Unwritten Law Guitarist: 'Take Lessons!'

Famous for their distinctive power punk sound, San Diego band Unwritten Law have been around since early 90s, but are best known for their 1999 single “Cailin.” Apart from music, Unwritten Law are know for their mayhem shows, problems with every record label they’ve been on and endless disputes within the band (there are 13 former band members!)

In 2006 the guys locked up in the studio to re-record old songs as well as two new tracks for their greatest hits compilation called “The Hit List,” again, coping with problems and scandals.

We caught up with guitarist Steve Morris to ask him what the band is up to before the release of their new record, get some tips on the best way to learn playing guitar and find out if the guys still fight with the bouncers at the concerts.

UG: You delayed the release of your new album “The Hit List” a few times, finally setting it for the 2nd January. On your website you say it was done because you “just wanted to get it right.” So was exactly “right” and what interrupted you?

Steve Morris: It was more or less things like making sure the mixes were all right. The recording is all done, so it’s just a matter of putting everything together.

When it comes to the release date, why not release the album a few days earlier, before Christmas and let your fans buy the CD as a Christmas present?

We didn’t want to release it before Christmas just because everybody else is releasing their CDs before Christmas. We want to get a better spot in the store and there won’t be as much competition.

Unlike most bands, you have spent a lot of time in the studio working on your album of greatest hits. Are there gonna be new interpretations of the songs?

Yeah… there are two of them. The song “Superman” is the one we totally redid – the verses are completely different now. It’s like a trip-out section. It’s really hard to describe it, you gotta hear it!

"We didn't want to release it before Xmas just because everybody else is releasing their CDs before Christmas."

Making “The Hit List” you were working with the producer Chris Baseford and then turned to Sean Beaven instead. What were the reasons for that?

They kicked us out of the studio! They had another band coming in. We were allowed a certain amount of time and we didn’t finish in that amount of time, so we had to go to another studio… That’s why!

What guitars were you using recording “The Hit List”?

Mainly Les Paul’s… I used a 1967 Gibson ES 335 for a lot of the stuff. I also used baritone guitars. I used this really crappy guitar called Norma that I got from this place that I teach at. It’s named after Norma Jean. This is a really terrible sounding guitar, but there was one part where it sounded really cool.

Where exactly?

Actually the song is not on the album… it didn’t make it on!

So it wasn’t worth it!

Yeah, exactly! But the tone of it – it’s just one of those ugly gross sounding guitar which is just cool.

What about the amps?

I used everything… Diezel, Marshalls… all kinds of stuff!

Endorsements?

My biggest endorsements are Gibson and Mesa.

Learning to play guitar, were you looking for guitar tabs or tried to play by ear? And what is the right way to learn to play guitar in your opinion?

My opinion is – take lessons! Learning to play guitar I took lessons, I got really deep in material and music reading. Learning guitar I actually learned about the guitars, not just learned how to play songs. That let me to write songs and do all kinds of stuff that my friends couldn’t do just because they didn’t know how to do it. So, you have to take lessons! But when it comes to the tabs, I think definitely it’s better to learn by ear than just look at a tab ‘cause it makes you think and find notes on the guitar. You get more familiar with it and learn how the guitar works. But it’s really hard to do it and you gotta have somebody to help you along.

"Learning guitar I actually learned about the guitars, not just how to play songs."

Do you still take lessons or do you still practice yourself?

I still take lessons. I actually teach lessons myself now – it’s kind of taking lessons myself when I’m teaching. That makes me think of things that I haven’t even looked for or thought for year and years. So this way I’m taking lessons myself!

On your track list one of the new songs’ titles is missing. There are rumors that the name of the song is “Oblivion.” How far from the truth are they?

The song title is missing? Shouldn’t be…

At least your website says so…

Oh… it’s called “Welcome To Oblivion.” I have no idea, I don’t know why it’s not on the website…

Is the work on the album finished already or you’re still adding a “final touch”?

It’s done – mixed, mastered and everything.

I know you’re going to play a show in Arizona soon. What else are you doing at the moment?

We’re playing in San Diego in December 10th with AFI, My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday. We’re playing Bakersfield, CA on the 14th and then Detroit on New Years’.

Got any ideas what the CD cover gonna look like?

It’s like a target and a shooting rate with blood on it ‘cause it’s called “The Hit List.”

There’s been a number of line-up changes in the band over years. What is the relationship within the band members now?

It’s really good! Awesome!

In the late 90s your shows were mayhem. Doest the crowd still go crazy and did you manage to make the bouncers behave correctly?

We still have to deal with the bouncers, but not as much as we had to 10 years ago or even 5 year ago. The bouncers are pretty cool, but every once in a while you’re walking into one of those guys that just want to beat up kids. So deal with them, smack around if you have to. But no serious problems with the bouncers anymore. And the kids still go out, the concerts are still great!

