Guitar

 

The Guitar

“A guitar is a small orchestra, as every string has a different color, a different voice.” 

Andres Segovia

The Instrument

The guitar's wide appeal as a folk instrument has made it popular in every part of the world. Great performers and composers (M. Julliani, F. Sor, N. Paganini, and A. Segovia, among others) wrote beautiful solo guitar music. Thanks to their efforts, the humble 6-string instrument has made its way from folk-style music making and accompaniment to the most prestigious concert halls.

Guitars come in many shapes, styles, and sizes, with metal or nylon strings. We will gladly help you choose the right instrument and strings for you or your child.   

Classya Study Program

We offer classical and acoustic guitar lessons to students ages 6 to adults, from beginner through intermediate levels. The curriculum includes notation, tablature, finger-style, pick, barre, basic theory and harmony, basic and movable scales and chords, with emphasis on correct posture, hand positions and techniques.

We use various method books: FJH Everybody's Guitar, Ernie Ball or Mel Bay, to name a few, also Suzuki or Segovia methods that emphasize fingerstyle. We supplement them with popular song arrangements, classical pieces, duets with the teacher, and our own chord progressions and exercises. 

Younger students begin with a preparatory course that is mainly music-making with the teacher, and singing or accompanying simple songs with notation introduced gradually. They can take private or semi-private 30- or 45-minute lessons.

For most students, 40 minutes or 50 minutes to an hour are recommended.

Practice

Practicing for 20–30 minutes daily can bring excellent results. Left-hand technique requires strength and flexibility in the fingers. This is why it is important to practice carefully and gradually. As for all musicians, a slower pace, a clean tone, and accuracy are much more effective than haste and exertion. Younger students will need adult help and supervision during their 10- to 20-minute practice sessions.
 

We invite you to listen to some notable guitarists from the Classya Collection (click on “Hear and Learn”).    

Andres Segovia was one of the greatest guitarists of the 20th century. Below are two more of his inspirational quotations:

  • "Among God's creatures, two, the dog and the guitar, have taken all the sizes and all the shapes in order not to be separated from the man.”
  • “ Lean your body forward slightly to support the guitar against your chest, for the poetry of music should resound in your heart.”

     

    Contact Mrs. Mirvis at 240-421-1811 to schedule a free initial meeting.