“When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry.” – William Shakespeare

Father’s Day celebrates the contribution that fathers and father figures make in their children’s lives. This day celebrates fatherhood and male parenting. Father’s Day is an occasion to mark and celebrate the contribution that your own father has made to your life. Many people send or give cards or gifts to their fathers. Common gifts for Father’s Day include sports items or clothing, electronic gadgets, outdoor cooking supplies and tools for household maintenance. How about gifting him something different, something uncommon which he will cherish all throughout his life!

Here is your Father’s Day opportunity to gift something special to your dad. As we enter the week of Father’s Day, Guitar Confidence is offering an exciting Father’s Day package at a great discounted price. So take advantage of this deal and gift your father a guitar, banjo, or ukulele lesson.

Time works a little differently at Guitar Confidence, it means that Father’s Day has come early and will last for a while, so, grab this offer before it runs out. What you get out of this offer, well Guitar Confidence is offering Father’s Day Special package for $110 to guitar/banjo/ukulele/ mandolin learning students; this package is at 60% discount. This package includes

• Six 30 min private Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo or Mandolin lessons
• Gift envelope with 6 gift certificates
• Two free Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo or Mandolin method books valued at $50 retail

So, you can save on your father’s guitar learning lessons by purchasing our Father’s Day package. To avail this offer you will have to visit Guitar Confidence, click the Offer’s section, and book the training sessions. 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. So, if you reside in any of these cities you can avail our offer.

A brief background on Guitar Confidence, we provide lessons for Guitar, Ukulele, Banjo and Mandolin. We are confident that you will find our unique teaching style and vast experience perfect for taking your learning skills to the next level.  And, if you are located in the Greater East Bay Area, you have the option of having your lesson in the convenience of your own home! That is we will come to your home and provide private in-home guitar, banjo, ukulele, and mandolin lessons.

Our master trainer, Rex has over 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 Barrey, Warren Nunes, Don Haas and Judy Davis.

So what are you thinking about! Come along with father and learn guitar, banjo, or ukulele lessons. We guarantee you it will be great fun.

“Every day I feel is a blessing from God, and I consider it a new beginning. Yeah everything is beautiful” – Prince 

When George Harrison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, as a mark of respect, Mr. Harrison’s one of the famous Beatles song “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was performed on stage by a group of legendary musicians which included Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, Jeff Lynne, Dhani Harrison (George’s son), Prince and others. Then guitarist Marc Mann played Eric Clapton solo from the album version of the song. During all this time Prince whose performance went unnoticed burnt the stage. Prince, who essentially stood in the dark for most of the performance, burned the stage to the ground at the song’s end in the last three minutes. It is quite possibly the greatest guitar solo ever by Prince at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Here are some of Prince’s greatest Billboard hits:

“When Doves Cry”

Prince wrote this song for his movie Purple Rain. “When Doves Cry” is the first worldwide hit of Prince, mainly for being the central theme of his 1984 movie Purple Rain. In the opening stanza of this lead single from Purple Rain, Prince teases listeners with guitar pyrotechnics, then picks it up again and continues wailing away on his instrument until the end of the song.

“Kiss”

“Kiss” is a 1986 single by Prince and The Revolution, from the album Parade. The “Kiss” track is just forever, it has to be one of the most played club song of all the time. It is so popular that even today you will find it playing in some of the most recognised clubs around the world. They way Prince played his guitar is truly a class act.

 

“Let’s Go Crazy”

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate this thing called life”. This song is one of the main highlights from the classic Prince and the Revolution album Purple Rain. It was the opening track on both the album and the film Purple Rain. “Let’s Go Crazy” is one of Prince’s most popular songs and is one of the greatest guitar solos of all time.

 

“Cream”

“Cream” is a song by Prince and The New Power Generation, from the 1991 album Diamonds and Pearls. This song was written by Prince. In the US, “Cream” hit number 1 for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in November, 1991.

“Batdance”

“Batdance” was a funk-hip-hop-rock fusion that incorporated actual dialogue from Michael Keaton’s Batman and Jack Nicholson’s Joker over its driving beats. Anything but conventional, fans loved it. “Batdance” became Prince’s fourth number-one single. The hit single is from the 1989 film ‘Batman’.

