Specialty & Technique Guitar Classes

This series of workshops include detailed instruction, professional tablature, and audio. These one-off workshops are intended for intermediate players who can read tablature and have experience with fingerstyle guitar. Each workshop will concentrate on a single tune. Take them all or choose the ones you want.

This series of workshops include detailed instruction, professional tablature, and audio. These one-off workshops are intended for intermediate players who can read tablature and have experience with fingerstyle guitar. Each workshop will concentrate on a single tune. Take them all or choose the ones you want.

Approach music theory from a guitarist’s perspective. Examine intervals, chord and scale construction, inversions, and progressions in the context of traditional and pop genres. It is highly recommended that all students of the guitar make it a point to enroll at some point in their musical journey. Leave this class with enough material to keep you busy for years. Whether you want to write your own songs, become a hot lead guitarist or just increase your musical vocabulary and ability to jam and make music with others - this is the class for you!

Approach music theory from a guitarist’s perspective. Examine intervals, chord and scale construction, inversions, and progressions in the context of traditional and pop genres. It is highly recommended that all students of the guitar make it a point to enroll at some point in their musical journey. Leave this class with enough material to keep you busy for years. Whether you want to write your own songs, become a hot lead guitarist or just increase your musical vocabulary and ability to jam and make music with others - this is the class for you!

Approach music theory from a guitarist’s perspective. Examine intervals, chord and scale construction, inversions, and progressions in the context of traditional and pop genres. It is highly recommended that all students of the guitar make it a point to enroll at some point in their musical journey. Leave this class with enough material to keep you busy for years. Whether you want to write your own songs, become a hot lead guitarist or just increase your musical vocabulary and ability to jam and make music with others - this is the class for you!

This group of Guitar 4ever students under the leadership of Steve Dawson explore a different musical theme every session. for instance: the color blue, songs about time, songs about weather etc. etc. Needless to say you’ll have a great time while improving your technique and building your songbag! There is long mystery behind the meaning of RPA... does it stand for really practice alot? or maybe relinquished performance anxiety? You will need to get on board or at least ask a long standing member in order to solve this one.... but wait, here’s one clue: the east wall of B4 on the west side.

Come and examine the players who helped create the style of Bluegrass Guitar known as 'Flatpicking". In eight weeks we will examine eight heroes who still influence to this day including Doc Watson, George Shuffler, Dan Crary, Norman Blake and others. Let's see what these great players still have to teach us.

Take the fingerpicking, deep boogie rhythms, and regional styles of the country blues you’ve learned in level 1, and concentrate on open tunings and bottleneck slide. Spend four weeks in open D tuning and four weeks in open G tuning, which will be taught in class. Tunes by Blind Willie McTell, Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson and others will be covered. Students will become comfortable in both Open G and Open D tunings and advance their slide lead playing and improvisational skills. Bring a slide to class

Fingerstyle Blues 3 classes will take a different decade each session. The classes can be taken individually, or as a series. Session 2 will start with the 1920's when the first Country Blues recordings were made. We will look at both men and women recording artists. Session 3 will be the 1930's Country Blues in the Depression. Session 4 will be the 1940's looking at some Library of Congress recordings. Session 5 will be the 1950's when many of the Country Blues players tried plugging in, yet played the same way. Ending in session 6 will be the 1960's when many of the early Blues artists were re-discovered.

Learn the riffs and techniques that will make your electric guitar playing soar to new heights. From roots players like B.B. King, Albert King, and Chuck Berry to guitar gods like Hendrix, Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughn, this class will provide a solid foundation in this genre. It’s not just old school material. Spend some time with the stylings of some contemporaries.

A continuation of the skills and techniques covered in level 1. In addition, examine more modern sounds. This is a continuing class that will build repertoire from session to session.

Improvisation requires inspiration, technique, and a little theory. We’re going to break things down to the basic elements that will be easy to grasp. Understand the relationship between chords and scales and develop tasteful lead phrasing. Learn skills in this class that will allow you to shine in any group setting.

Ever dreamed of playing classical guitar but seemed daunted by the word "classical". Fear not, this class will introduce you to the basics of classical guitar through simple exercises and short pieces. Nylon string guitars and ability to read music ARE NOT REQUIRED. All songs will be presented in tab.

Use your fingers to bring out melody and harmony in your approach to playing guitar. This class will broaden your understanding and application of melody and chord theory as well as help you develop a rich repertoire in this style. . Learn to bring your ring finger into the mix. Styles and alternate tunings will be examined including, blues, traditional folk, Celtic, singer-songwriters, and classical music.

Use your fingers to bring out melody and harmony in your approach to playing guitar. This class will broaden your understanding and application of melody and chord theory as well as help you develop a rich repertoire in this style. . Learn to bring your ring finger into the mix. Styles and alternate tunings will be examined including, blues, traditional folk, Celtic, singer-songwriters, and classical music.