"Kids, starting guitar playing, know what you're doing."

Are you planning a tour after the New Years to support the new album?

Yeah, we go out January 4th and do California for three weeks and then we do the rest of the states after that. So, it’s January, February, March.

It’s almost Christmas time. What do you want to get for Christmas?

It’s more fun to watch showing your presents ‘cause people get so stoked on it. I just want to give my kids presents, so I can laugh at them!

Is there anything I forgot to cover? Anything else I should have asked about?

I just wanna tell – kids, starting guitar playing, know what you’re doing, know why you’re doing it and think about how you’re playing it, why you’re playing it before you actually do it!

Would you tell a Christmas message to your fans?

Merry Freaking Christmas!

Good one!

Ultimate-Guitar.Com © 2006

Comments

[Cizzie]

Thanks for the tip

[CamPie]

sweet...too bad i cant afford lessons

[Mcassidy42]

I've never heard of the guy, and it seems like he is some huge guitar hero, wtf?

[simetrajh]

Steve Morris is a real good player dude's!

[berteth]

ive never heard of him...but i like his outlook on music/guitar. Learning by ear is always the best way, but the hardest, obviously. But having a teacher/mentor with you while you do it allows you to get better and actually do it (whenever i try i end up getting to frustrated and just quitting with it). Teachers are great, so get one if you dont have one!

[jsatch87]

stevenlogan wrote:

maybe you should get a job or something..? rob a bank, steal from a hooker with a penis MUAHAHAHAHAH **** it..

sweet tool reference

[james3208]

Whis i could afford lessons

[guitarboy34]

I can afford lessons but guess what? I don't have the access to them because i live in a smaller town and no one teaches advanced guitar.

[djnenm]

well... if you ive in the netherlands you can learn almost everywhere to play on the guitar so just move to the netherlands that's the best option....the Netherlands has the best taste in music and are still the best in making music

[frankv]

^ best in making music? then what about tropical danny & guillermo

[kerryking112]

I haven't heard of any good metal from the Netherlands...I hear of stuff from Sweden, Norway and Finland all the time. Any body know of any good metal out of the Netherlands?

[Rize]

stevenlogan wrote:

maybe you should get a job or something..? rob a bank, steal from a hooker with a penis MUAHAHAHAHAH **** it..

HahaTOOL

[weve]

I had a Norma acoustic

[electric7]

unwritten law is pretty cool

[Orange~Love]

that bull they are not punk rock

[Dallen_007]

Orange~Love wrote:

that bull they are not punk rock

ahh come on, don't start this. Can we leave the genre debates alone for once. Can't wait to hear the album by the way.

[Necronomicon]

I've been playing for 6 years and I've never taken lessons and I'm still better than everyone around me. Yeah that sounds cocky but it's true, lessons are probably a nice beginning but after that they shouldnt be necessary, music is your own thing and there won't always be someone there to push you. It's better to learn that early than late.

[Leeviva]

"take lessons!" yeah, if you want to be another clone and not develop your own technique & style. lessons are for the impatient.

[Alin Snagov]

Well yes and no, I mean... look at Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, they all took classes and are the creme de la creme.

[Mdragoon]

You don't need to take lessons if you're not an idiot when it comes to learning music theory. Theory is not hard at all, its just a right brain meets left brain thing. If you practice for more than 3 hours a day, know what and why you're playing what you're playing, and look to the greats and why they're great and not just copy them. Its not the lessons that made them great, its the dedication and constant non-stop practice that makes vai, satriani, and petrucci who they are. You don't need to pay 30 bucks for a half hour of learning the C major scale. It takes a certain amount of introvertedness and intelligence to know music. So if you're dumb, you better work harder.

[incubus1982]

I been playing for a few years and just started taking lessons now cause I wanted to branch out and learn jazz from a real jazz player. If you just want to do the rock thing I think you can be fine on your own. One thing I have realized with taking lessons after you can already play is that you can see your teacher for what he really is. He's not going to really wow you. You both can just cut thru the bs and just become a better guitar player. Im lucky and take lessons from a guy that teaches some of the the other teachers at the same place and its made a huge difference for me personally,but I understand the debate either way.

[incubus1982]

Another thing..even if you do take lessons, never stop learning on your own. Still rip thru the internet for lessons and tabs and whatever else you can find that will help you. Dont take every word from your teacher like its absolute..obviously things like theory are absolute but notice when your teacher is stating only his opinion on things. People naturally (but especially us guitar players) are full of ourselves and like to state our own opinons on things alot. Respect the guy but he's not jesus

[Green_Jelly]

kerryking112 wrote:

I haven't heard of any good metal from the Netherlands...I hear of stuff from Sweden, Norway and Finland all the time. Any body know of any good metal out of the Netherlands?

