Guitar Lessons Archives - Guitar Confidence

Learning How to Play Guitar is Easy, When you Learn with Guitar Confidence’s Online Classes

June 10, 2020 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

The current pandemic situation does not have to be a hurdle when it comes to learning how to play the guitar when you learn with Guitar Confidence. With us, learning guitar is convenient and easy as you get a real live person teaching you how to play the guitar online. We have skillfully designed our online classes to be able to take your guitar playing skills to the next level.

But when it comes to online classes the number one thing which you will need is discipline and a timetable to make sure you practice with a strict and yet flexible schedule.

At GuitarConfidence.com, we have designed our online classes which cover all the things that give students the confidence to master guitar in the real world. How do I hold it? How do I operate the knobs on the head? What part of my finger should be hitting the string on the upstroke? At Guitar Confidence, our instructor Rex through online classes will give you all the necessary instruction, demonstration, and exercises for the very basics of operating a guitar so that you can master them in literally no time, and quickly move on to thinking about taking your guitar learning skills to the next level.

Figuring out how to play the guitar, especially with no musical background, is a bit of a journey. At Guitar Confidence our master instructor Rex will always encourage you to start this musical journey with small little steps. Most beginners who have tried to learn how this musical instrument with Rex, have found that slow and an easy-paced approach were the best for them in the beginning of their guitar learning career. There is no falling behind when you practice with Rex, you may or may not race through, but if you need to drill on the basics, if you need more explanation on the very fundamentals then Rex will always be there to provide you with all the help which you might need when you learn how to play the guitar.

Rex’s online guitar teaching system is great for beginners and accomplished guitar players. He uses different sets of online methodologies for teaching both beginners and accomplished players. And the best part about Rex is that these online classes are private and one-to-one. Whether you just want to play for pleasure or want to learn guitar we Rex will help you with your dream and provide you with one to one online lessons.

So, if you are a beginner or if you have some knowledge about playing the guitar and want to continue learning then contact Guitar Confidence and Rex can help you learn guitar at your home. Rex has been providing guitar lessons for many years. Guitar Confidence covers over 30 cities in the East Bay and South Bay areas; including Benicia, Berkeley, Clayton, Concord, Crocket, Danville, Dublin, Fairfield, Hercules, Lafayette, Livermore, Martinez, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Vallejo, & Walnut Creek, CA.

Get your free online trial class today!!

Learn New Guitar Skills and Pursue your Interests with Guitar Confidence’s Online Guitar Classes

May 30, 2020 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

Lockdown measures across the US in-response to COVID-19 has led to many millions of people being advised to stay at home as much as possible.

While staying at home measures are vital for halting the spread of the virus, they have had the unplanned consequence of leaving people with long hours at home, wondering how to fill their new-found free time. Online guitar classes are ideal for staying active and engaged during the lockdown, and Guitar Confidence intends to keep you busy with a beautiful musical note.

Learning a new musical instrument is not only a great way to use your time to learn a new talent but also beneficial for maintaining mental wellbeing while in isolation. Guitar Confidence’s guitar classes are designed to be completed online and encourage you to discuss each guitar learning step with our master instructor Rex Bell. Staying social is a good way to strike off boredom and learning guitar along the way is even better. Get in touch with Guitar Confidence now, and make boredom history.

At Guitar Confidence, we have started offering private online guitar lessons throughout the East Bay including Benicia, Berkeley, Clayton, Concord, Crocket, Danville, Dublin, Fairfield, Hercules, Lafayette, Livermore, Martinez, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Vallejo, & Walnut Creek, CA. Live online classes ensure that your guitar training is nor obstructed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our master trainer Rex has 40+ years of experience as a musician, music instructor, arranger and performing artist. He has been a guitarist in San Francisco Bay Area and New York City recording and performing with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis Jr., Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Wild Cherry, The Drifters, Tammy Wynette, Jackson Brown, The Pointer Sisters, Tower of Power and many others.

