect on me is in his ability to introduce me to music I’d never have otherwise been exposed to. He picks something for me to analyze for a reason, usually to have me discover one of the concepts we’d previously talked about.

I generally don’t just let the radio play or let “the algorithm” pick music for me because it’s mostly pap and I shut it off.

 

[HomespunEffects]

There are some simple ways to "put a pin in it", so to speak. For instance, you could pay him in advance for a few lessons on his return, so that simple business etiquette compels him to give you a nudge when that time comes?

Ah, you know me very well. That would motivate me, just the simple outlay of money.

 

[mbenigni]

Ah, you know me very well. That would motivate me, just the simple outlay of money.

And it motivates the teacher - incentivizing him to contact you as needed, and ensuring the process moves forward when the time is right.

 

[Fishbulb]

I think the biggest part of his effect on me is in his ability to introduce me to music I’d never have otherwise been exposed to. He picks something for me to analyze for a reason, usually to have me discover one of the concepts we’d previously talked about.

I generally don’t just let the radio play or let “the algorithm” pick music for me because it’s mostly pap and I shut it off.

That's awesome! Maybe he can load up a playlist for you to work on during the break?