The backbone of the Old Town School experience since its inception in 1957, our Core Guitar classes provide solid musical background using traditional and popular styles in a friendly casual group environment.
Most classes have 4-14 folks, for 8-week sessions.
The folk tradition is playing, singing and coming together to learn and meet new people in the process.
From pure beginners to shredders looking for new skills, there’s a place for every guitarist.
Most classes end the session with a showcase on stage for friends and family to attend.
Classes run every day most times of the day to fit into your busy schedule.
No guitar, no problem! Our music store has a great guitar for you to rent and practice with all session.
Your musical journey starts here. Learn chords, simple strums, and tuning in a fun, relaxed group setting. You’ll be introduced to the basic elements of rhythm and harmony that will have you making music in no time! Guitar 1 is for the absolute beginner.
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Improve your skills by learning lots of great songs, different strums and a few "licks," while singing and playing at the same time! We suggest that students repeat the repertoire classes as needed. There are hundreds of tunes to learn at every skill level.
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Learn new chords and ways of playing and connecting them with bass runs, arpeggios, and using a capo. Discover different rhythms and pick out some melodies. Before taking Guitar 2, you should play basic open chords in the keys of A, D, E, and G, smoothly without losing the beat.
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If you are self taught or have completed Guitar 2, this is the level to repeat as often as you want to build up your songbag.
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Move on to the next plateau with barre chords and movable shapes. Build dexterity with basic fingerpicking and flatpicking. Develop techniques and memorization and adding dynamics to song arrangements. Begin to develop your own musical voice and expand comfort with your instrument.
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Enhance your knowledge of the guitar neck while examining tunes from a variety of styles - popular and traditional. As always, students are welcome to repeat a repertoire class as often as they chose. Songs change from session to session.
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Complete Beginner? Start With Guitar 1
Self-Taught? Learned From Videos? Start At Guitar 2
Barre Chords? Haven’t Played In A While? Take Our Placement Quiz
Choose from a variety of class options continuing in the model of the core program, before branching off to specialty or ensemble classes!
Expand your abilities with the guidance of our expert teaching artists in of our wide range of skill and specialty topic classes - exploring genres like Blues, Bluegrass, Rock, Jazz, Country, and more.
If your skill set includes those in the Guitar 3 description, or beyond, you'll want to stretch your playing in an Ensemble Class - performing together in a multi-instrument band setting.
Any Day of the Week with Joel Frankel, Chris Walz, Dan Fulkerson, Shelley Miller, Albert Martinez, Scott Besaw, Carey Farrell, Alicia Lees, Kacie Swierk, Ruben Portillo or Camille McClellan
80 minutes · Once a week for 8 weeks
For the complete beginner.
Location: Lincoln Square - Lincoln Ave Campus or Lincoln Park - Armitage Ave
Any Day of the Week with Joel Frankel, Alvin McGovern, Chris Walz, Dan Fulkerson, Shelley Miller, Albert Martinez, Rebecca Toon, Scott Besaw, Carey Farrell, Tom Ryan, Steve Levitt, Henry Altenberg, Alicia Lees, Kacie Swierk, Ruben Portillo or Camille McClellan
80 minutes · Once a week for 8 weeks
Improve your skills by learning lots of great songs, different strums and a few licks, while singing and playing at the same time!
Location: Lincoln Square - Lincoln Ave Campus or Lincoln Park - Armitage Ave
Any Day of the Week with Charles Kim, Chris Walz, Dan Fulkerson, Shelley Miller, Rebecca Toon, Scott Besaw, Tom Ryan, Steve Levitt, Henry Altenberg, Alicia Lees, Max Berg, Ruben Portillo, Camille McClellan or Bear Williams
80 minutes · Once a week for 8 weeks
Your playing will take on a new dimension.
Location: Lincoln Square - Lincoln Ave Campus or Lincoln Park - Armitage Ave
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday with Charles Kim, Dan Fulkerson, Henry Altenberg, Ruben Portillo or Julia Mendiolea
80 minutes · Once a week for 8 weeks
This class is highly recommended for all guitar students. Make it a point to enroll at some point in your musical journey.
Location: Lincoln Square - Lincoln Ave Campus or Lincoln Park - Armitage Ave
Any Day of the Week with Charles Kim, Dan Fulkerson, Shelley Miller, Albert Martinez, Scott Besaw, Steve Levitt, Steve Dawson, Nikki O'Neill, Max Berg, Ruben Portillo, Camille McClellan or Bear Williams
80 minutes · Once a week for 8 weeks
This class is great entry point for the self taught. You will build repertoire and develop skills.
Location: Lincoln Square - Lincoln Ave Campus or Lincoln Park - Armitage Ave
Any Day of the Week with Jose Murillo, Charles Kim, Dan Fulkerson, Randy Morris, Shelley Miller, Albert Martinez, Scott Besaw, Jim DeWan, Henry Altenberg, Ruben Portillo, Camille McClellan or Julia Mendiolea
80 minutes · Once a week for 8 weeks
Build dexterity with basic fingerpicking and flatpicking.
Location: Lincoln Square - Lincoln Ave Campus or Lincoln Park - Armitage Ave
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Sunday with Jose Murillo, Barbara Silverman, Charles Kim, Dan Fulkerson, Randy Morris, Albert Martinez, John Abbey, Scott Besaw, Jim DeWan, Henry Altenberg, Alicia Lees, Nikki O'Neill, Max Berg, Ruben Portillo or Julia Mendiolea
80 minutes · Once a week for 8 weeks
Armed with the knowledge of bar chords one can expand their repertoire to include many idioms.
Location: Lincoln Square - Lincoln Ave Campus or Lincoln Park - Armitage Ave
Any Day of the Week with Carlos Chacon, Barbara Silverman, Chris Winters, Shelley Miller, John Abbey, Scott Besaw, Tom Ryan, Alicia Lees, Nikki O'Neill, Max Berg, Ruben Portillo or Julia Mendiolea
80 minutes · Once a week for 8 weeks
Students of Guitar 4 are well on their way to being able to perform and to express themselves musically.
Location: Lincoln Square - Lincoln Ave Campus, Lincoln Park - Armitage Ave or Online
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday with Joel Frankel, Jacob Sweet, Jim DeWan, Steve Dawson, Tommi Zender or Max Berg
80 minutes · Once a week for 8 weeks
Students have been known to repeat this class endlessly! And of course, learning the guitar is a lifelong journey.
Location: Lincoln Square - Lincoln Ave Campus, Lincoln Park - Armitage Ave or Online
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday with Mary Peterson, Chris Winters, Dan Fulkerson, Elaine Moore, Scott Besaw or Alicia Lees
80 minutes · Once a week for 8 weeks
Make a long term commitment to improving your guitar playing skills
Location: Lincoln Square - Lincoln Ave Campus or Online
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James G. Hart Foundation
Geraldine Keefe
Negaunee Foundation
Rob and Karen Ospalik
Tomford and Grossman Family