In this class, we explore a wide repertoire of fingerstyle arrangements including popular songs, American Songbook, Motown, Blues, Showtunes and more. Students must have fingerpicking experience and be able to read tablature.

Electric Guitar Styles Overdrive is an ongoing class for those intermediate guitarists who have the desire to play electric. Our focus will be on advancing technique, rhythm, speed, and tonal control of the instrument. Songs will be presented and taught with consideration to enhancing and harnessing the techniques needed to make each song sound as much like the original as possible.

Electric Guitar Styles Overdrive is an ongoing class for those intermediate guitarists who have the desire to play electric. Our focus will be on advancing technique, rhythm, speed, and tonal control of the instrument. Songs will be presented and taught with consideration to enhancing and harnessing the techniques needed to make each song sound as much like the original as possible.

We will use the genre of jazz to explore general fretboard theory. This class is for any guitarist that is interested in understanding their instrument and fundamental music theory in a deeper manner. No matter what genre of music you play this class will help you become a stronger musician, not just a guitarist. Class topics will include: chord theory, scale/mode application, basic rhythmic concepts, and chord progression.

This class is a continuation of Introduction to Jazz Guitar. At this level, we will work on a bebop blues, bebop rhythm changes, and select standards from the American song book. We will use bebop melodies to develop our rhythmic vocabulary. Come explore the basic frameworks of improvisation and accompaniment over classic jazz progressions.

A class designed to bring your jazz guitar skills to a higher level. We welcome those who have taken Jazz Guitar 1 and are ready to increase their musical vocabulary in terms of harmony and melody. We’ll concentrate on great American Standards as well as variations of Blues. It’s a lifelong journey and we invite you to repeat level as much as necessary before moving on to Jazz Guitar 2.

Jazz is an American folk music. Play it yourself on the guitar. In this repertoire driven class, hone your skills by learning both traditional standards and modern compositions. We are learning a musical language that is spoken throughout the world. Students are invited to repeat this class as much as they desire. REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLETED INTRO, JAZZ GUITAR 1 & JAZZ GUITAR 1.5. Contact Tony Do Rosario at tdorosario@oldtownschool.org

An ongoing class in the advanced study of Jazz for the guitarist. We will build repertoire, further develop improvisation skills and advance rhythmic variations. Participants should have gone thru Jazz Guitar 2 several times or should audition with the instructor tdorosario@oldtownschool.org

Melodies. Focus the rhythm techniques learned in Flatpicking 1 into a solid foundation for single note playing. The pick hand mechanics are the same, but instead of playing all six strings you play one at a time. Emphasis will be on down-up pick strokes, tone, and timing. Worksheets and fiddle tunes will be the materials used to build your skills. Tunes tabbed out will be provided.

Follow up to Acoustic Blues Guitar 1. Expand your knowledge of fingerpicking, ragtime, shuffle rhythms, blues chords, riffs, and progressions.Learn songs by the great blues artists in the tradition of Misssissippi John, Muddy Waters, Charley Patton and others.

This level 2 class introduces the music of traditional blues’ great artists. From the ragtime/blues style of Rev. Gary Davis and Blind Blake to the Delta/Chicago grind of Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. Learn such techniques as: fingerpicking (ragtime, shuffle rhythm), open tuning, bottleneck slide, basic improvising, and more. This is some of the most satisfying music steel string pickers can get their fingers on!

Delve into musical arrangements to understand finding the right key, song structure, chord roles/chemistry, instrumentation, voice-leading, and communication of musical ideas. This collaborative, music-making, chart-finding, transposing, timbre-talking, app using, music theory curious class is for all instruments who want to sing or play across genres and with other musicians and ensembles. Music = Melody + Harmony + Rhythm + Tempo. Learn on-line to identify these ingredients and their notations from handouts, listening, and ear training. Materials presented and annotated with forScore iOS app and/or screen-sharing. Class will work on individual and/or group projects to arrange songs for multiple instruments and enhance playable tunes together!

Donna Herula offers this online series of workshops covering various aspects of blues and slide guitar techniques based on original songs found on her May 2021 release, “Bang at the Door.” Be sure to check out her highly acclaimed new album to support this rising blues star and talented Old Town School teaching artist. Available here https://donnaherula.com/store/

Donna Herula offers this online series of workshops covering various aspects of blues and slide guitar techniques based on original songs found on her May 2021 release, “Bang at the Door.” Be sure to check out her highly acclaimed new album to support this rising blues star and talented Old Town School teaching artist. Available here https://donnaherula.com/store/

Donna Herula offers this online series of workshops covering various aspects of blues and slide guitar techniques based on original songs found on her May 2021 release, “Bang at the Door.” Be sure to check out her highly acclaimed new album to support this rising blues star and talented Old Town School teaching artist. Available here https://donnaherula.com/store/

The sky is the limit (sort of) with how you can play melodies on fingerstyle guitar and bring yourself into the worlds of songs that might be playing in your inner jukebox.  Bruce Spingstein, Joni Mitchell, Traffic, James Taylor, Smokey Robinson, Temptations.  Dial in your requests! 