Callenish Circle, Gorefest, God Dethroned, Altar, Katafalk, Polluted Inheritance, Paralysis.

[that1l)ude]

on the whole teacher thing, i understand not everyone has the money too (although thats really theyre fault anyway), but it doesnt make you dumb if you have a teacher. and teachers, or a good one anyways, will not make you learn their style. its basically just another way of finding out information that you dont already know, and to correct what youre doing wrong.

[whocares09]

i self taught myself for a year (been playing 3) and even tho ive been taking lessons i still read thru books n magazines n such, and its helped a lot. i find having a teacher usefull if you have a particular question about something and cant find answers in books, like stuff about performing and set up n such

[Blackbullet]

Its only worth getting a teacher if you can find a good one. A good teacher won't try and lecture you endlessly and make you learn what they want you to learn- I think thats why alot of people are so against being taught and give this 'if you need to be taught you dont have the passion' or whatever else bs kids come up these days.
Having a teacher isnt a handicap, its a tool to aid you to progress as a player/musician.
As people have said, even if youre being taught, that doesnt mean you cant stop learning on your own- you don't need to be all 'grand master' about it.

Checked.

[Admiral Petty]

Blackbullet wrote:

Its only worth getting a teacher if you can find a good one. A good teacher won't try and lecture you endlessly and make you learn what they want you to learn- I think thats why alot of people are so against being taught and give this 'if you need to be taught you dont have the passion' or whatever else bs kids come up these days.
Having a teacher isnt a handicap, its a tool to aid you to progress as a player/musician.
As people have said, even if youre being taught, that doesnt mean you cant stop learning on your own- you don't need to be all 'grand master' about it.

Totally agree. Some of the other comments have been retarded, nothing wrong with taking lessons. Saying people are dumb or will be clones from taking them is retarded and just plain ignorant. My teacher has a ton of students, and we all have distinctly different styles and interests, he just helps give us the tools to do what we want, and I personally hate studying music theory in books, a teacher explains things much faster with less time spent on the subject. If it helps you progress faster as a musician, why not use it, being all high and mighty about it will just slow you down.

[x_xthirteenx_x]

Lessons can be great! Even more so when you are just starting off so you don't develop bad fingering techniques and other bad habbits. Its good to get the basics down from someone who is properly trained and experienced in my opinion.

[darlingjones]

Lessons aren't necessary, some of the most talented guitarists have never had 1 lesson or don't know jack about guitar. Case in point Omar Rodriguez from The Mars Volta, or Angus Young from AC/DC.

[cmart227]

dissagree 100 percent about taking lessons...in my personal opinion, if you are taught by someone, that person is teachin you to play alike them, and you will always play like your teacher whether you try to or not. This takes away much creativity as you will always play something that is "supposed to fit" if you are jammin with someone

[milky17]

hey he mentioned touring the states all through jan feb nd march but not about comin 2 aus in feb!!wats up with that

[devilscruffs14]

Necronomicon wrote:

I've been playing for 6 years and I've never taken lessons and I'm still better than everyone around me. Yeah that sounds cocky but it's true, lessons are probably a nice beginning but after that they shouldnt be necessary, music is your own thing and there won't always be someone there to push you. It's better to learn that early than late.

yeah i agree with this.

i've only been playing 2 years (without lessons), and im already better than kids who have been playing 7 or 8 years (with lessons). i know it sonds bitchy and cocky but its true.

[Oasis-fanatic]

djnenm wrote:

well... if you ive in the netherlands you can learn almost everywhere to play on the guitar so just move to the netherlands that's the best option....the Netherlands has the best taste in music and are still the best in making music

shut up

[Lord_Xian]

Alin Snagov wrote:

Well yes and no, I mean... look at Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, they all took classes and are the creme de la creme.

Herman Li from dragonforce pwns all them for speed at least, and probably a lot of improv. Lessons teach you to read music on a guitar, same with all music lessons, these are music teachers teaching through and instrument, with a few songs you like to keep you contect. Just get a metronome and hit your own licks for hours a day and learn yourself, dont just be a second rate version of your teacher. Those who can do, those who can't, teach.

[sohter]

i took classes for years and its all jus the same common sense, begginners jus take some basics and jus let the music flow make up your own rules on wats the right way to play make the guitar your own.

[iccilicus]

Take lessons to learn the basics. That way you don't develop bad habits. Then, if you feel that you're no longer benefitting from them, quit and continue learning on your own.
But also, when you're taking lessons, you don't have to just play/learn what the teacher tells you to... do a bit of your own stuff as well.

