the Price of Guitar Lessons

This price is for basic guitar lessons, and not for anything too terribly advanced. The teacher is actually a member of my church, and he gives guitar lessons as a sort of hobby or side job. There are no extra fees or taxes, and he does not require that I purchase anything or have anything other than my guitar. He comes to my house usually, though we have met at his house from time to time and once met at a local park on a really nice day. The lessons are usually about 30 minutes. I say "about" because they are often longer (though never shorter.) The atmosphere is very casual, and sometimes he ends up writing practice notes and instructions on any piece of scrap paper that happens to be lying around. The lessons aren't very structured. He tends to ask me what songs I want to learn and then tailors instruction around them. For instance, if I say I want to learn a specific song, he'll teach me the chords and strum pattern of that song. I've learned a good amount of chords and patterns this way. He also teaches some basic scales (major, minor, pentatonic, and blues)

I have mixed feelings about these lessons. On the one hand, they are pretty cheap - I've seen prices closer to $20-25 or more when I've shopped around. On the other hand, I feel that I won't be able to grow as a musician with him as a teacher. I already play piano, so my musical knowledge is greater than my actual ability on the guitar. This can be frustrating, and I don't feel confident that the instructor actually knows as much about music theory as I do. Still, as an introduction to playing guitar, this has been a good experience. I feel like I have someone who has been at this awkward beginner place and can empathize with how clumsy I feel. Also, he's just a really nice guy, and I'm glad to be helping him out financially if only a little bit. I do wish he would have more of a plan from week to week, and I wouldn't mind an actual curriculum or book of some sort. It would help me because I would be able to look ahead and maybe try some things that are technically beyond my current level. I feel that would help me to push myself, and I don't feel that my instructor is interested in pushing me to be better.

First of all, I'd recommend caution when it comes to taking lessons from a friend. It's really easy to let yourself get taken advantage of, and it's just as easy to end up taking advantage of the instructor. Personally, I have to be dilligent in paying him because he doesn't seem to like asking, and I bet I could go several weeks without paying and he wouldn't say a thing. Second, make sure the teacher you're learning from is interested in your goals and can do something about helping you acheive them. Third, decide on how important the teaching environment actually is to you. I realize now that I would prefer to take lessons at a location away from my home - in fact, I'd prefer something like a studio instead of a home at all. This may not be important to you, but it's worth considering because it will affect your ability to really learn the instrument. Finally, expect to feel completely awkward for quite a few months if you're just learning the guitar. It's not a difficult instrument after you pass some initial hurdles, but passing those hurdles can be frustrating and not seem very rewarding. If you stick with it, you'll get to the point where you actually feel that you're playing music.