Explore your understanding of scales and harmony while opening up your access to the fingerboard! This workshop presents a set of shapes that break you from your normal patterns and opens up your ears. These are the tools that inspired everyone from Miles Davis to Carlos Santana. From the familiar to the exotic, you'll come away with tools for interesting solos and sparkling chords, and can even change the way you think about writing songs! Open to electric and acoustic players. https://www.nathanielbraddock.com/

Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Honeyboy Edwards, Magic Slim, and Big Bill Broonzy all legendary Chicago Blues artists who favored fingerpicking over using a flatpick. In this 4 week class we will learn several standard tunes from the "golden age of Chicago blues". Using a 2 or 3 finger right hand technique, learn the secret to making one guitar sound like 2!

Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Honeyboy Edwards, Magic Slim, and Big Bill Broonzy all legendary Chicago Blues artists who favored fingerpicking over using a flatpick. In this 4 week class we will learn several standard tunes from the "golden age of Chicago blues". Using a 2 or 3 finger right hand technique, learn the secret to making one guitar sound like 2!

If you’ve taken Four Fundamental Fingerpicking Patterns or have previous experience with fingerpicking, this class is for you. We’ll focus on accompanying songs using four common fingerpicking patterns and learn some easy ways to modify the patterns.

Let's demystify the fretboard and learn how to play twangy, soulful and rockin' fills, and even some short and sweet solos! Learn tasty phrases that would fit right into an Alabama Shakes, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix or Tom Petty tune. Find your way around the fretboard with more confidence. Create powerful song arrangements with your knowledge of chord voicings. You'll also get tips on how to keep building on your skills. This workshop is best suited for players who are comfortable with barre chords. Electric and acoustic guitarists are equally welcome — just be prepared to do some string bends. Nikki O'Neill is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter, deeply influenced by soul music and Americana, and all about playing for the song. She's an active recording/performing artist, signed to Blackbird Record Label. Her latest album, World is Waiting, (2020) received positive reviews by American Songwriter, Americana Highways, and other Americana and blues media in the U.S and Europe. She was featured in the November 2019 issue of Guitar Player Magazine. https://nikkioneill.com/

Learning an instrument by ear isn't a magical gift bestowed by the gods; it's a skill that you cultivate and develop. For centuries, regular people have taught themselves to play music by ear, and for decades, people have taught themselves to play guitar that way. I did. You can too. We'll discuss some approaches and learn some exercises to get the ball rolling.

Tired of the same handful of tunes and patterns? Fingerstyle guitarist Nathaniel Braddock shares alternate resources for new rhythmic and harmonic invention and discusses a method for keeping your playing fresh and engaged. Composer and performer Braddock is a former Old Town School instructor now located on the East coast. Recommended for intermediate and advanced guitarists. Some fingerstyle experienced required. https://www.nathanielbraddock.com/

This class is specially designed for folks who haven’t played in a while and ummm have found they have extra time on their hands. Yes we will review some basics like tuning, open chords, strumming, bass runs, keys and picking patterns and PLAY lots of songs. Maybe it’s been a few sessions or a few years since you played, well, we have ways to help you remember what you knew and to play better than ever before.

This class is specially designed for folks who haven’t played in a while and ummm have found they have extra time on their hands. Yes we will review some basics like tuning, open chords, strumming, bass runs, keys and picking patterns and PLAY lots of songs. Maybe it’s been a few sessions or a few years since you played, well, we have ways to help you remember what you knew and to play better than ever before.

Nothing fancy here, we’ll just learn some very simple fills that embellish a song you’re singing — how to go from one sung phrase to the next with tasteful and easily executed walks, fingerpicks or a fancy strum or two. Ballads, swing tunes, country hits—we can do them all!”

Nothing fancy here, we’ll just learn some very simple fills that embellish a song you’re singing — how to go from one sung phrase to the next with tasteful and easily executed walks, fingerpicks or a fancy strum or two. Ballads, swing tunes, country hits—we can do them all!”

Learning the chords and melodies is only half the battle, folks! Here's where we focus on our strumming/picking hand, and gain more control over how we engage with the strings. We'll talk about dynamics, muting, pick grip, and all of the je ne sais quois that bring personality and precision to our playing. Sometimes it's a fine line between a rut and a groove...let's get you on the groovin' side.

This is a class that will help you systematize the chords on the neck and get you comfortable with them—major, minor, different shapes, different positions, different extensions. Tricks to help you with barre chords, ways to understand and remember keys and scales, and understand how to use the shapes you know. You’ll get all your sevens straight. You’ll learn what you need to know about diminished chords. You’ll learn songs faster and play them better. You’ll relax and have more fun with the guitar.