Trying to learn guitar from YouTube vs paying for a real teacher - which actually held me back more?

I spent about 6 months trying to teach myself guitar using free YouTube lessons. I got pretty good at copying songs but couldnt really play with anyone else or improvise. Then I paid $40 a week for 8 lessons with a real teacher and it felt like I learned more about actually understanding music in that time. But I also see people online who got amazing just from free stuff. Idk, maybe it depends on what you want out of it. Anyone else feel like one path killed their motivation more than the other?

3 comments

3 Comments

lindag3320d ago

Wait, have you ever thought about how the format itself changes how your brain processes the music? YouTube is great for watching and copying, but it's all passive. A live teacher forces you to think on your feet, which is why your improv got better so fast. The free people who got amazing probably already had some musical background or were just way more patient with themselves. For me, the real killer was getting stuck in a loop of easy songs and never pushing past that comfort zone. So maybe the real question is how each path messes with your head differently, not just your wallet.

jenny4720d ago

Free YouTube stuff let me stay stuck way longer than a teacher ever would have.

michaeld4819d ago

Hold up, you're saying free stuff literally rewires your brain worse than paying for lessons lol?