We used a book called, or by, Matteo Carcassi. All went well until he started asking me why I didn't keep to the music. I said I liked my notes better. Classical doesn't work like that. Its like a set of railway lines that you have to keep to.
It does seem contrary to your creative spirit to just read the notes, I know I would play the notes the teacher wanted and then when I got home (or to boarding school more precisely) I'd "compose", because that was way more fun. I can still remember all of my first songs. I think that was what improved my playing in general, because I couldn't put the guitar down, even though what I was creating wasn't really complex.
I do think it is exhilarating to get to the point in your playing when what you are learning classically is incorporated into your own creative process. Memorising some one else's ideas gives you more material to use in your own creations. I think it's a wonderful well of possibilities, and a resource that, when used correctly is very rewarding.
On top of that it's the worst having an idea that you can't play, because you're not technically proficient enough, or you don't have the aural strengths to bring it about. Some of those first songs I wrote were for "four parts", now I can play them together, the beauty of progression.
Then I bought one of the Sibelius notation software programs.
That sounds like exactly what I want!
