jvbjr said:
I always did both.
Teachers move at a given pace, which maybe too fast or too slow for the student. I always liked to learn my lessons but expand beyond what he was telling me and then I would ask him questions on areas I did not get from the book. Lessons alone can turn you into a clone of your teacher's teaching style, so I'd encourage you to do both.
ALSO, not all teachers are equal and not all teachers can teach all aspects of playing, so there will be times when it is necessary to subliment your current teacher with a more specialized one, and eventually you have to leave the nest and move on to a different teacher for a fresh prosective.
Think of it like school, in 3rd grade one woman taught everything, when you get to HS or college the teachers are much more specialized.
You may have left the nest of your spelling teacher a little too early. Maybe you should have sublimated a little more.
Anyway, there's just so much I disagree with here. First, let me preface these remarks by saying that I am talking about a PRIVATE TEACHER, not a class, not a clinic. The one-on-one experience of teacher/student, master/disciple, coach/player.
Teachers move at a given pace - maybe the bad ones do. Good teachers move at exactly the pace to keep their student progressing. If I don't understand something, my teacher tries to come at it in as many different ways as possible/necessary until I can understand whatever concept we're working on or execute whatever exercise I'm working on. His only agenda is building a firm enough foundation in conception and understanding and ability so that I can move forward, get deeper. the concept of "we spent x amount of time on this, now we move forward no matter what you're level of understanding" is the mark of A BAD TEACHER.
Lessons alone can turn you into a clone of your teacher's teaching style - if you have a BAD TEACHER who is just showing you their vocabulary of "tricks and licks", sure. All you are learning to do is parrot their vocabulary. But a good teacher is giving you a firm foundation in musical conception and understanding so that YOU can sound like YOU. Learning to hear with clarity, understand what you are hearing and how it functions, how to execute what you are hearing on your instrument, that's what a good teacher works on. How can that make you a "clone"?
There is no book, video, computer program or website in the world that is going to listen to you play, week after week, and come up with a program of exercises that will progressively work on the weak areas in your approach and understanding in a way that responds specifically to the manner in which YOU learn things. Spending time and changing the approach to communicate in a clear and specific way the knowledge or skill set AS YOU NEED IT. No book, video, computer program or website can say "You're playing the notes correctly but it still sounds like you aren't really carrying the sound of the tonic in your head" or "your wrist is still carrying a lot of tension, try relaxing and using THIS muscle". No book, video, computer program or website is going to make sure you move past something when you haven't really nailed it.
Yes, you have to try to find a good teacher. But when you do, the whole of the world of music opens to you in a way no static medium can touch.
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If you can't take lessons, after a year or two, the knowledge you have should be enough to moderately teach yourself with a book. Once you get your degree, move to a state that you can take a test and become a sub teacher. Look at how much money you saved, you can know play every instrument on earth and you have a great day job... if only someone would ahve told me about this plan before I dropped out of college... 
just don't blame me if you get caught .