[Hally1]

Look you guys who say you have never had lessons but are better than those who do, wake up. I'm sure a few, very few, of you are actually better. That happens. But also remember that people who don't take lessons usually don't know how much they don't know! You may be able to play faster - you may be able to play hendrix, satriani etc, but the people who take lessons know how much you are missing out on! How a whole world of knowledge is being denied to you because you think tou're better off learning off the internet! Many experienced players who take lessons get annoyed that their tab loving friends can play songs before them - but ask those tab lovers to play a C note, and they say, "What do you need to know that for?" Now I know that's an extreme example, but you see it at all levels - if you've been taking lessons. If you haven't, you're blind to it - you don't know any different. I have no doubt that for a small minority, doing your own thing is best. But let's not pretend that you would know if it isn't.

[Kurt123]

lmao after he says merry freaking christmas the guy says GOOD ONE! -_-

[Tom Cools]

djnenm wrote:

well... if you ive in the netherlands you can learn almost everywhere to play on the guitar so just move to the netherlands that's the best option....the Netherlands has the best taste in music and are still the best in making music

Sure, this is a good example off the big *ss attitude Dutch fools have.. :p

[LORD V4DER]

How about you don't listen to some washed up guitarist for a shitty no-name 90's band and learn whichever way you feel like learning? You can be just as good without lessons as with them.

[Admiral Petty]

cmart227 wrote:

dissagree 100 percent about taking lessons...in my personal opinion, if you are taught by someone, that person is teachin you to play alike them, and you will always play like your teacher whether you try to or not. This takes away much creativity as you will always play something that is "supposed to fit" if you are jammin with someone

Yeah, you have obviously never taken lessons before, and if you did your teacher sucked, I play nothing alike my teacher, aside from the fact that we both make an E Chord and other chords the same way. As for all of you saying you are better than your friends who take lessons, your friends must not be very dedicated to guitar. I have several friends who have been playing guitar for 5 years or more, and I am already surpassing them after one year of lessons. And those who can teach guitar also, like Satriani for instance, plus, Herman Li isn't as great as most think, don't get me wrong, I love some of him and Totman's stuff, but their music isn't really that complex, just played really fast. In the end, good guitarists have been self taught as well as taught by others. Different things work for different people, but saying that either being taught or not being taught will cripple a guitarist's creativity is just retarded.

[Anarion614]

Alin Snagov wrote:

Well yes and no, I mean... look at Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, they all took classes and are the creme de la creme.

they took lessons and ran with it. they were/are dedicated...a lot of kids expect lessons to do all the work for them, not true at all, you have to work just as hard as people not taking lessons to get true results.

[tlfdfirefighter]

well just look at kirk hammet, he got guitar lessons from Joe Satriani (so I have heard) and just look at him now, he has really got his own style, and it is completely oppisite of Joe's. Although they both fill their music with musicianship. So lessons are what you what you make them and don't nessesary make you into the same musician as your teacher, although learning yourself you will make you create your own style faster as lessons will make you find your style down the road. You have to find out how to put musicianship in your own music someone can't just give it to you. Lessons can give you good tips but still if you have the goal to become a good guitarists it is you that makes you one not your guitar teacher. I know one guy who is being taught by a good guitar teacher but he just doesn't have the want to constantly exceed so he isn's very good at it but then you look at some ppl with the want to constantly exceed and they find a way to constantly add ways to make their music into actual music.

[Mcassidy42]

Word admiral petty, pretty much everything I was gonna say (:

[ZEppelin1969]

i think its important to learn a solid foundation from a teacher, u kno barre chords, basic pentatonic scales, maybe let them give u a few guitarists to study but after uve got the basics u gotta move on and do ur own stuff and let urself play wat u wanna play not wat ur teacher wants

[caucasian_ninja]

Having a teacher is pretty much always a plus, but not in any way necessary. Having a teacher will give you a much more direct path to being better than most people would by teaching themselves (aided by your practice, and more and more direct depending on the teacher and your dedication, of course). Obviously, this isn't true for everyone though.

[JC 2K3]

I got beginner lessons when I started playing guitar which helped me learn basic chords etc. , then I quit and self taught myself for 2 years. I thought I was great, I was better than my friends, I could play solos from popular modern and classic rock songs, chord progressions from those songs etc.

But there comes a time when this simply isn't enough. I knew I wasn't progressing. All I was doing was learning songs when I felt like learning them and reading off tabs(I could read sheet music from playing recorder, but on guitar I barely knew what note was what on the fretboard) and wasn't able to improvise beyond the minor pentatonic first position.

So just under 2 years ago I got lessons, best decision I ever made re:guitar. My technique was VERY sloppy having taught myself, I wasn't using up and down strokes, I wasn't palm muting correctly, I wasn't using the right fingers to play notes etc.