His formal education was at Berklee College of Music, Boston MA where he majored in music arranging & composition. Rex studied classical guitar at New England Conservatory, Boston MA. He has studied under musical greats, e.g., Ron Parker, Harry Lahee, George Barnes, Warren Nunes, Don Haas and Judy Davis.

From school students to working professionals to retired persons all can learn to play the guitar at the comfort of their home through Guitar Confidence’s online classes.

We are also offering a free trial class. Get a Free Trial Class today!!

Guitar Confidence Provides Online Guitar Lessons

May 15, 2020 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

Are you planning to learn guitar but not able to because of the current pandemic situation? Well, that is not a problem because you can get your guitar classes at the comfort of your home through Guitar Confidence’s online courses.

My name is Rex, and I am the founder of Guitar Confidence which provides both mobile and online guitar lessons. I will give you personal one-on-one online guitar lessons which you can take at the comfort of your home. Guitar Confidence covers Dublin, San Ramon, Pleasanton, Livermore and all cities in the east and south bay.

Decades ago, playing any form of musical instrument was considered an essential part of a person’s primary education. But by the early twenty-first century, electronic diversions like music-playback machines and video games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band series made the effort of mastering an actual musical instrument somewhat less appealing. Whenever you think of learning a new musical instrument, its goal is a bucket list item. But sadly, most often they stay hidden in the bucket. Possibly you may have got yourself a guitar thinking to learn to play it and noodled around on it for a few days, before placing it back in the closet most probably because you could not give it enough time out of your busy schedule. But there is good news now! You no longer have to hold back that guitarist inside you as we will provide you online guitar classes to get that guitarist out and show it to the world.

Guitar Confidence is providing you with the opportunity to get your guitar out of your closet and start learning this beautiful musical instrument at the comfort of your home. Our private online classes will save your time, and you don’t have to think about travelling outside with the current COVID-19 situation. Isn’t that cool!

So, what you have to do to get started? It’s simple, visit guitarconfidence.com and leave your details if you have questions and we will get back to you. Or you can directly book your lesson and get started right away with a free first class.

Whether you want to play for pleasure or want to learn guitar, I can help you with your dream and provide you with one to one online classes. I have over 40 years of experience as a musician, music instructor, arranger and performing artist. I have been a guitarist in San Francisco Bay Area and New York City recording and playing with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis Jr., Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Wild Cherry, The Drifters, Tammy Wynette, Jackson Brown, The Pointer Sisters, Tower of Power and many others. I have designed a specific guitar teaching system for a beginner which is different from how I teach intermediate and accomplished guitar players.

Don’t think much! Get your guitar out and give a call to guitarconfidence.com.

Best practices of renowned guitarists you need to emulate

April 27, 2020 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

As a guitarist, you will face many challenges and difficulties. Good practice habits will help you to face these challenges and make the progress you wish for. Poor practice habits, on the other hand, lead to frustration and disenchantment, and ultimately you are likely to get a discouraged practising guitar.

Good practice habits are easy to apply. Here are four habits that will ensure you get the most out of your guitar practice and avoid the pitfalls of boredom, frustration or injury.

They Practice Regularly

An instrument is a lifetime commitment. A successful musician realizes that there’s never enough to learn. Too many guitarists make the mistake of thinking that learning a few chords and throwing on the right shirt is going to buy them a sustainable career. Playing an instrument is not about placing fame above passion. Successful guitar players fall in love with practising to the point where practice doesn’t feel like practice.

They Constantly Seek Out Inspiration

We all have our heroes, those players who we aspire to be like. It’s extremely important to have people who you can draw inspiration from. When you’re feeling inspired, it’s a lot easier to reach your goals as a musician. Successful musicians know this and regularly draw inspiration from their favourite artists. At the same time, don’t compare yourself to other musicians. Be your own unique artist.

