Teen & Adult Beginner Class

June 2024 Beginner Class

Tuesdays, TEEN & ADULT ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS

June 4, 11, 18, & 25 - 6:00-7:00 pm

@ Sacramento Youth Symphony, Tahoe Park East

ENROLLMENT: Scroll down for enrollment information.

OR

Thursdays, TEEN & ADULT INTERMEDIATE BEGINNERS

June 6, 13, 20, & 27 - 6:00-7:00 pm

@ The Table UMC, East Sacramento

ENROLLMENT: Scroll down for enrollment information.

Overview

The Adult Beginner Classes cover everything you need to know to start learning various styles of guitar music. We start with the basics of how the guitar works, how to tune, pick, strum, finger-pick, how to create contrasting tone qualities, reading common forms of notation (mostly chord diagrams and simple rhythms), and progress to dipping a toe into the world of improvisation, working with others to produce a unique version of a familiar song, and finally an informal group performance for the class in the last week.

We start Week 1 with the basics and a fair amount of playing on the instrument, proceed to tuning, call and response exercises, some simple improvisation, and how to read and draw chord diagrams. At the end of this class, you will have taken your your steps in learning the guitar!

Week 2 covers a thorough review of everything from the previous week. We will add some strumming, picking, and even some short finger-picking exercises, and apply those to two familiar pop songs. Further steps in light improvising will be covered to prepare you for the next class.

For Week 3, students will work in groups of 3 or 4 and choose a song to focus on. The teacher will coach each group for part of the class to help establish best practices for rehearsing at this early stage in your learning. This especially enjoy this session, as they get to know each other a bit more, feel comfortable taking small musical risks, and get to create music with other people.

Week 4 is dedicated to reviewing everything covered in the previous 3 weeks. We will re-visit and run through all of the exercises, songs, and tips & tricks covered up to this point. Each group will perform their song for the class and will receive constructive feedback from the instructor. At the end of the course, there will be a short class discussion on keeping a fun and inspiring practice routine going in the future.

Padlet.com

Students enrolled in classes will have access to course content such as video tutorials and documents that provide further review and development of lessons covered in-person. To see how the course stream is organized, go to the following link: https://padlet.com/SacGuitarSchool/sample

Required Items

Enrolled students will need a tuner (or tuning app) and an acoustic guitar in good working condition (a strap if you have a dreadnaught steel-string guitar).

Items Provided by Sacramento Guitar School

Folder with all course materials, guitar picks, and online access to Padlet.com. The SGS Padlet page provides video tutorials that cover everything we do in the class. Students are encouraged to check-in with everything in the course between the classes to help maintain progress.

Tuition

Tuition for each 4-week course is $135.

Payment can be made by cash, check, or Venmo.

Each Adult Beginner course includes 4 in-person class sessions in May. Two options we currently offer are Tuesdays in Tahoe Park East or Thursdays in East Sacramento. Both courses will meet from 6:00-7:00 pm. Once enrolled, students will have access to the SGS Padlet.com page which provides video tutorials of everything covered in class.

Policy on Missed Classes

There will be no make-up sessions given, but class material will be recorded and uploaded to the Padlet.com page. Students who must miss a session are strongly encouraged to view the video tutorials and consult the pdfs on Padlet.com. In the event there is space in another class for you to sit-in on as a makeup opportunity, SGS will inform students of this option at the start of the course; this is not a guarantee, however.

How to Enroll

Send an email to info@sacramentoguitarschool.org with:

• Your name, phone number, mailing address, and which class you would like to join (Tuesdays in Tahoe Park East OR Thursdays in East Sac)

• A brief description of any musical experience you have (none is okay, too!)

• What you hope to gain from the class

Upon receiving your enrollment information, SGS will send you directions of submitting payment (Venmo or Paypal).

Enrollment closes on May 31 and is limited to 12 people per class.