Do I Have to Learn to Read Music?
Learning to read musical notation is extremely beneficial for all musicians. I integrate learning of this skill into most lessons only if the student is willing. Is reading 100% necessary? If you plan on going to a music school or college; want to be a studio musician; want to be hired by working bands; and want to write down your musical ideas to explain to other musicians, then the answer is yes. If none of these situations apply to you (maybe you will learn to read later), then I believe you can get by without the skill of reading notation. Chords, scales and songs can be learned in other ways such as charts, diagrams and watching the instructors examples. I would also like to point out that even though learning to read music can take a while at first, it is generally the fastest way to learn any material later on.
There are many things to consider when buying a guitar for yourself or a young aspiring musician.
It doesn't help that there is a bunch of misleading advertising and sometimes even
"pushy" salesmen that may be steering you in the wrong direction.
Feel free to contact me and I can go over these things with you. We can discuss what kind of guitar will suit the students needs, certain qualities to look for in a guitar as well as any accessories that may be needed.