Have a routine

To have regular, short, focused practise sessions you need to know what to work on in advance. If you come to your guitar practise sessions with only a vague idea of what to work on you will waste time figuring it out.

Set aside a regular time to plan out your practice in advance. Identify the skills and knowledge you want to acquire and set practice activities for them. You can plan as far or as little ahead as you want. At a minimum, it’s a good idea to map out at least one week’s practice.

They Play With a Good Rhythm Section

This point may seem slightly bizarre, however, your performance as a guitarist is strictly dependent on your rhythm section. The key ingredient that successful bands get right is a good drummer and bass player. In some cases, an excellent rhythm section can determine whether your band is going to stick out or blend in with the herd.

They Maintain Their Gear

Maintaining your instrument is important – sometimes more than most guitar players realize. If you gig on a regular basis, a string change is necessary at least once a month to maintain the optimal tone and playing ability. Keeping your fretboard clean is also extremely important. Dirty fretboards compromise your tone and playing ability. It’s important to give your fretboard and guitar body a good cleaning on a regular basis to remove sweat and dirt.

How to Improve Your Guitar Learning Skills with Online Classes

April 20, 2020 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

If you are looking forward to learning guitar in the comfort of your living room, you can get help from online classes. Currently, numerous guitar schools have dedicated guitarists who take beginners through learning guitar, step-by-step. After a series of online sessions, a beginner may be able to hit various chords and perhaps even play along with a certain tone. Besides learning guitar at your convenience, online guitar classes persuade you to free up more time to learn how to play the guitar. Below are a few ways that will prove helpful in improving your guitar learning skills with online classes.

Dedicate Specific Practice Time

All renowned guitarists are known for their dedication to practice. They had a specific time of the day when they would spend ample time with their guitar, especially as beginners. It will be prudent to set a fixed time for everyday practice. Regular practice will help you learn more, get motivated and obtain solid progress. Without a doubt, you will learn various chords and different styles of holding your guitar from online guitarists. If it gets hard to keep up with practice schedules, put reminders on your mobile device or computer.

Play Along with the online guitarist

Learning to keep up with a beat is an essential skill you need to acquire as a guitarist. When learning online, follow the illustrations of the guitarist and ensure you play along. This requires a lot of keenness. In case the guitarist is too fast, you can save the online video so that you can replay it and play along at your own time. Practice playing along as much as you can. It is worth noting that this actually starts very slow. However, it becomes faster and effective when you continue practising.

Find the Right Guitar Teacher

Nowadays, almost everyone is claiming to be a guitarist. Some people have even unethically conned guitar beginners in the disguise of being online guitar instructors. As a beginner, it is wise to research vastly to obtain the best online guitar teacher. You can also make sure that the online teacher has a forum where you give feedback on your progress. A good online guitar trainer will give room for feedback and understand the weaknesses that he or she needs to help you manoeuvre.

Record-Listen-Learn-Improve

Currently, you can be able to record or download any online material. Online guitar classes are not an exception. You will be able to use your iPhone, iPad, computer or any recording device to record and use the recording to practice as many times as possible. Moreover, you can also record yourself while practising and send the video as feedback to your online tutor. This way, you can get tips on how to improve.

If you are learning how to play the guitar online, evaluating your progress is vital. It keeps you focused and helps you know whether you are getting value for your time and money. Besides, it helps you to rate your progress, keeps you going and gives you the confidence to achieve your guitar objectives.

New Year Resolutions – Starting the New Year with Guitar Lessons

December 22, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

It is time that some of us are considering making New Year’s Resolutions! Possibly, one of your major resolves is learning how to play the guitar. Even so, you are at crossroads on whether or not to join guitar lessons. Undoubtedly, you may know quite a few guitarists who have taken lessons to become the best. In contrast, several among the best guitarists may have not taken lessons.