Did having a teacher restrict my style? Eh... no..

I think people have the wrong idea when they think of a guitar teacher, perhaps having learnt boring stuff in basic lessons they think that this is what all lessons are like. At a certain level on guitar a (good) teacher does not say, "right, today I'm going to teach you.....", they say, "What do you want me to teach you?".

Also people in this thread who are anti-lessons seem to forget that lessons are generally 30 mins - an hour a week. Teachers don't supervise all your practice sessions or forbid you from practicing anything besides what they're teaching you. Right now I'm learning to be able to improvise more freely in my lessons, but it doesn't mean I can't write my own songs in my own time, it doesn't mean I can't come on UG and learn a load of solos I like for the fun of it.

I think the most important thing to remember here is lessons teach technique, but style is something that develops on its own.

[Guitar_Poet]

tlfdfirefighter wrote:

well just look at kirk hammet, he got guitar lessons from Joe Satriani (so I have heard) and just look at him now, he has really got his own style, and it is completely oppisite of Joe's.

lol, not completely opposite. i still year a lot of joe satriani in that guys' solos.

i take lessons too.

[timo1]

I take lessons and I still look up tabs and lesson and all that on the internet and books.I also teach myself.I theink lessons can be a bonus and help you to do what you need not want

Checked.

[65_Jaguar]

I think it's all got to do with how you personally learn. It's a proven fact that different people learn things in different ways, some do better with the guidance of another, some do better figuring things out on thier own. To say that you MUST get lessons is stupid. To say that lessons are bad or constricting is just as dumb. I personally never had guitar lessons, but I had TONNS of saxophone lessons, so I knew music theory before I started guitar. It wasn't a super pivotal aspect in my learning, but there's no denying that it helped me. So lessons aren't essential, but they can only make you better.

[tt44]

Herman Li from dragonforce pwns all them for speed at least, and probably a lot of improv.

Maybe for speed, but in my opinion he's a little sloppy live, at least compared to Satriani and Hammett.

[cowboysneverdie]

on the whole teacher thing, i understand not everyone has the money too (although thats really theyre fault anyway),

Are you kiddin me!!! Maybe when you grow up you may realize that not everything that happens in your life is under your control.their fault they don't have the money give me a f..kin break

[ChrisW-Ness2003]

I disagree - I've never had a guitar lesson and I'm a perfectly good guitarist. Maybe not the best, but I'm good enough to understand how a song is structured and write many myself.

[Graphix]

i believe that saying guitar lessons are bad is dumb. All they can do is help you people who teach themselves maybe better at first because they look up tabs and play songs but put that will stop after a while you will stop progressing. People who take lessons are going to be more technical in their approach. It still depends alot on their commitment. As for style everyone knows what they are comfortable with and will adapt to that. Unwritten Law isnt punk anyways they are emo!!!

[sp0ckr0cks]

Checked graphix, I've taken lessons for years. I still do simply because I know there are people who know more than me. I ain't stoppin' until I feel satisfied that I know everything I need to know. And in my opinion, and those of my fans, I do write some pretty damn technical stuff.

[sp0ckr0cks]

btw, those of you who think lessons make you play "alike" your teacher, you will play like your influences no matter what. A teacher is just a different kind of influence.

[Dewey1040]

You definately do not NEED lessons but they are helpfull, without you can take it at your own pace, with a teacher you will be pushed a little so you learn faster. but with Ultimate guitar alone you can learn everything you need so just research and practice and you will be fine.

Some of the most innovative guitarists didnt take lessons, Eddie Van Halen did not, and if i had to guess Jimi Hendrix didnt either, but i might be wrong with Jimi. You get your own style out of learning by yourself with a teacher you learn how you want just faster and poorer.

[atreyu+a7xfan]

iccilicus wrote:

Take lessons to learn the basics. That way you don't develop bad habits. Then, if you feel that you're no longer benefitting from them, quit and continue learning on your own.
But also, when you're taking lessons, you don't have to just play/learn what the teacher tells you to... do a bit of your own stuff as well.

I totally agree. When i first got my guitar, i didn't know shit. so i got some lessons and learned some basics, powerchords etc. But after a while ya just don't need lessons anymore. Your teacher will probably just end up teaching you things over again (my teacher stayed on powerchords for about 3 months, even though i had em down in a week or two.) I ended up gettin rid of my teacher and now i'm doin really great.

[atreyu+a7xfan]

Dewey1040 wrote:

and if i had to guess Jimi Hendrix didnt either, but i might be wrong with Jimi.

Yeah you are wrong. He didn't get like official lessons from a school or anything but he learned from his best friend or something, who was the opposite hand as Jimi. That's why he played his guitar backwards.

