When to invest in Skype lessons?

[Posterboy]

As a guitarist of many years but new to mandolin.
I would like to get lessons but I feel I would be wasting an instructors time (especially someone like Emory Lester) without learning a lot of the foundational that I'm more than capable of learning myself with some discipline.

At what point would you recommend starting lessons?

[Seamus B]

Posterboy, in my view if you have been playing the guitar then you have a much more heightened awareness of the mandolin than most beginners who come to it having never played a stringed instrument.

So my answer is NOW, TODAY do it immediately, if you can. At the very least an instructor will be able to help you with hand positioning (and in your case maybe unlearning some technique) and many other basics, or maybe will dive into scales, chords and tunes for you to learn - even if it is Three Blind Mice!

I say this as someone who put off going to lessons for years because of feeling like I needed to reach some basic level first, and then regretted it. I should have dived in - lessons give you support, motivation and invaluable expertise that you will need, whether as a total beginner or seasoned intermediate.

[Luna Pick]

Assuming he has availability, my four word recommendation: Skype with Emory now.

[Mark Miller]

As someone who imported some guitar flatpicking technique into my mandolin playing and then had to unlearn it, I would say do it now. Or join one of the online schools where you can send in videos. Mike Marshall does amazing work with those through Artstworks.

[bigskygirl]

I've been Skyping with Emory pretty regularly for going on 4 years now and when I started I was brand new to mando (bought one 2 weeks before) coming over from guitar as well. How better to learn how to play the mandolin than from a master like Emory. I say go for it, I learn things from Emory I can't learn from any book...