Even so, they may play with a similar ability. However, taking guitar lessons helps you gain competence within a short period. Without formal training, playing guitar may become hard especially for most beginners. If you will begin guitar lessons next year, here are some tips to consider for gradual and perfect progression.

Schedule a Regular Practice Time

Often, people commit to practicing playing the guitar every day. Some even intend to play the guitar at least five times a week but end up failing to meet the target. Perhaps, other commitments keep on getting in the way. Nonetheless, practicing schedules will work better if you carefully examine daily routines. That will help you to create a practicing schedule that does not clash with anything else. Consider guitar-practicing sessions to be like other priorities and never fail to undertake them. That way, you will be serious with gaining excellent guitar playing skills. The process will not stop and your improvement as a guitar player will be significant.

Set Achievable Goals

You will agree that some of your resolutions never come true, year in, year out. It is illogical for you not have asked yourself the reason for this. Well, it is because most of them are not achievable! This year, we want you to have goals that are more realistic. For your guitar lessons and practicing sessions, set achievable goals. Make simple milestones that may include mastering a chord or singing and playing along with your favorite song. That is very achievable and reminds you that you are making progress. Gradually make other challenging goals when you achieve the previous ones.

Use a Metronome

Sometimes, a metronome can be frustrating little devices. However, they make you a better guitar player over time. Metronomes often work like a mirror and will tell you whenever you make mistakes that you cannot notice easily. Once you go offkey or miss chords, the metronome will obviously identify the mistake. It is a great way to chart your guitar prowess progress. You will get a chance to rectify your mistakes and become better. It is essential to note that there is no excuse for not having a metronome with all the smartphone apps at hand.

Take Guitar Lessons

At the age of 14, Joe Satriani was under the mentorship and training of the world’s greatest guitarist of all time, Jimi Hendrix. Currently, he is one of the most famous guitarist cum musician in the United States. That implies that every great guitarist got guitar lessons in their journey to greatness! Therefore, it is time for you to be enrolled in a guitar lesson. You will get help and steadily rise to fame through guidance and commitment to a learning path.

Why Holidays Are Always the Best Time To Acquire a Guitar

November 26, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

Black Friday and festive season sales always dominate the adverts when it gets to this time of the year. As we approach the final month of the year, super sale deals come our way faster than we even anticipate. Whereas most people may think that this happens only with electronics, music instruments are not an exception. Right now, musicians are expecting to see an absolute bounty of amazing deals.

The sheer volume of these juicy deals for musicians gets overwhelming. For this reason, this article looks forward to assisting you with some of the reasons why you need to bag home your dream guitar. Below are the reasons why holidays are the best time to acquire a guitar.

Discounts

For marketers of musical instruments, the holiday season means something different than it does for everyone else. They get a moment to share their love for music with other people, without necessarily singing or playing the instruments. At this time, all they have is generosity and sentimental sharing. They share with customers the joy of music by offering discounts for almost every instrument. Of course, everyone likes paying less. For this reason, you should take advantage of the countless offers that come our way during the festive season.

Ensured Stock

Throughout the year, the chances are that we tend to settle for the available stock at stores. That implies that we, at times, opt for the second-best quality. However, this does not have to happen during the festive season. Usually, stores are packed to the brim with a stock of everything that is anticipated to sell in high volumes. In most instances, customers rarely end up wasting their money with items of low quality.

Additionally, buyers are never left with the option of buying something completely different from what they wanted for lack of stock. With that said, musicians will hardly ever lack the guitar of their choice during the festive season. Actually, they have a variety of choices to select from during this season.

Free accessories

Over 80% of musicians who buy their instruments during the festive season report that they have a high quality. Moreover, they are offered with their respective accessories. For a guitar, you may get a dealer offering frees accessories including picks, stands, straps, etc. this is considered to be a great offer since it will save you money. These gifts will mainly come during the festive season.

