Electric Guitar Lessons

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Basic Class Objectives :

Progressive development of dynamic warm-up exercises on the guitar, with specific purposes of coordination, mechanical agility, motor and mental dexterity on the instrument.

Development of specific exercises for each hand separately (fretting hand, picking hand).

Practical and written exercises on the location of notes on the guitar. The fundamental objective of these exercises is to begin to get to know in depth (and, in the medium and long term) to master the arm of the instrument.

Physiotherapy exercises by repetitive movement for both hands, especially for musicians.

Basic reading of rock scores and tablature (printed).

Tempo exercises, with and without metronome.

Dynamic study of the first scales over the entire length of the instrument, with practice and theory applied to them.

Clear, concise methods for transposing scale patterns (in real time), over the fretboard.

Introduction to blues guitar as the basis of rock, as an ideal genre to learn to develop proper sound and technique over the instrument. It is also worked as a first genre for understanding improvisation.

Study of basic blues licks over the first pattern of the minor pentatonic scale.

Mastery of the major and pentatonic scales (M-m) and freedom of movement through the entire instrument.

Intermediate Class Objectives (I):

Study of extended scale patterns and Greek modes on them.

Horizontal scales.

Theoretical study of the circles of fifths / fourths, intervals, rhythmic figures and their corresponding rests, special rhythmic figures; binary, ternary and exotic metrics, straight and shuffle rhythms.

Intermediate improvisation over blues forms.

Harmony of blues forms.

Study of intermediate blues licks over both main types of pentatonics, combination of scales during improvisation, turnarounds.

Theoretical and practical study on all main chord shapes (triads & most common seventh chords) on both open and barre forms. Introduction to guitar voicings.

Basic principles of composition over progressions in each of the main/unaltered modes. Theoretical and practical, melodic and harmonic study of each of the main modes, and intermediate improvisation combining different scales, and theory concepts.

First mechanical exercises specific for speed; correct form and intensity, for studying and developing them.

Advanced reading, and writing exercises over tablatures.

Basic and intermediate rhythmic studies.

Introduction to home studio setup, and personal recording equipment suggestions.

Intermediate Class Objectives (II):

Detailed study of the 6th mode, with all its basic variations of scales (especially for metal guitar students).

Study of all the basic arpeggios (with inversions) of triads and seventh chords, corresponding, and outside of each of the scale patterns of the different groups of patterns previously studied.

Intermediate string-skipping exercises and dynamic displacement on the different patterns of scales and modes. Melodic inversions of the different patterns, and improvisation using these concepts.

Improvisation over 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 simultaneous scale patterns.

Improvisation over modal blues.

Altered and suspended arpeggios and chords, and their uses.

Basics of altered modes.

Intermediate speed-specific exercises on the instrument.

Advanced Class Objectives (I):

Study and composition of predetermined (and composed by the student) sequences of 3, 4 and more notes, over each of the studied scale patterns.

Study of each of the modes corresponding to each of the scale variations of the sixth mode, and a more specific study of the other minor modes (metal guitar students).

Basic use of a DAW for recording songs, backing tracks and loops, with improvisations.

Exotic scales; uses, application and improvisation on them.

Basic jazz voicings and improvisation.

In-depth analysis of form, instrumentation, composition and creation of solos over rock, metal (or any other musical genre(s), that the student is interested in working on).

Digital audio principles. Study and use of each of the audio effects (in digital plugins format, or using multi-effects units).

Basic composition exercises of songs (by the student), using riffs & musical ideas created by the student.

Advanced Class Objectives (II):

Study and composition of predetermined (and studen-written) sequences of 3, 4 and more notes, combining several of the studied scale patterns.

Analysis of recordings and rock & metal mixes (or the genre(s) that the student is interested in working on).

Comping, superior chord structures, substitutions, multi-modal jazz, chord-melody.

Complex rhythmic studies.

Sight reading of scores on the instrument.

Intermediate and advanced composition of the student's own songs.

Please keep in mind,

The above is only a general outline, covering only the basic parts of the different contents of the class. The different programs extend beyond the content described here, especially for advanced students.

Due to the fact that the classes are personalized, the order, contents, intensity and the requirements of each topic varies according to each student, to adapt to their current level in the instrument (for those students who do not start from scratch), any possible problems or weak points in technique, clean sound, coordination or speed that may occur throughout the classes; their musical tastes, particular interests over the instrument, etc.

The learning process within the classes includes many other topics apart from those described in the program above, such as:

Learning about how to make a correct setup of the guitar; arm bend and truss rod setup vs. string gauges and particular bridge; proper tuning and setup of Floyd-type bridges, string changes and octaves intonation of the instrument.

Different types of strings; advantages and disadvantages with respect to a specific guitar.

Learning about the different brands of guitars, models, microphones, tone woods, etc.
Wiring diagrams and setups. Cable routing, welding and pickups install.

Different neck scale lengths; most compatible tunings and string gauges, in each case.

Instrument neck assemblies (pros and cons of each).

Proper neck/truss rod adjustments.

Different types of bridges installed on guitars (pros vs. cons of each system).

Types and brands of amplifiers, pre-and-power amp sections, different types of tubes and their best features, for each specific genre of music.

Types and brands of analog pedals & digital multi-effects; pros and cons of each.

Advanced tone emulation (hardware) equipment (Axe-FX, Kemper Profiler, Helix, HS, HeadRush, DSP Quad Cortex, etc).

Digital amplification and/or software effects emulators; advantages and disadvantages with respect to its analog & hardware counterparts.

Principles of digital audio editing software, management of audio plugins, DAWs, etc.

* The class program begins in a generic way for almost all beginner students, and the class becomes more personalized in each case, as the student progresses.