Acoustic Guitar Classes
Group classes are 10 weeks and begin the week of Sept. 27,
except where noted. |
|
Class Schedule :: How to Sign Up
Beginning Acoustic Guitar
Section 1 - Mondays 7-8pm - Brian Gire
Section 2 - Tuesdays 6-7pm - Mark Schuh
Section 3 - Thursdays 7-8pm - Josh Graves
Section 4 - Saturdays 9:30-10:30am - Kai Chu
After School - Tuesdays 4-5pm - Matt Driscoll
@ Lennon (SOMA) - Tuesdays 7:30-8:30pm - Janak Ramachandran
@ HMC (Duboce Park) - Wednesdays 8:30-9:30pm - Matt Driscoll
Big Group - Thursdays 8-9pm - Kent Brown
 Beginning Acoustic class members will learn to play basic chords and to play songs in both folk and rock styles. Also covered: tuning, guitar care, and basic strums. No prerequisites, but an acoustic guitar is required. Class sizes are limited to seven, except in the Big Group class, where the class limit is 15.
Cost: $230 - except Big Group: $160
Acoustic Guitar II
Tuesdays 8-9pm - Mark Schuh
@ Lennon (SOMA) - Tuesdays 8:30-9:30pm - Janak Ramachandran
@ HMC (Duboce Park) - Wednesdays 6:30-7:30pm - Matt Driscoll
Big Group - Mondays 7-8pm - Kent Brown
Acoustic Guitar III
Section 1 - Tuesdays 7-8pm - Mark Schuh
Section 2 - Wednesdays 6-7pm - Brian Gire
Section 3 - Thursdays 8-9pm - Kai Chu
@ Lennon (SOMA) - Tuesdays 6:30-7:30pm - Janak Ramachandran
@ HMC (Duboce Park) - Wednesdays 7:30-8:30pm - Matt Driscoll
Acoustic Guitar IV
Tuesdays 8-9pm - Brian Gire
Big Group - Wednesdays 8-9pm - Kent Brown
Acoustic Guitar V
Mondays 6-7pm - Janak Ramachandran
@ Lennon (SOMA) - Tuesdays 5:30-6:30pm - Janak Ramachandran
Big Group - Wednesdays 7-8pm - Kent Brown
Acoustic Guitar VI
Thursdays 8-9pm - Janak Ramachandran
Acoustic Guitar VII
Section 1 - Mondays 9-10pm - Brian Gire
Section 2 - Thursdays 6-7pm - Kent Brown
Big Group - Mondays 8-9pm - Kent Brown
Acoustic Guitar IX
Tuesdays 8-9pm - Kent Brown
Acoustic Guitar X
Mondays 6-7pm - Brian Gire
Acoustic Guitar XI
Wednesdays 7-8pm - Brian Gire
Acoustic Guitar XII
Section 1 - Mondays 8-9pm - Janak Ramachandran
Section 2 - Thursdays 8:30-9:30pm - Brian Gire
Acoustic Guitar XIII
Thursdays 7-8pm - Kent Brown
For those with Beginning Acoustic Guitar or a few months' playing experience, Acoustic II covers more songs and skills, including basic fingerpicking. In Acoustic III, you'll continue working on songs with an emphasis on more advanced chords. Acoustic IV and up will expand your song repertoire and skills using both rhythm and fingerstyle playing and work on bar chords.
Cost: $230, except Big Group $160
More information about Acoustic Guitar levels
Blue Bear @ Lennon Studios, 271 Dore St. (near Bryant b/t 9th and 10th) in SF
Blue Bear @ Harvey Milk Recreational Arts Center, 50 Scott (near Duboce) in SF
Acoustic Jam Basics
Tuesdays 7-8pm
Brian Gire
For those who are comfortable with basic playing skills on their instrument, this class will teach a repertoire of simple songs that will serve as vehicles for improvising. You'll learn melody lines, basic information needed to take solos, and listening skills.