Guaranteed Delivery Times

According to a recent survey, many people who want to buy a musical instrument search for it on the internet before visiting physical stores. It is relieving when the store can deliver the item. This goes a long way to reflect on how buyers of musical instruments do. Most buyers would like it if they would get the option of getting a guitar being delivered to their premises. During the festive seasons, most dealers offer free delivery services. You will not have to worry about getting that guitar you saw being sold by a dealer in another state. Be certain that such sellers will be willing to deliver them regardless of the location of their buyers.

Tips on How to Play the Guitar While Singing Along

November 3, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

It is no secret that singing and playing guitar at the same time is a much-coveted skill. Nonetheless, many guitarists will attest to the fact that much of it remains a mystery. Notably, a good sense of timing and the ability to keep up with the rhythm is essential. That is similar to having the aptitude to synchronize two different actions. However, all this can be mastered just like everything else you learn about playing the guitar. For a beginner, it would be best to learn how to play guitar and before practicing how to play and sing simultaneously. Otherwise, you can use the following tips to obtain proficiency.

Master the guitar part

When learning to play along with a song, get to grips with the guitar part first. This includes listening to the tuned of the song and possibly trying to play along with the original recording. Of course, you can be able to notice the guitar tunes in a song as an instrumentalist. That will give you a good sense of when chord switches and when to strum in harmony with the lyrics. In case you struggle with any particular part, work on it until you get it right.

Start with a simple song

It is vital to start with a simple song regardless of whether or not you are an experienced guitarist. Do not forget that the main aim is building up the ability to multitask and not trying to prove that you are a superhuman. Playing a hard song on guitar while singing along will prove futile at the start. Instead, choose a song with three or four chords. Know the song in terms of where the specific chords appear. In a nutshell, try getting familiar with the melody and inflections. Sing over the record and practice as many times as possible.

Practice with a metronome

To have better timing and rhythm, it will be best to practice using the metronome. Even though it may feel a bit deterring, the metronome will make you a more consistent player. This instrument provides a steady beat that helps a guitar player keep up with the rhythm timings of a song as you play. Spending ten minutes every day practicing a simple strumming pattern with a metronome will be helpful to master the beats. You will notice significant advances in your timing within a few weeks.

Know the syllables when the chords switch

Discover when certain syllables of a word are sung and play the correct notes. This is part of what it takes to learn how to play the guitar and sing at the same time. It mainly includes listening to the song severally and noticing different syllables in each word. Syllables are distinctive sounds that create words phonetically. Knowing the exact syllables in the lyrics helps in playing along with the chords in a song.

Hum the vocal melody while you play guitar

You can ease the process of singing and playing the guitar by humming the melody of a song. It will make you focus more on the notes and individual chords and play along with them more easily. Also, it makes you memorize the melody more so that you can freely and perfectly play along with the tone.

How to Structure Your Child’s Guitar Practice to Make Practicing More Feasible

October 20, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

Playing the guitar offers a life-time full of fun and learning. Children also benefit from learning how to play the guitar. Playing the guitar while young enhances the development of cognition skills. That can be carried over to school plus achieving greater success in other aspects of a child’s life. However, some parents fail to create a feasible guitar-practicing timetable. Consequently, this makes it hard for children to enjoy practicing how to play the guitar. In this article, we aim to help parents with the best approaches to ensuring that children remain motivated and focused while practicing.

Start with the basics

This will start with choosing the right guitar for your child. The market has a variety of guitar sizes to fit smaller bodies. For instance, quarter size, half size, and three quarter size guitars are a great match for children between the ages of four to eleven years. Full size may be suitable for children above the age of twelve years. Notably, getting the wrong guitar size may cause pain in the hands and arms. That may lead to significant frustration and the child will start avoiding the guitar practice sessions.

Get a teacher for your child

Getting the best guitar teacher can propel your child in developing the right attitude towards practice. Besides, teachers have a special way of making learners grasp concepts faster and swiftly than when leaning alone. The guitar teacher will understand your child’s weaknesses and strive to look for viable remedies. Be assured that lessons with a teacher will remain interesting and fun. The teacher will also choose interesting songs to keep practice vibrant and challenging songs to improve playing skills.

