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Guitar Classes

 

Play Guitar Today 3: The F Chord Support Group

John Calvin

Three Mondays, March 1, 8, 15, 6:30-7:30 p.m., $60.

Students who already know basic guitar chords will find this intermediate class a welcome challenge. The class will focus on rhythm accompaniment using strumming patterns and basic fingerpicking. Confronting the dreaded "F chord" head-on at times, or quickstepping around it at others, students will learn to transpose songs to other keys and use a capo to find a comfortable vocal range. Barre chords, anyone? A student notebook is supplied.

 

 

First-Time Beginner Guitar

Barry Pollack

Four Wednesdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 7:45-8:45 p.m., $80.


This guitar class is for people who have never played before! Learn the basics of how to play chords, keep time, strum, and fingerpick. Become comfortable hearing, recognizing, reading, and imitating rhythms, and discover how to apply them to your guitar playing. Students will have access to play-along MP3 samples of exercises, chord progressions and song melodies. The class will draw from many styles of popular music, including folk, rock, blues, and more.


 

Guitar 102: The Fun Continues!

Val D'Alessio

Six Tuesdays, March 23, 30, April 6, 13, 20, 27, 7:45-8:45 p.m., $120.

This continuation of Guitar 101 Made Fun is designed for students who know a few basic guitar chords but would like to spice up their musical repertoire. Explore techniques such as hammer-ons, pull-offs, and adding melody lines to chord structures. Then incorporate these techniques into fun and inspiring songs, chosen according to the class’ musical tastes!

 

 

Get Started with Guitar

Charlotte Thistle

Four Thursdays, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 7:45-8:45 p.m., $80.

Guitar novices welcome! This class will get you started playing some easy songs and introduce chord charts, guitar tablature, and some basic music theory and ear training. Also, learn strumming and fingerpicking patterns. All you need is yourself, your guitar, and a desire to make music.

 

 

Dusty Strings Acoustic Guitar Orchestra

Barry Pollack

Six Saturdays, April 3, 10, 17, 24, May 1, 8, 4:00-5:30 p.m., $120.

An ongoing ensemble for intermediate and stronger players of all acoustic guitars and styles. Staff, tab, and mp3 practice tracks provided. Repertoire includes classical and jazz standards as well as Latin, Spanish, Asian, and American folk and popular music: Bach, Ellington, Cooke, Piazzolla, Miles Davis, the Beatles, and more. Click here to read frequently asked questions about the Guitar Orchestra.


More Sessions!
Spring-Summer: May 15, 22, (NOT May 29), June 5, 12, 19, 26
Summer: July 10, 17, 24, 31, Aug 7, 14


Practical Music Theory For All Instruments

John Calvin

Three Mondays, April 5, 12, 19, 6:30-7:30 p.m., $60.

 

Practical Music Theory is a fun class for beginning and intermediate level instrumentalists and vocalists. Explore how melody, harmony, and rhythm blend to form memorable songs. Examine scales and the intervals and chords they contain. Appreciate music more readily by understanding the concepts of key signatures, time signatures, the circle of fifths and fourths, chord progressions, and song structures. Become a better player, performer, arranger, writer, and improviser by applying these principles creatively.

 

 

Introduction to Guitar Ensemble

Barry Pollack

Six Tuesdays, April 6, 13, 20, 27, May 4, 11, 7:45-8:45pm, $120.

For intermediate players who want to create music with other guitar players. Have fun while playing two- and three-part band arrangements of songs by The Beatles, Bach, Beethoven, The Doors, and Booker T and the MGs, as well as some folk and jazz melodies. (Students may start at the beginning of any session - consecutive sessions are not repeats but thematic variations.) All materials will be in staff, TAB and mp3 format. Students should have at least six months experience playing guitar, know several guitar chords, and be able to read either staff or TAB.

More Sessions!
Spring-Summer: May 18, 25, June 1, 8, 15, 22
Summer: June 29, July 6, 13, 20, 27, Aug 3

 

Blues Fingerpicking 1:
A Firm Foundation

Eric Madis


Three Tuesdays, April 6, 13, 20, 7:45-8:45 p.m., $60.

This 3-week class will introduce guitarists to the two primary fingerpicking blues styles: southeastern (Piedmont/Ragtime) and southwestern (Delta/Texas). One tune from each of these styles will be taught, emphasizing effective thumb and finger technique, as well as some authentic improvisation techniques. This class is form-fitted for players who have a background in guitar, but who have either not fingerpicked blues, or perhaps have not fingerpicked at all. Instructor Eric Madis is a recording artist and performer, and has been teaching blues guitar since 1976.

 

DADGAD Guitar Basics

Brad Carter

Four Wednesdays, April 7, 14, 21, 28, 7:45-8:45 p.m., $80.


Explore ways to sound great in a variety of musical styles, from bluegrass to folk and pop, using the incredibly user-friendly DADGAD guitar tuning. The class will go over the basic chord shapes used in DADGAD, and then move on to rhythmic possibilities for this versatile tuning. Along the way we'll examine lead playing techniques as well. For advanced beginner to intermediate players.

 

 

Blues Fingerpicking 2: And You Thought You Couldn't Do It!

Eric Madis

Three Tuesdays, May 4, 11, 18, 7:45-8:45 p.m., $60.

This 3-week class is for those who have completed the first class, or who have already had some success with the demanding steady-thumb bass of blues fingerpicking. One tune each from the Piedmont/Ragtime and Southwestern styles of blues will be taught, with more emphasis on embellishment than the last class.

 

 

Guitar 103

Val D’Alessio

Six Tuesdays, May 11, 18, 25, June 1, 8, 15, 7:45-8:45 p.m., $120.


By Request! Surprise yourself by playing catchy riffs and adventuresome chords up the guitar neck that you didn't think you could master. Also, learn blues licks and bass lines and apply these techniques to inspiring songs that will expand your repertoire. This is an advanced-beginner class. Students should be comfortable with basic chord changes, however, the Dusty Strings Guitar 101 and 102 classes are not prerequisites to this class.

Blues Fingerpicking 3: Moving On

Eric Madis

Three Tuesdays, June 1, 8, 15, 7:45-8:45 p.m., $60.


This 3-week class is for guitarists who have completed the second class, or who are somewhat skilled practitioners of one of the two main blues fingerpicking styles. One tune each from Piedmont/Ragtime blues and a Mississippi hybrid style will be taught. Eric will cover more advanced techniques of improvisation, such as sophisticated chords, walking bass lines and more rhythmically complex licks.