[DFH/CFH]

i dont like taking lessons cause it bores me. they will make you learn songs that you dont feel like playing and i know the songs are probally good songs to make you better but its not as fun when you could play the songs that influenced you to play guitar and you would get inspiration from playing those songs and once you start writing your own songs itll show what inspired you. and its not worth it to spend money on a teacher when he will just teach you scales and chords. i mean just get a chord chart take a music theory class in school or learn it watever way you want and then apply it to guitar. and its easy to find what the notes are on the guitar cause every fret down is just a half step down so if you know theory then you could find all the chords and scales and just practice em so then they will stick and you can still just play guitar the way you want.

[DFH/CFH]

atreyu+a7xfan wrote:

iccilicus wrote:

Take lessons to learn the basics. That way you don't develop bad habits. Then, if you feel that you're no longer benefitting from them, quit and continue learning on your own.
But also, when you're taking lessons, you don't have to just play/learn what the teacher tells you to... do a bit of your own stuff as well.


I totally agree. When i first got my guitar, i didn't know shit. so i got some lessons and learned some basics, powerchords etc. But after a while ya just don't need lessons anymore. Your teacher will probably just end up teaching you things over again (my teacher stayed on powerchords for about 3 months, even though i had em down in a week or two.) I ended up gettin rid of my teacher and now i'm doin really great.

ha he kept you on power chords for 3 months. you kno why... money

[Admiral Petty]

DFH/CFH wrote:

i dont like taking lessons cause it bores me. they will make you learn songs that you dont feel like playing and i know the songs are probally good songs to make you better but its not as fun when you could play the songs that influenced you to play guitar and you would get inspiration from playing those songs and once you start writing your own songs itll show what inspired you. and its not worth it to spend money on a teacher when he will just teach you scales and chords. i mean just get a chord chart take a music theory class in school or learn it watever way you want and then apply it to guitar. and its easy to find what the notes are on the guitar cause every fret down is just a half step down so if you know theory then you could find all the chords and scales and just practice em so then they will stick and you can still just play guitar the way you want.

Wow, if you had a teacher he was bad, my teacher encouraged me to play what I want. My teacher also teaches alot more than chords and scales. Such ignorance. Nothing wrong with using a teacher to speed things up, everybody learns things differently. Nothing is universal, so stop acting like it is. Also, for the record, my guitar teacher didn't keep me on powerchords for 3 months, only a bad teacher would do that.

[all hail the d]

I play mostly metal and my teacher is a jazz player, but even so it helps so much to have a teacher, so many of my friends who don't have a teacher have no real grasp of really basic stuff or any theory at all. A good teacher will encourage you to learn whatever you want and help you with it. I have only been playing for a year or so and I have pretty good grasp of theory ect. I think the whole argument about such and such famous person did/didn't have a guitar teacher, in the end its just about comittment and practice a teacher just helps you along the way and stops you from making basic mistakes while just learning or forming bad habits.

[veepirate]

i was in doubt of weather or not to get a teacher because i like you thought it would ruin my "guitar personality" so i played more than half a year alone and learning the basics myself, then went to a teacher, the dude was cool he didn't impose anything onto me all he did was teach me rythum and give me some excersises that were good "working out", and i discovered how to "choke" a note! unesseceary but cool! anyhoo the good thing about a teacher is that you can take your weakness and get the tools to train it, and you can choose weather you want to take them as they are or modify them.... erh.. yeah hail satan

checked

[EMT911]

Truly gifted players don't need lessons; they're born with a talent that simply needs nurturing. Regular people like the rest of us need to be shown the ropes Besides, who in the heck really makes a living being a musician anyway - 99% of us do not.

[Mikekmk420]

unwritten law is the shit "heres to the mourning" is their best cd in my opinion

[JiMbOsFliP]

personally, i think guitar lessons are great, if you have any sense of personality then having a teacher won't corrupt your own personal style of playing. ive taken lessons and i take the things my teacher taught me and altered them to ways that are more my style and comfort and it has compltetely altered my style from theirs. getting taught lessons isn't about passing a style from one teacher to a student and any good teacher would know that, it's about devoloping one's own skills and style. there is nothing "retarded" or anything that makes people "dumb" for taking a lesson. if that were true then every human being is a complete dumbass for going to school and learning stuff that our forefathers have discovered, and the people who have never been to school ought to make the decisions for us. i'm not saying lessons are neccessary but some people need a bump in the right direction to learn something new. i personally took lessons to beat a rival guitarist at school at a battle of the bands at a local club. and taking lessons helped me develop better techniques and discover new ways for me to alter my playing techniques and styles to form a new sounds of my music, which then lead to me winning first place and driving my rival's rep into the dirt. and ever since i have quit lessons i have only gotten better at guitar. now i'm in a fairly successful local band that is pretty famous in my area. go figure.

