The guitar is a very fragile piece of art. It is of a significant importance to be careful with it. To pay attention on how to store it, how to transport it, how to carry it etc. There are many case options depends on what type of guitar you have. Few things to keep in mind before you attempt to Continue reading “Hard or soft guitar case?”
Author: Valentin Spasov
Will I be a good guitarist if I take online guitar courses?
Today’s education is getting more and more online. The means that this medium is providing for the students and teachers are beyond our imagination. The notion that the online Courses and lessons or even the group lessons are somehow not enough, and the best is to have one on one lessons in private is very popular among beginners. My self being a conventional guitar teacher for 30 years recently published an online guitar course for adults based on my guitar method book for adults that I wrote 10 years back. During Continue reading “Will I be a good guitarist if I take online guitar courses?”
Can you teach yourself guitar?
What is teaching? In general, the student gets instructions, guides, tips etc. from the teacher, processes them, understands them, up to some extent, then practices. The process of Continue reading “Can you teach yourself guitar?”
Can I learn guitar as an adult?
You can learn guitar as an adult as you learn anything else. Here are few things to have in mind before you enroll in any guitar course or program:
First thing to do is to decide on what type of guitar you want to play. There are diverse types of guitars: electric, classical, acoustic, bass…in many cases people tend to generalize and take all of the above as one instrument. This is a mistake, they are all different instruments belonging to the same family . To begin with, each of them looks different sounds different and is used in different situations. They all have unique way of sound producing, their own technical abilities and specific equipment that you will need to have accordingly. Continue reading “Can I learn guitar as an adult?”
Learning Guitar Online
Learning Guitar Online? As an “old school” guitar teacher, I was trying to stay away from that. Or at least I was convinced that you can teach video lessons, but that is not of a benefit for the student, you can’t have a feedback from the person who is watching the video lesson, simply you don’t know do they get what you are teaching them.
This was until several years ago when I started thinking of putting together a set of online guitar courses, following this new wave that is concurring our education system.
What a surprise! After almost 3 decades of teaching guitar and making living on that, I found myself in a situation where I had to change my way of thinking and my style of teaching completely to fulfill the above concern, namely that I must make sure that I am understood correctly, that the course has a structure, the student is engaged, exercised and so on…
Based on my experience I had to predict and solve the eventual problems that the student may encounter during the course, to answer as many as possible of the questions that they may have, in the same time to keep the pace of the course having in mind all the academic aspects of the mater.
Here I must mention also the technicality: video shouting, sound, editing, designing, etc. it took me first one or two years to learn, test, experiment…there were moments of great enthusiasm and in the same time deep disappointments and sleepless nights, I kept going until my first course started to get shape and it is finally online now. Two other courses are under editing and many more are in various stages of development.
This become one of the most difficult projects that I was ever involved. In conclusion it is a great enriching process for both student and teacher. It allows new ways of teaching and learning impossible or difficult to implement in one to one teaching format.
Check out my “Classical Guitar Course for Adults Level 1” a comprehensive guide for beginners.
July 2018
Writing note names bellow the music
This morning I got a new student who comes from another teacher, with whom they have been studying guitar for one year. Taking out from her guitar case the well-known to all of us “The guitarists way” by Peter Nuttall, she had books 1, 2 and 3. I taught she is at least on book 2 and yes, that was the case. She opens the second book on page 2…and… Continue reading “Writing note names bellow the music”
Christmas Concert 2017
The time passes so quick and there we are… the Christmas is coming soon. Our guitar concert was on Monday Dec. 11th this year we did it in Dubai International art Centre. The garden was lovely arranged for the event, we even had a Christmas three. The Danube Classical Guitar Orchestra opened Continue reading “Christmas Concert 2017”
TCL Foundation Certificate Ensemble
Congratulations to all DCGO members. Thank you for your dedication and commitment. It was a challenging work and here is the result, we passed with distinction. This achievement is of an immense importance to our Danube Classical Guitar Orchestra! We enjoyed every moment of the preparation process and the exam itself, it Continue reading “TCL Foundation Certificate Ensemble”
Preparing for your first guitar exam
At some point you and your teacher may decide to take a music exam. Great! You will get an internationally recognized diploma, you will have something to work towards as well as something to aim for. This will motivate you and help you to progress faster. The examination systems are welcoming encouraging the candidates to enter these exams. We, the music teachers, love the exams as it is an Continue reading “Preparing for your first guitar exam”
Danube Classical Guitar Orchestra, passed Trinity College London exam with distinction.
Dear friends, I am so proud to share with you this great achievement of our orchestra! On May 12th DCGO sat for TCL exam. It was wonderful experience, during the two months of preparation and rehearsals. Few days ago, we got the report stating that we passed with distinction. We performed Continue reading “Danube Classical Guitar Orchestra, passed Trinity College London exam with distinction.”
Danube Classical Guitar Orchestra preparing for TCL Performance Certificate
Dear friends i am very excited that this year our orchestra will be siting for a Performance Certificate board examination at TCL on May 12. To make this possible we are working very hard every week, there are few more rehearsals left. We choose three pieces for our exam program. We will be starting Continue reading “Danube Classical Guitar Orchestra preparing for TCL Performance Certificate”
3 things to do that will improve your guitar progress and bring back your enthusiasm.
You started your guitar lessons but it doesn’t go as you expected you don’t feel that satisfaction, you don’t enjoy it and you may be considering to quit. When you started, you ware enthusiastic and motivated but somewhere down the line you lost it. Here are 3 simple things that Continue reading “3 things to do that will improve your guitar progress and bring back your enthusiasm.”
December 11th 2016 end of term Concert at AF Dubai
Our Concert for the end of term one concert was on December 11th 2016 at Alliance Francoise Dubai,
The Danube Classical Guitar Orchestra played few pieces at the opening. There were more Continue reading “December 11th 2016 end of term Concert at AF Dubai”
Attention Concert
As a guitar student, once in a while you will need to perform before an audience. It can be a school assembly, class production, concert, recital or simply at home in front of parents, friends or relatives, colleagues (if you are an adult) …etc. In general it shouldn’t be a difference the concert or the performance is the same. That’s the moment when Continue reading “Attention Concert”
End Of Year Concert June 11th 2016 at Alliance Francoise Dubai
Young Guitarists performed at Alliance Francoise Dubai on Saturday June 11th…
On Saturday June 11th was our end of year concert at Alliance Francoise-Dubai there ware more that 30 young performers. From beginners to advanced. Students, Continue reading “End Of Year Concert June 11th 2016 at Alliance Francoise Dubai”