At one time, if you were serious about learning guitar, you found the local guru and tried to get accepted as one of his pupils. You did that because he was clearly the embodiment of what you wanted to learn. If he took you on, you committed to studying whatever was necessary to become a musician just like him. There is an organic continuity to a relationship like this that is very different from our current view of “learning to play the guitar”.
Today, there are literally thousands of guitar methods, approaches and modes of delivery out there. YouTube alone has changed the way we learn to play. It has allowed us to access players and material never before available. But, as in all things, there’s a price to pay.
We are tribal beings. We are built to emulate our heroes; to stand on their shoulders and be part of something bigger than ourselves. A relationship with a mentor involves much more than information. It involves sharing a history and a philosophy. It involves intellect, passion, humor and everything in between. It’s personal. Armed with this, we can enter the world fearlessly knowing we “came from somewhere.”
Try finding that on YouTube … Just sayin’ …