Cost: $230
Acoustic Jam Basics II
Mondays 8-9pm
Brian Gire
For graduates of Acoustic Jam Basics, you'll continue learning songs and improving skills.
Cost: $230
Advanced Acoustic Jam
Thursdays 7-8:30pm
Brian Gire
Have fun playing with others! In a relaxed setting, you'll learn and play through tunes from folk,
bluegrass, Celtic and rock traditions. You can take solos and sing if you'd like, or just play rhythm
with the group. Open to guitar, mandolin, fiddle, Dobro, banjo and bass.
Cost: $325
Acoustic Led Zeppelin
Wednesdays 6-7pm
Kent Brown
Learn arrangements of some classic and timeless Led Zep tunes, your favorites included. Pre-requisite: ability to play bar chords comfortably.
Cost: $230
Acoustic Rock Guitar
Thursdays 6-7pm
Janak Ramachandran
Learn songs by bands such as The Police, U2, Green Day, The Beatles and Nirvana, including work on riffs and solos. Pre-requisite: ability to play bar chords comfortably.
Cost: $230
Make It Sing: The Art of Single Note Technique on Guitar
Tuesdays 8-9:30pm
Tal Morris
This class deals with the mechanics of single note playing on the guitar. All physical skills are covered in this comprehensive approach to melody, fills, and soloing, with elements broken down into manageable sets of information leading you step by step to riff mastery! Prerequisite: Acoustic Guitar III or Electric Guitar III, or above.
Cost: $325
Guitar Clarity I with Tal Morris
Wednesdays 6:30-8pm
A fresh approach to harmony, melody and technique for guitarists, and the art of being an "Expert Beginner." Subjects covered: learning note locations, intervals, scale constructions, modes, triads, chord construction, the ability to "name" chords that you invent, and much more. Tal's approach focuses on simplicity, retention, and execution of all concepts on the instrument that anyone can follow using the spirit of "play" as a learning tool. Students who have had a difficult time in the past trying to learn the rules of music, or who have had a tough time using those rules as a creative tool, will especially benefit from this approach. Guitar Clarity uses a foundation system in which each piece of mastered information is used for the next step and all participants will find the joy of connectivity in learning. Every concept explored will have a physical and sonic application that all can achieve. People learn in different ways: some need to see it, some need to hear it, some need to do it. The Guitar Clarity approach does all three from the start. All levels and all style focuses can benefit from this class.
Cost: $325
Guitar Clarity II with Tal Morris
Tuesdays 6:30-8pm
This class will strengthen the concepts and skills developed in Guitar Clarity I. Rather than adding more to the mix, you'll become more fluent with information already taught by applying it in a variety of different musical contexts. You've learned the grammar and vocabulary, now you'll begin to converse.
Cost: $325
More information about Acoustic Guitar levels
This information should give you a close idea of what level is best for you, but please confirm your placement at your interview, or by speaking with the Program Director if you're already a student. When we refer to length of time played below, we are talking about regular and continuous practice. Many players who have played for years, but on and off, may still find one of these classes appropriate for their level.
Beginning Acoustic Guitar is a square one beginner class. We assume you know no chords, nothing about tuning and holding the guitar, and nothing about music. If you have started some on your own, the first few weeks may be review.
Most people have been playing three-to-six months going into Acoustic Guitar II. You should know eight-to-12 chords. Most people are still struggling to play the four-string (non-bar) F chord cleanly and easily. Nobody knows bar chords. Some chord changes are easy, some will be made slowly and not in time. Usually there are a half dozen songs that you can play from beginning to end, though not all easily. No fingerpicking experience is required.
Most people have been playing six months to a year going into Acoustic Guitar III. You should know 15 or more chords, and most of the chord changes should be made without much hesitation. You may or may not have started learning bar chords. You may or may not have learned some fingerpicking. You will definitely learn both in this class.