[youthgonewild]

In my opinion lessons get you know where. if you take lessons you never learn how to explore out of the box, make up your shit and have your own sound, going out of the box you can stumble on sum gnarly shit. the only place lessons get you is sounding like your 40 year old guitar teacher who got know where!

[youthgonewild]

lessons, no lessons, its all about you! just because your teacher sounds one way doesn't mean you will sound like him, i used to take lessons and my teacher was a blues/mellow guy, and i am a full out metal head. a teacher will help you to a certain point, then its all up to you, it takes dedication, if you want to add up to something and be known as one of the great guitarists, its up to you, you decide your future

[youthgonewild]

ha, and no thats not the same person, thats me and my 2nd guitarist

[nimrod74]

I guess I'll give the teacher point of view.

If you're going to take lessons, find a good teacher and be a good student. Lessons from a quality teacher will help you attain the goals you have for yourself as a guitar player and you'll do it faster than someone who tries to teach themselves. A good teacher will care about what you want to do and will not waste your time teaching you something you don't need to know.

I've seen kids come in for lessons after spending years trying to teach themselves and they have trouble playing anything because they don't use efficient techniques or they don't understand that the guitar can be retuned or don't know how to spot a bad tab online (and there are many).

After 20 years of guitar, I still take lessons because there is always something "else" to learn. Right now, I teach 40 students a week and I've been doing that for 10 years. I teach each of my students differently, according to what kind of guitar player they want to be.

[guitar_amateur]

I started out by playing bass (electric) in a school band, where I learned to read notes. Pretty much lessons, eh? After a while, I picked up a guitar which was lying around the house, turned on the computer and came to this very website looking for tabs, since I didn't know chords. It went on like this for less than a year, picking up lots of things here and there, rarely learning a chord or two. After a year of self-teaching, learning bits and pieces of songs I liked(except one or two, which I learned fully)I decided I should start taking lessons. So my mother's cousin(or uncle, I'm pretty clueless about some relations in my family) offered to give me lessons, he being self-taught himself. On my first lesson, I found out that I was pretty lacking in basic skills (stupid me!)So I'm taking lessons now, not regretting it in the least. I still play in a school band, I can read sheet music on both treble and bass clefs, I'm very used to tabs(and power tabs), and I'm working my way around the fretboard in terms of knowing where all the notes are. Moral of the story is:If you wanna take lessons, go ahead! If you don't want to, pray you can find out everything you need to know on your own.

[Admiral Petty]

youthgonewild wrote:

In my opinion lessons get you know where. if you take lessons you never learn how to explore out of the box, make up your shit and have your own sound, going out of the box you can stumble on sum gnarly shit. the only place lessons get you is sounding like your 40 year old guitar teacher who got know where!

Another ignorant, childish post.

[JiMbOsFliP]

hmmm. youthgonewild i've heard that guitar teachers make some pretty "gnarly" money. so i'm sure that the whole getting a bunch of money to do something i'm sure they love isn't getting "know" where. i'd give anything to be paid to do half the shit i love to do lol.

[anthony713]

Lessons do not make the guitarist, I have played for about four years now and I have never had professional lessons. Yet I know alot about my instrument and how music works, and how to perform this music on my instrument. I don't really play many songs, I write my own, and they are much more then just power chords. I am self taught through the magic of reading. A twenty dollar book is more cost effective then a sixty dolar per month guitar teacher. As for personal experience, I would say that self taught guitarists do have an air of creativity about them that professionally trained guitarists do not. Some of the past centuries most innovative and influential guitarists were self taught. Artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Robert Johnson taught them selves to play by their own means and ways. And after looking at some of the tabs that have been posted for this band, I can easily say that Hendrix's and Johnson's songs have more intricate and complex methods, chords and rhythms. I have never heard this band so I cannot judge the skill of their guitarist, I am simply stating that possibly the greatest guitarist to ever exist (hendrix) was self taught and knew how to play.

[65_Jaguar]

This guy's opinion would hold much more weight with me if I actually gave a shit about his music. Learn however the hell you want, don't take lessons just because some punk dickhead with a stupid hat says you need them. That said, don't shun lessons just because "Jimi didn't take them" or whatever. Decide for yourself.

[br4vw]

that guys face is pissing me off - why are his eyes so squinty - is he trying to come onto me?
unwritten law are ok but the post has been on the front page long enough - please move it - its making me feel uneasy to say the least!

[right]

True, it's time for a new interview.

