Is it better to teach youself how to play the guitar or should you have guitar lessons? There seems to be some kind of rivalry between people who teach themselves and people who get lessons and I am going to discuss this issue. I would have to say that it is a very personal decision whether you take lessons or not and it very much depends on what type of person you are. There are many advantages and diadvantages to both which I will also discuss.If you plan on teaching yourself guitar to make progress you will have to discipline yourself and work very hard, I'm not saying that you don't have to work hard if you take guitar lessons it's just that if you teach yourself you don't have the motivation that you have another guitar lesson in three days so it's quite easy to lose focus, it's also good to have some guidance sometimes.Obviously an advantage when teaching yourself is that you don't have to spend any money on lessons and this is one of the main reasons why people don't take guitar lessons, me included. I would love to have the money and time for lessons because I'm sure it would improve my playing but the fact is I don't but I don't let that stop my progress. As long as you have ambition and you clearly set out your aims and goals you can reach them as long as you put in the effort.If you can't afford guitar lessons there are plenty of online resources and lessons out there including this blog, (I will be adding new lessons every week and if you have any suggestions just drop me a comment as all comments are very welcome, positive or negative.)Another advantage from teaching yourself is that you can learn at your own speed and teach yourself what you want and what interests you which in turn helps you keep motivated, although if you are serious about being an all-round good musician then most things will interest you anyway.A tip for any guitarist who is teaching themselves is to make the most of any practice opportunity you have. Don't just practice the same three songs you have been playing for the last 6 months, learn a new scale or a new lick or technique and you will make much more progress and make sure you use a metronome when practicing to keep your timing on top form.Ultimately whether you teach yourself or are getting lessons as long as you work hard and keep motivated then you will succeed in any goals you set and make real progress as a guitarist. I don't think there should be a rivalry between guitarists who choose lessons and guitarists who choose to teach themselves, we all have the same goals and instead of hindering each other we should be supporting each other and helping each other. With knowledge comes responsibility and if you can help another guitarist with an aspect of their playing then go for it.Good luck!!