Playing with Others

[Old Poseur]

I’ve been actively playing guitar and making real progress for the past 6 months after years of trying to learn in fits and starts and even spending a few months this time flailing about.  What is the difference?  Playing with a teacher, playing with others in a jam setting, and playing in front of others.  Seems to me that music is a communal experience much better learned and enjoyed with others rather than as a solitary pursuit. Just sayin'. Chris

[tedtan]

Having a teacher to help you avoid bad habits is good, and you have to put in the time practicing on your own, but definitely go jam with other players better than you - they'll definitely help you get better quicker.

[Epic Audio]

Agree with tedtan... Pleay with others - just watch for the changes and try to keep up.
IMHO - If you only learn from a teacher you may learn to play correctly, maybe even very well. If you want to learn to make music, play with feeling and develop a style, I believe you need to play with others.
Think about the players you admire, my guess is they don't have a lot of formal training but they do have a lot of feel and uniqueness in their style. That's why you can tell one from another.
There are some players with so much talent and style that they become great artist without playing with others, this is rare.

[TLAW]

i would add that when playing/jamming at home a METRONOME will develop your timing in a way that will benefit when playing with others...or performing solo for that matter....it's been a valuable tool for me anyway

[NavyChap]

Old Poseur, like yourself I have been playing guitar with my teacher for nearly 2 years and would LOVE to find a group to jam with -- but schedules are tough to match up with you (I) work 4pm to midnight -- including some days on weekends!! 

[Old Poseur]

The metronome is key during practice - otherwise I play way too fast in the easy bits and slow down in the hard bits. I watched a video lesson today by Jorma Kaukonen wherein he said that when practicing you should never play faster than you play the tricky bits - good advice. I'm also lucky because my local guitar store sponsors a monthly bluegrass jam session for beginners on late Sunday afternoons and my teacher is now starting one for our little mountain community. One thing about living in Colorado, there is no shortage of jam sessions available. They make a big difference in learning and developing confidence in your playing.

[cascadia]

 I've just recently started playing a little bit to jam tracks. I found some good ones on YouTube and there are also websites that specialize in them. You can find all sorts of styles, tempos, and keys.