For someone as multi-talented as Prince, it’s hard to highlight any one as aspect of his amazing craft. In this blog I have tried to highlight some of his best music which were a Billboard hit plus liked by me. The list of music is endless and we at GuitarConfidence.com and the city of Dublin will miss this famous guitarist for rest of our life.
My name is Rex and I am the founder of GuidarConfidence.com which provides mobile guitar lessons. I have over 40 years of experience as a musician, music instructor, arranger and performing artist. Guitar Confidence provides private in-home or studio guitar & banjo 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.

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Click to call (925)-695-7060

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Dublin CA fans were saddened to learn that acclaimed guitarist and musician Prince has died at age 57.  Not only was Prince an incredible and creative songwriter and a great performer on stage, but he also was a highly experienced guitarist who often put jaws on the floor when he took a solo. Prince’s full name was Prince Rogers Nelson. He was a guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and could play multi-instruments. He and his music revolutionized the industry. Prince was known for his diverse on-stage work, flamboyant stage presence, extravagant dress and makeup, and wide vocal range.

The key to longevity is to learn every aspect of music that you can – Prince

Quartz points to an interview in which Miles Davis discussed Prince: “His father took him to see James Brown when he was young, he got on the stage and danced with him. He has that, he has Jimi Hendrix, and Marvin Gaye. … He combines all that, all the time. That’s what he is. And his concept on the stage is like Charlie Chaplin.” Davis later compared Prince to Brown, Gaye, Hendrix, and Chaplin again in his 1989 autobiography, this time adding Sly, Little Richard, and Duke Ellington to the mix. “I think Prince’s music is pointing toward the future,” he wrote.”
He was born in Minneapolis in 1958 and developed an interest in music when he was very young. He bagged his first recording contract with Warner Bros. at the age of eighteen. Prince released his album ‘For You’ in 1978. His album Prince (1979) went multiplatinum, while his other three records ‘Dirty Mind’ (1980), ‘Controversy’ (1981), and 1999 (1982) also received success.

Rolling Stone had placed him at number 33 among 100 Greatest Guitarists. According to Rolling Stone he arguably played the greatest power-ballad guitar solo in history (“Purple Rain”), and his solo on an all-star performance of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” during George Harrison’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2004 had jaws on the floor. But he could also bring the nasty funk like Jimmy Nolen and Nile Rodgers (listen to the groove magic of “Kiss”) or shred like the fiercest metalhead (“When Doves Cry”). Sometimes his hottest playing simply functions as background “Gett Off” and “Dance On.” Prince got a lot of Hendrix comparisons, but he saw it differently, “If they really listened to my stuff, they’d hear more of a Santana influence than Jimi Hendrix,” he once told Rolling Stone. “Hendrix played more blues, Santana played prettier.”

He was a legendary music player from 1980s until his death, and he was best known for songs such as “Purple Rain”, “Little Red Corvette”, “1999”, and “When Doves Cry”. Prince the singer, songwriter, arranger and instrumentalist was widely acclaimed as one of the most inventive guitarist.

I am Rex Lee Bell and I am the founder of Guitar Confidence which provides mobile guitar lessons. I normally go to my client’s home to give personal one-on-one lessons in the privacy of their own home. Guitar Confidence covers Dublin, San Ramon, Pleasanton, Livermore and all cities in east and south bay.

Prince’s death is a great loss to the entire music industry, he was a true performer. A person that departs from this earth never truly leaves, and for someone like Prince he will always live in our hearts and minds, through us, they live on. We in Dublin, though saddened by the loss, and while our guitars gently weep, bid Prince a’safe travels to his next engagement.

Watch this video of Prince playing with Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, Jeff Lynne and others perform “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” at the 2004 Hall of Fame Inductions. Only he could steal the stage from a group of performers who were on that stage.

