Guitar Styles That I Teach

I specialize in teaching beginning to advanced guitarists who want to play folk and/or rock music on the acoustic or electric guitar. I teach both electric and acoustic styles (but not classical or jazz at advanced levels).

All new students receive a discounted 45-minute introductory class.

What You Will Learn

Depending on what you are into and the style(s) you want to learn, I teach any or all of the following:

Introduction to the guitar
Warm-up techniques and exercises
Right hand and left hand technique
Posture
Picking technique
Strumming
Chords and scales
Playing songs
Melody and song analysis
Rhythm concepts
How to stay in time and play with other musicians
Music reading and theory
Sight reading
Playing with distortion
Power chords and palm muting
Lead guitar / guitar solos
Improvisation
Fingering and speed development exercises
String bending, hammer-ons, pull-offs, vibrato, harmonics
Two-handed fretting techniques ("finger tapping")
Guitar and amplifier controls and how to use them
Effects and how to use them (delay, chorus, noise gating, etc.)
How to adjust and maintain your guitar

Influences

Here are some examples of the kind of music I can teach you to play on guitar:

Classic Rock

Jimmy Page - Led Zeppelin
Slash - Guns 'n Roses
Eddie Van Halen - Van Halen
Angus Young - AC/DC
The Edge - U2
Kurt Cobain - Nirvana
Steve Lukather - Toto (and studio musician on over 1000 albums)
Jimi Hendrix - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Ritchie Blackmore - Deep Purple
Gary Moore
Randy Rhoads - Ozzy Osbourne
Zakk Wylde - Ozzy Osbourne
Kirk Hammett - Metallica
Ritchie Sambora - Bon Jovi
Mark Knopfler - Dire straits
Ian Moss - Cold Chisel
Brian May - Queen
David Gilmour - Pink Floyd

Rock

John Frusciante - The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Billie Joe Armstrong - Green Day
Chris Cheney - The Living End
Carlos Santana - Santana
Nigel Hendroff - Hillsong
Frank Iero and Ray Toro - My Chemical Romance
Jack White - The White Stripes
Chad Kroeger - Nickelback
Phil Jamieson and Pat Davern - Grinspoon
Ian Haug and Darren Middleton
Jon Toogood - Pacifier
Jon Foreman - Switchfoot
Mark Tremonti - Creed and Alter Bridge
Brad Delson - Linkin Park
Wes Borland - Limp Bizkit
Chris Shiflett - Foo Fighters
Billly Corgan - Smashing Pumpkins
Ed O'Brien - Radiohead

Acoustic

Ben Harper
Jack Johnson
John Butler
Paul Kelly
Beth Orton
Xavier Rudd
Pete Murray
James Blunt
Chris Martin - Coldplay
Chris Carrabba - Dashboard Confessional
Joni Mitchell
Cat Stevens
The Beatles
Neil Young

The Music You Like

During your first lesson, we'll talk about the music you like. Then I'll design a course of study that will teach you the fundamentals of guitar playing by teaching you your favorite songs.

You'll learn the basics of music theory and practice along with the songs and music that you love.

More Information

If you live in the Penrith and Lower Blue Mountains area and would like more information on guitar lessons at Blaxland (in the Lower Blue Mountains) please contact me on 0414 663 060 or use the contact form on this website.