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.

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!

A shoo-in for "Longest Running Class Taught by the Same 1970s Folk Icon". Eddie has been doing this one for years, and still keeps it new, interesting, and fun: Finger Pickin', Blues, Rag, Dylan, Prine, the American Songbook, and an occasional odd-ball tuning all arranged by Eddie! Among other things, this is the class where Eddie tries out tunes before he takes them on stage! Come join the fun for Eddie’s songs and stories.

A shoo-in for "Longest Running Class Taught by the Same 1970s Folk Icon". Eddie has been doing this one for years, and still keeps it new, interesting, and fun: Finger Pickin', Blues, Rag, Dylan, Prine, the American Songbook, and an occasional odd-ball tuning all arranged by Eddie! Among other things, this is the class where Eddie tries out tunes before he takes them on stage! Come join the fun for Eddie’s songs and stories.

We play and sing Rock Pop Acoustic, with a lot of laughter thrown in. Being one of 15+ guitars and a rhythm section will help you Relinquish Performance Anxiety. You may love it so much, you'll be Reluctant to Plan Activities that would keep you away. If you're Ready to Play Along, join us on Thursday nights. You'll have a great time while improving your technique and building your repertoire.   "mysteriously named ... totally charming…a serious musicianship class masquerading as a social club.” - No Depression Magazine

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.

The glorious sounds of Lennon and McCartney, framed for solo fingerstyle guitar. Name your thumb and fingers John, Paul George and Ringo and take a magical musical tour. Upon registration send a song request to Michael. mmiles@oldtownschool.org

In this class, we explore a wide repertoire of fingerstyle instrumentals from popular songs, blues, Celtic, classical and maybe a song or two. Some material will be in altered tunings. The class material will include tablature, audio and sometimes video files. Students must be comfortable with tablature and have some fingerpicking experience.

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.

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. REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLETED INTRO, JAZZ GUITAR 1. Contact Tony Do Rosario at tdorosario@oldtownschool.org It’s a lifelong journey and we invite you to repeat level as much as necessary before moving on to Jazz Guitar 2.

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.

“Blues is a feeling!” First you need the skills to play the music. Learn the styles and technique of blues greats like Mississippi John Hurt, Big Bill Broonzy, Robert Johnson, Jimmy Reed, and more including fingerpicking, ragtime, shuffle rhythms, blues chords, riffs, and progressions.

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!

What’s the chord transition in that song that always trips you up? Whether it involves open chords, barre chords, unusual fingerings or fast changes, make those transitions easier! In this workshop, you’ll learn lots of easy strategies about muscle memory, chord shapes, minimizing finger motion, and practicing. Minimize the frustration with chords and sail smoothly through your songs! Open to any level of guitarist or ukulele player, from beginning to advanced. All fretted string instruments are welcome.

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 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 two!

To be a blues guitarist of any note (blues/rock, too), you must know the instrumental standards of the legendary Freddie King. Emphasizing the rhythm, groove, funky bass runs, soaring riffs and melodies, we’ll simply learn to play these iconic blues masterpieces, and more. Before you know it, you’ll be “tearing it up” with hot licks and funky blues grooves. Printed material (standard notation/TAB) and recordings (via Zoom) provided.

The lament of the guitarist after the first couple of classes: “ARGGHH!! Barre chords!” Don't fret, there is hope! In this workshop, you’ll develop the muscles and theory to play barre chords across the neck and learn how to move fluidly from open chords and other chord forms. Learn partial bar forms so you can play your favorite songs while developing your technique. Barre chords without frustration! A workshop for beginners and pros alike. This workshop fills up fast! Advanced registration is encouraged.

Join acclaimed guitarist, composer, archivist, and writer Nathan Salsburg, to examine the approaches, methods, and concepts that inform his guitar playing. Renowned for his solo finger style playing and accompaniment, Nathan has crafted a personal style that leans toward the melodic, lyrical, and narrative. In conversation and through a Q & A, Nathan will discuss tunings, right hand approaches, and other practical guitar techniques. Additionally, by delving into his work - as a composer, accompanist and recording artist, as well as curator for the Alan Lomax Archive - Nathan will journey in to more of the esoteric components of his musicianship. This workshop is designed for players and fans alike.

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!”

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!”

Improve your songwriting and enhance your appreciation of the skill by learning songs of the great singer-songwriters. From Greenwich Village to Laurel Canyon. Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, John Prine, James Taylor, Carole King,Tom Waits, Jackson Browne all have their influences and sources of “borrowed” material. Eddie will share his seasoned wisdom, tips, and tales on the discipline of songwriting.