For all of these classes there is no requirement to read standard music notation. Many teachers use guitar tablature, which is easily learned if you don't already know it. Electric Guitar Classes
Group classes are 10 weeks and begin the week of Sept. 27,
except where noted. |
|
Class Schedule :: How to Sign Up
Beginning Electric Guitar
Thursdays 6-7pm
Josh Graves
Learn how to tune your guitar, how to play chords, power chords and progressions, plus different
rhythm-playing styles. Includes an intro to pentatonic scales and the blues.
Cost: $230
[photo by: Julie Bernstein]
|
Electric Guitar III
Thursdays 6-7pm - Lindsey Boullt
Electric Guitar IV
Wednesdays 8-9pm - Mike Rao
Electric Guitar V
Thursdays 7:30-8:30pm - Mike Rao
Electric Guitar XI
Wednesdays 6-7pm - Mike Rao
These electric guitar classes emphasize scales and lead playing in classic rock and blues styles. Work on rhythm skills and expanding chord vocabulary is also included.
Cost: $230 (plus $17 placement/tutorial if needed)
Make It Sing: The Art of Single Note Technique on Guitar
Tuesdays 8-9:30pm
Tal Morris
This class deals with the mechanics of single note playing on the guitar. All physical skills are covered in this comprehensive approach to melody, fills, and soloing, with elements broken down into manageable sets of information leading you step by step to riff mastery! Prerequisite: Acoustic Guitar III or Electric Guitar III, or above.
Cost: $325
Blues Fuse with Tal Morris
Wednesdays 8-9:30pm
You've got your pentatonics down, you can jam over a 12-bar blues, you've got some good-sounding licks and... you're bored as hell. This class will put the thrill back into your playing - take your blues for a walk outside a la Robben Ford and Chris Cain.
Cost: $325
Improv Boot Camp
Tuesdays 7-9pm
Five weeks, every other week beginning October 5
Jeff Massanari
This class will teach how to solo effectively in music styles including rock, blues and simple jazz. Learning skills and concepts and with plenty of in-class playing, here is the perfect place to improve your soloing skills and become more confident as an improviser. Open to all instruments except drums.
Cost: $230
Jazz Guitar V
Tuesdays 9-10pm
Brian Gire
A continuing class for graduates of Jazz Guitar IV.
Cost: $230
Band Workshops
Student bands organized by the school. Groups arrange and play songs by a variety of artists and groups, and at the end of the session perform live in a San Francisco club.
Workshop Schedule
Guitar Clarity I with Tal Morris
Wednesdays 6:30-8pm
A fresh approach to harmony, melody and technique for guitarists, and the art of being an "Expert Beginner." Subjects covered: learning note locations, intervals, scale constructions, modes, triads, chord construction, the ability to "name" chords that you invent, and much more. Tal's approach focuses on simplicity, retention, and execution of all concepts on the instrument that anyone can follow using the spirit of "play" as a learning tool. Students who have had a difficult time in the past trying to learn the rules of music, or who have had a tough time using those rules as a creative tool, will especially benefit from this approach. Guitar Clarity uses a foundation system in which each piece of mastered information is used for the next step and all participants will find the joy of connectivity in learning. Every concept explored will have a physical and sonic application that all can achieve. People learn in different ways: some need to see it, some need to hear it, some need to do it. The Guitar Clarity approach does all three from the start. All levels and all style focuses can benefit from this class.
Cost: $325
Guitar Clarity II with Tal Morris
Tuesdays 6:30-8pm
This class will strengthen the concepts and skills developed in Guitar Clarity I. Rather than adding more to the mix, you'll become more fluent with information already taught by applying it in a variety of different musical contexts. You've learned the grammar and vocabulary, now you'll begin to converse.
Cost: $325
The Bear Online: New For Guitar!
Blue Bear now offers select online music courses for guitar! It's the same high quality instruction as Blue Bear's on-site classes, but with added flexibility that benefits students in numerous ways. More info >>>
Beginning Electric Guitar Online - NEW! (more info)
Hot Rod Lincoln: High Speed Pickin' Online - NEW! (more info)
Pentatonic Scales 101: Soloing Over Rock and Blues - NEW! (more info)
|