Motivate your child to Practice

Keeping a child motivated is one of the greatest hurdles you can ever encounter as a parent. This is a challenge that you will need to overcome for fruitful guitar practicing of a child. However, there are ploys you can use to support your child to avoid struggles and stress that can easily step in. It would be better to refrain from making your child feel as though practicing is a punishment. Encourage your child to practice as many times as possible to obtain flawlessness. More practice will help in developing dexterity, fine motor skills, and hand strength.

Timing and Length of the practice session

Children are less likely to recognize the long-term gains they will acquire from their efforts in anything they do. It would be best for a parent to remind a child about the benefits of persistence. Make the practice sessions more appropriate. Do not make the sessions too short or too long. Additionally, avoiding periods that the child is very tired will also prove to be helpful. Note that a practice session that kicks off with learning and ends with success is highly worthwhile and motivating to a child.

Make a collection of videos

One of the best and effective ways to engage kids is making short videos for learning purposes. They can easily copy the moves or recall what was learned during a lesson. You can get short videos with teachers showing simple strumming moves. This can go a long way in enhancing the practice of the right playing techniques.

Practical Tips for Guitar Beginners to Stay Focused and Inspired

September 20, 2019 by Ravi Singh Leave a Comment

For guitar beginners, the first few weeks of playing the guitar are very exciting. Learning how to play the guitar is deemed as the first step towards emulating the renowned musical icons. In addition, most beginners find it enjoyable to play their favorite jams, even though it is usually with an inconsistent rhythm. Nonetheless, the problem sets in when the first flushes of excitement and remaining focused have started fading away. This happens when one notices that they have quite a long way to go. Below are things that will open your thinking and renew your energy towards guitar playing to remain focused and inspired.

Build a Practicing Habit

This may sound like the usual cliché. However, this is the way to go! Creating a constant habit is an ultimate guide to having a regular and successful practice. Regular practice creates an addictive but effective interest that motivates one’s practice behavior. It makes a beginner want to pick up the guitar every time they have a leisure moment. It would be best to stick to the schedule even if one does not feel motivated. Having a practicing habit ensures that one does not procrastinate. With time, it will become a routine and practicing will be consistent and productive.

Set Limits

Even with a practicing schedule in place, it is prudent to set time limits. Without time limits during practicing, playing the guitar will turn into a demotivating affair especially for a beginner. That is because when playing for long sessions, one will notice flaws and varying rhythms that may put them off. Therefore, the most feasible solution is to set limits in every session. To build a good practicing habit, one can create a schedule to practice for not less than fifteen minutes each day. Setting limits helps in avoiding the likelihood of getting distracted and leaving the practice session halfway. It also facilitates maximum productivity and saves time.

Engage a Proficient Teacher

We are living in an era where one can learn how to play the guitar through online videos. In spite of this, one should consider getting a guitar teacher. Progress will be quicker and there is a high tendency to gain more experience, guidance, and skills from a teacher. A guitar teacher saves you from making regular mistakes. That propels you towards achieving your goals quicker. It is imperative to note that the teacher helps in structuring a learning process that will aid in gradual improvement.

Listen to Lots of Eminent Music

Listening to great music inspires one to pick the guitar and play along. That motivating factor has made many beginners turn into pros. Most beginners report that it reminds you why you need to start practicing – ‘to become the next Jimi Hendrix’. Listening to music while strumming the guitar helps beginners to keep their enthusiasm and learning zeal alive. It stimulates the sense of improvement when you remember that the instrumentalist was in your position at some point. This motivation and passion instilled by listening to music when playing the guitar have proven to be fruitful by many guitarists.

Call (925) 695-7060

Book FREE Lesson Now

Book Make Up Lessons