by windhorse » Sat Nov 17, 2007 3:59 pm
There are people who go to Cuba for a week, and come back with knowledge and technique improvements that equal probably 5 years of playing once per week with a rumba study group. The same evolution is probably equivalent to about 10 or 15 years of in-the-states training at one time events or occasional meetings with other teachers and players.
Then, there's standard lessons where you go to somebody and pay them. If you really focus and record the sessions you will progress, but veryy slowly, compared to playing weekly with a study group.
If you train yourself by using internet sources and the occasional lesson from "somebody" then you're at the mercy of the whoever you run into.
Others will train for years under one person, but you are then going to come out VERY similar to your teacher. I've seen guys that did this who are awesome powerful players,, but they're one-dimensional, like never sing while they play, or only play a stick version of certain songs, etc..
To me, the best scenario is spreading out and having the largest amount of exposier to the great players as possible.
Get started ASAP and spend the money. If you want to get better, you have to get out and make connections.