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Harlem Acoustic Workshop

Weekend Workshops

Our weekend workshops are convenient, informative and an effective way to jumpstart your study of music and the guitar.  In these workshops, Ray provides the same level of quality instruction and attention to detail offered by private lessons.

 

Acoustic Workshop

This 12-week Acoustic Workshop is designed for beginners or advanced beginners, who have some exerience with the guitar or may have taken lessons in the past.  The focus is on learning the basics of playing the acoustic guitar, note reading, theory and exercises, and learning to play songs individually and as part of an ensemble.

Each 12-session workshop series continue and expand on and deepen the students understanding and mastery of topics covered in previous workshop sessions.  Students must start with the first workshop of each 12-week series, or if they can demonstrate the required pre-requisite, they may join a workshop series after the first workshop but no later than the third workshop.

Topics covered in Acoustic Guitar Workshop Series:

  • How to Tune a Guitar 
    • Relative Tuning
    • Tuning with reference tone (Piano, Pitch Fork. another guitar)
    • Using electronic tuners
  • Musical Notation & Notes
    • Notes on 1st  2 Strings
    • Notes on 3rd & 4th Strings
    • Notes on 5th & 6th Strings
    • Putting them all together
    • Apply to one new song each week
  • Timing and Time Signatures
    • Musical time vs. the Clock on the Wall
    • How to read Time Signitures
    • Apply to one or more songs each week
  • Chord playing
    • Ten Chords covered over the 12 weeks
      (G, D7, C, G7, Am, E7, A7, C7, F Dm)
    • Apply to one or more songs each week
  • Accompaniment Styles
    • Strum Patterns
    • Fundamental Bass
    • Alternate Bass
    • Blues Rhythm
    • Applying accompaniment styles to songs
    • Fingerpicking
    • Carter Picking
    • Apply to one or more songs each week
  • Right hand plectrum technique
  • Puting It All Together
    • Playing while Accompanying yourself Singing
    • Playing while Accompanying Others Singing
    • Ensembles - Playing with Othe People
 Schedule:  Twelve Sundays, 1 - 3 p.m., Duration:  2 hrs.

* Handouts included at no additional cost
  

 

Acoustic Guitar Workshop
Group Lessons
One hour Guitar classes and two hour Weekend workshops
Private Guitar Lessons
Register here for Individual Private Guitar Lessons and private lesson packages including. Discounts are available with online registration.

Blues Workshop

The 12-week Blues Workshop is takes advantage of the skills learned in the Accoustic workshop.  This workshop is designed for Advanced Beginners, Intermediate, or advanced students.  The focus is on the introduction of the Blues and technique for the performance of the Blues.   

Each 12-session workshop series continue and expand on and deepen the students understanding and mastery of topics covered in previous workshop sessions.  Students must start with the first workshop of each 12-week series of the Blues Workshop.  An electric guitar is recommended for this workshop. Students wit play songs individually and as part of an ensemble.  See "Topics covered " below for additional detail: 

Topics covered in Acoustic Guitar Workshop Series:

  • 12 -Bar Blues Progression
    • Blues Progression In the first Position
    • Alternate progression with quick change
    • Alternate progression with turn-around
  • Chord playing
    • Moveable Chord Concept
    • Five Moveable Chord Fingerings
  • Pentatonic and Blues Scales
  • Note Reading 
    • Notes in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Fretboard Positions
    • 2-Note Chords
    • Blues Licks and Phrases
  • Blues techniques
    • Vibrato/Tremolo
    • Hammer-Ons 
    • Pull-Offs
    • Bends & Slides 
  • Ensembles - Playing with other people
    • Blues Improvisation

Schedule:  Twelve Saturdays, 2 - 4 p.m., Duration:  2 hrs.

* Handouts included at no additional cost

Guitarist for Hire: Need a guitarist for your next affair?  I'm available for weddings, receptions, dinner parties, kids parties, and fill in when your guitarist can't make it.  Professional look and equipment.

 

For more information, rates and to register into classes
Contact:  Ray Johnson, 646-539-1031
Send email to: info@RaymondAJohnson.com
Cash, check, MasterCard and Visa accepted

 

Cherish your visions. Cherish your ideals. Cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of them will grow all delightful conditions, all heavenly environment; of these, if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built.
~ James Allen, from As a Man Thinketh  

In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.
~ Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

 

 



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