[terminal pharmacy]

Originally Posted by Everyneurotic

actually, i did take lessons, and my teacher was great, made me do a whole year of rhythm development before going into any melody, and learnt jazz, metal, funk, blues and more and got encouraged to find my own style.

my statement comes from reading about guitarist teaching their methods or talking about them, and that's like the people who have instrument teachers just so they can help them figure out the tab of the songs they want to learn and nothing else.

if you want to develope your own style, you can't rely on a teacher; learning stuff, be it formal or informal, benefits from someone guiding you when you're starting, but if you want to really play something of your own, you should go out and find it for yourself, that way, it can develope into your own style instead of just something else filed under whatever method you're following.

of course people are different and some rather have their licks and riffs separated rather than coalesed into a style.

i can't imagine myself learning (or is it unlearning) and playing atonal guitar and being original at it under the guidance of a teacher.

great valid opinion and if it works for you fantastic, i disagree though. you can have a teacher and develop your own style at the same time as i don't beleive style is something you work at but something that occurs as you gig more and develop as a musician, having a teacher is having some to be able to teach you new techniques which can help you forward your own style as you grow as a gigging musician. everyone you play with in a band over time influences your style as you are creating a shared language together and this will always grow and morph as you go through different changes of line ups different bands different styles.....