Guitar lessons
| Electric guitar | Acoustic guitar | Classical guitar | Bass guitar |
Looking to take guitar lessons? We understand that each student is different so our guitar lessons don't follow a one-size-fits-all approach. Our lessons
are built around what each student wants to learn and what their goals are. This is just an overview of what happens in our guitar
lessons and doesn't cover everything so if you'd like to know more, head over to our Get in touch page and send us a message.
Here are some of the typical things you will learn in our guitar lessons.
Beginner guitar lessons
- Parts of the guitar
- Names of strings on guitar
- Basic open chords
- Reading chord diagrams and chord charts
- Basic strumming patterns
- Reading guitar tabs
- Understanding rhythm
- Simple guitar scales and how to use them
- Using a guitar pick or finger picking
- How to play songs
- Understanding song structure
- Tuning and basic guitar maintenance
- Optional: simple note reading
Those are just some of the things that you will learn. Remember these lessons are for you and are based around what your goals are.
Intermediate guitar lessons
As you progress in your learning, or if you join us further along in your musical journey, here are some of the more intermediate things
that may be included
in your lessons. Of course, as you specialise more (eg electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar) the lessons will be modified to achieve
your goals.
- Barre chords (they're not as hard as you think!)
- Finding notes on the guitar
- Fundamental music theory and how it works on the guitar
- More complex strumming patterns
- Expressive techniques: Palm muting, string bends, hammer ons, pull offs, vibrato, slides
- Reading more complex tab
- Moveable guitar scale shapes, how they help our playing
- How to play more complex songs
- Triads and arpeggios and how to use them
- Soloing and lead guitar lines
- Instrument care: Basic maintenance
- Amplifiers, effects, etc
- Optional: More note reading
At the point you've reached an advanced level playing there will be very specific subjects that you want to work on (eg incorporating modes into
your playing, or advanced music theory). It's likely by this point you'll be bringing subjects and areas to work on to the lessons or your teacher
may discuss advanced topics and how they well advance your playing.
Grades and strutured learning for guitar
For students who are motivated by a more structured, grade-oriented learning experience, we can offer Rockschool. Some students
like to use the Rockschool pieces in their playing whereas others go on to take the full grade exam. We've had huge
success in putting students through Rockschool grades. We are, in fact, a Rockschool exam centre, and our tutor, Mark, is one
of the three NZ Rockschool examiners so we have an inside-track on getting the best results for our students. Rockschool is a British
grading system supported by The Australian Music Examining Board in this part of the world.
You can find out more about Rockschool by heading over to the Rockschool New Zealand web page.
NCEA Music - guitar as main instrument
We offer support to students who are taking NCEA music and using guitar as their main instrument. We can help with selection and learning of
of performance pieces, as well as supporting understanding of class room topics. We have good relationships with the school music departments, and
many of our tutors are, or have been, Itinerant tutors in schools so we have a good understanding of the requirements for NCEA music.
