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.
More InfoNeed help figuring out where to get started?
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.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Sunday with Carlos Chacon, Chris Winters, Elaine Moore, Albert Martinez, John Abbey, Tom Ryan or Deanna Devore
80 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
For the complete beginner.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday with Dan Fulkerson, Shelley Miller, Albert Martinez, Paula McKernan, Chris Corsale, Alicia Lees or Deanna Devore
80 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
Improve your skills by learning lots of great songs, different strums and a few licks, while singing and playing at the same time!
Any Day of the Week with Mary Peterson, Mike Blackburn, