Guitar lessons
In person, in Maastricht. Acoustic or electric, at your level and with the music you want to play.
Styles
Bring the songs you love; that's where we start. Most of what people want to play falls into one of these:
- Rock and popRiffs, rhythm guitar, solos.
- BluesThe twelve-bar blues, phrasing, bends, vibrato, slides.
- Acoustic and folkStrumming, fingerpicking, accompanying yourself or others.
- Funk and soulTight rhythm playing and rich chord voicings, up to neo-soul and the smoother side of jazz.
Jazz is a world of its own. Its smoother side, close to soul and funk, with its rich chords and grooves, fits well in my lessons. For jazz in the full sense, a specialist jazz teacher is the better choice.
Flamenco and gypsy jazz are guitar traditions with a technique all of their own. I play them a little and I'm happy to give you a taste, but to really learn either one, look for a teacher who specialises in it.
Lessons are on acoustic or electric guitar, whichever you play (or want to play). Curious what musicians I've played with say? See About.
Levels
- BeginnerNever played, or just started. How the guitar works, choosing an instrument, first chords and rhythms.
- IntermediateYou know your way around a few chords. Playing by ear, finding your way on the fretboard, the electric signal chain, recording yourself.
- AdvancedStyle-specific technique, harmony and improvisation.
How I teach
Music is a language, and like any language you learn it by using it. Spending time with an instrument you love is what gives you the ability to express yourself. Four things work together:
- FeelingPlay the music you love. What you feel, you play best.
- HearingTrain your ears, so you can play along with records and with other musicians.
- SkillsYour hands: chord shapes, picking, fingerpicking, soloing.
- TheoryWhy music sounds the way it does: a tool for improvising and writing your own music.
They feed each other: theory comes alive once you can hear it, and a new technique sticks when it serves a song you love.
In practice
Every student is different, and so are the lessons. Some like a clear plan with goals for each week; others prefer to follow where the music takes them. Some come with a list of songs they want to master; others want to learn to play freely, jam and improvise. We find the approach that suits you, and adjust as we go.
Where
Maastricht, in person. [TODO: lesson location]
Rates
Start with a trial lesson, so we can see whether we're a good fit. [TODO: rates (trial lesson and regular lessons)]
Book a lesson
Send me an email at lessons@10keyz.com. Tell me a bit about yourself: how long you've been playing (if at all), acoustic or electric, and what you would like to play.