[nimrod74]

anthony713 wrote:

Lessons do not make the guitarist, I have played for about four years now and I have never had professional lessons. Yet I know alot about my instrument and how music works, and how to perform this music on my instrument. I don't really play many songs, I write my own, and they are much more then just power chords. I am self taught through the magic of reading. A twenty dollar book is more cost effective then a sixty dolar per month guitar teacher. As for personal experience, I would say that self taught guitarists do have an air of creativity about them that professionally trained guitarists do not. Some of the past centuries most innovative and influential guitarists were self taught. Artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Robert Johnson taught them selves to play by their own means and ways. And after looking at some of the tabs that have been posted for this band, I can easily say that Hendrix's and Johnson's songs have more intricate and complex methods, chords and rhythms. I have never heard this band so I cannot judge the skill of their guitarist, I am simply stating that possibly the greatest guitarist to ever exist (hendrix) was self taught and knew how to play.

A couple of things:

1. Dedication, effort and time make a guitarist, regardeless of whether or not they take lessons. If those things aren't there, it doesn't matter.

2. A good guitar student who takes lessons should always learn on their own. As a teacher, I always recommend things for my students to do on their own and encourage them to explore anything they wish. My job is to guide them, explain things they don't understand (because 95% of the books out there are crap) and get them to the point where they can learn anything they want on their own.

3. For every self-taught player you can name that has an "air of creativity", I can give you one that took lessons. Creativity is a character trait. You have to want to create something. Creativity is about experimentation, trial and error. By your argument, one could say that someone who never learned to read and write in school would be a better author than someone who has a university degree.

3. The complexity of Hendrix has more to do with his style of playing than anything else. He was a sloppy player and that is very difficult to recreate in terms of feel and sound. Hendrix isn't held in such high regard because of his skill so much as he is considered one of the all time greats because of his desire to push the envelope, try different things, etc.

The whole lessons vs. no lessons debate is a joke, in my view. Both have their place. Why not do both? Whatever helps you become a better musician (why be content just being a guitar player) is a good thing.

[TOB00]

you dont need a teacher, you can just go to your local music or guitar shop and ask the people there your questions. thats what i do. and an excellentand when i say excellent, i mean stupefyingly, amazingly excellent book to teach yourself from, look for Be Dangerous on Rock Guitar, by Richard Daniels, get it. And even if you arent teaching yourself, you should still get it cause its freakin awesome.
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[axeman84]

if you can't afford lessons, it doesn't cost hardly a thing (gas,beer,food) to get together w/ friends and jam, that's one of the best ways to improve your playing, that, and jacking off 4x a day

[punkrock171]

lessons are really good to start out with so you are completely f***ing lost, then once you get the hang of it you can do your own thing

[punkrock171]

*aren't*

[Thisizalie]

I'll never understand the whole "lessons stunt your creativity" crap. To me,if you end up taking lessons,and sound "just like your teacher" you arn't a very imaginitive player in the first place. To me,it's best to learn everything you possibly can. This way,whatever you hear in your head,you can translate to your guitar in a much shorter time instead of taking hours to find it through "blind interpretation". It's true that taking lessons won't have an effect on how "original" you can be,but "being original" has nothing to do with taking lessons. It has to do with the willingness of the guitarist to branch out and try different things. Taking lessons won't ever "prevent" this. It's not like you "unlearn" any of your favorable habits. It just means you know more "alternatives" if you ever wanted to abandon your own style.

So to me,I just say learn everything you can. It can't hurt,that's for sure.

[Crunch Monkey]

Lord_Xian :
Alin Snagov wrote:

Well yes and no, I mean... look at Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, they all took classes and are the creme de la creme.


Herman Li from dragonforce pwns all them for speed at least, and probably a lot of improv.

AHAHA...i find this statement to be doubtful consider this, the year Herman started playing guitar (1992), Petrucci and Dream Theater came out with their second album, "Images and Words". Vai had 2 albums and Satriani had 5. Besides the fact that these 3 have been known to play a variety of rock guitar.

Li is em-effin AWESEOME...but im not sure he's 'owning' these guys...

[megatfreak]

devilscruffs14 wrote:

Necronomicon wrote:

I've been playing for 6 years and I've never taken lessons and I'm still better than everyone around me. Yeah that sounds cocky but it's true, lessons are probably a nice beginning but after that they shouldnt be necessary, music is your own thing and there won't always be someone there to push you. It's better to learn that early than late.


yeah i agree with this.

i've only been playing 2 years (without lessons), and im already better than kids who have been playing 7 or 8 years (with lessons). i know it sonds bitchy and cocky but its true.

Exactly! I'm self-taught, been playing a little more than three years and I'm as good if not better than a lot of the guitarists at my school who took lessons. It also helps a lot if you read up a lot on music theory (especially about modes), and really learn it and use it. I'm not sayin' that lessons are bad, they're just not for everybody; some people can teach themselves and some can't. Simple as that. Doesn't mean that those other people are stupid.