Private Lessons
Workshops • Performances

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 Guitar Lessons

I teach a wide range of guitar styles:

   • Solo finger-picking
   • Pattern Finger-picking
   • Flat-picking
   • Strumming for singers (vocal accompaniments)
   • Open tunings (and partial capo techniques)
   • Improvisation
   • Learning by ear
   • Study skills, the basics of form, posture and reading.

Solo Finger-picking

My specialty is solo finger-picking. This is a rich style, like classical guitar, where the guitarist plays the melody and accompaniment simultaneously, creating the illusion of two guitars playing at once.

Here are some MP3 examples of solo finger-picking:


Shady Grove - This is a simple melody combined with a n alternating bass. The result is rather impressive, but it's an example of intermediate solo finger-picking.

Setting Sun - An original composition. There are two guitars on this recording. The melody is finger-picked over a "Drop-D" partial capo; the harmony is flat-picked.

John Hardy - This my arrangement of a famous American folk melody, using a "Drop-D" partial capo. This version of John Hardy sounds rather difficult, but it's really an intermediate-level piece. If you're comfortable with basic guitar chords, even just G, C and D, and you have a couple of months of finger-picking experience, you can learn it in a few weeks ... if you apply good study skills.


I've arranged dozens of solo guitar material at this intermediate level. And I've got lots of fun, interesting lessons that help students in getting started and advancing to the point where they can easily learn pieces like this

Flat-picking

Here are some MP3 examples of flat-picking:

Sandy Boys - Here's an example of flat-picking accompaniment, played with fiddle and mandolin . It's performed with a partial capo, which creates the sound of an open tuning -- in this case the partial capo emulates the sound of DADGAD.


NOTE: If you have trouble getting this to play read the page Listening to the Music.   


The Foundation

Many musicians overlook some very important basics: posture, relaxation, economy of motion, and effective practice habits.

Most beginning guitarists inadvertently adopt awkward, restrictive, and inefficient postures and hand positions. This limits their ability to play quickly, and they find it difficult to play fast for extended periods of time without tiring

It seems to be human nature. When we have the good intention to do a good job, we tend to exert move physical effort than required. If this is ignored for long, it becomes habit, and it's a habit that's hard to undo. Worse, excessive strength restricts movement, making simple tasks unattainable. This can lead people to conclude that they don't have what it takes. If one perseveres with yet stronger resolve, this is often accompanied with increased physical effort. This is a normal course of events. However, with proper guidance and mindful practice, a rough start bears no indication of one's ultimate achievements. It's very important to make some course adjustments right from the start.

I provide ongoing coaching in the area of form and posture, with lots of friendly reminders, and explanations that emphasize why. Usually the benefits are immediate and self evident.

Improvisation

Guitar is a wonderful instrument on which to learn improvisation. Improvisation is an essential skill if you want to play rock, blues, jazz, country ... pretty much any style other than classiccal. If you want to play along with other musicians, but you're not in an orchestra or school band, improvistion is the key. Then you can jam.

Click here to find out more about improvisation.

More information to come …





Private Lessons
Workshops • Performances

  Singingwood Home Page















































Fiddle, Guitar, Violin, Mandolin & Bodhran
Private music lessons, Group Instruction,
Workshops & Introductory Classes.
In Walnut Creek, California.

Near Danville, Alamo, Blackhawk, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Concord, Clayton, Brentwood, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton, Oakland, Piedmont, Alameda, Castro Valley, Hayward, Fremont, San Leandro, Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Kensington, Pinole, Hercules, Crockett, Benicia, Napa, Novato, Vallejo, Vacaville, Livermore, Stockton, Modesto, and San Francisco.

Serving the San Francisco Bay Area,
Contra Costa County and Alameda County, CA



Private Lessons
Workshops • Performances

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