In-Home Guitar Lessons – Danville

You don’t have to be a professional to play music. Close your eyes, take a deep breath.. And let it out. Let the violin dance, the guitar fascinate, the flute sing, the piano composes. Just. Let. It. Go. – The Baka Violinist

Learning how to play the guitar in Danville CA does not have to be difficult, or scary. It more convenient and easy to learn guitar with in-person guitar lessons. Today, many people wanting to learn how to play the guitar try to use online videos,  but online videos cannot assess your current skills and help you take guitar playing to the next level.

The number one thing any aspiring musician needs is discipline and a timetable to make sure you practice with a strict, yet flexible schedule. Virtual guitar lessons give you the flexibility, but not the discipline.

At GuitarConfidence.com, we look at all the variables that give students the confidence to master their instrument 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 Lee Bell 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, can be an endless journey. 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 fundamentals, then Rex will always be there to provide you with all the help which you need when you learn how to play guitar – with in-home lessons in Danville!.

Rex’s guitar teaching system is great for beginners and accomplished guitar players. He uses different sets of methodologies for teaching both beginners and accomplished players. And the best part about Rex is that he will come to your home and give you private lessons in the comfort of your home. Whether you just want to play for pleasure, or want to learn guitar, Rex will help you with your dream and provide you with one-to-one guitar instruction.

So, if you are a beginner, or if you have some knowledge about playing guitar and want to continue learning, then contact us and Rex can help you learn guitar at your home. Rex has been doing mobile 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.

“You can pick up a ukulele and anybody can learn to play a couple of tunes in a day or even a few hours. And if you want to get good at it, there’s no end to what you can do.” – Joe Brown

Led by pop culture stars such as Taylor Swift, Eddie Vedder and Jack Johnson, the resurgence of the ukulele particularly among the younger generation, correlates with its music carefree, delightful and fun. Let us take a look at some of the famous ukulele players who actually played or play ukulele as their primary musical instrument. Some might even surprise you!

Neil Armstrong: He has to be in this list. Neil Armstrong the first man on the moon just loved to play the ukulele. As a matter of fact after returned back from his moon mission he spent several weeks in quarantine while scientists at the time feared that he may have picked up strange bacteria while in space. But the reality was that he spent much of this time in quarantine strumming his ukulele.

George Harrison: An English guitarist, singer, and songwriter achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles, loved the ukulele. He even played the instrument on the Beatles Anthology album, adding a part to the album’s new offering from the Beatles.

Paul McCartney: He is an English singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and a composer. Along with John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, he gained worldwide fame as the bassist of the rock band the Beatles. Paul McCartney is again a fantastic ukulele player. After the death of George Harrison, Paul McCartney paid tribute to George Harrison and the Ukulele on his world tour in 2014.

Jake Shimabukuro: He is a ukulele virtuoso and composer known for his fast and complex finger work. His music combines basics of jazz, blues, funk, rock, bluegrass, classical, folk, and flamenco. Shimabukuro’s mother gave him an ukulele at age four and he quickly took an interest in the instrument, playing it many hours a day. His mother, an accomplished ukulele player and singer, was his first teacher. He came to limelight when someone posted a virtuosic video of him playing George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” on YouTube. The video quickly went viral, and has received over 13 million views.

Taylor Swift: Pop culture stars such as Taylor Swift, has made ukulele very famous among teenagers. Ukulele which many people did not know has again come to life with these young pop stars taking up this musical instrument has made it very popular.

Eddie Vedder: The video for “Longing to Belong,” the first single from Eddie Vedder’s new solo album Ukulele Songs, is just as simple and low-key as the song itself. Abstracted footage of the ocean and Hawaiian palm trees are cut with images of Vedder, decked out in an uncharacteristically fancy suit, strumming his ukulele and looking very pensive.

For its dainty size, the ukulele can make a powerfully cheerful sound, and it’s an instrument both beginners and expert players can learn and easily carry around. So if you are pondering whether to buy a ukulele or not – just look what honoured company you will be in!

There are not many ukulele instructors around East Bay, so if you are looking for ukulele lessons then contact me @ (925) 695-7060. We provide private in-home ukulele 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. I am Rex Lee Bell and I have over 40 years of experience as a musician, music instructor, arranger and performing artist. I have been a guitar and ukulele player 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.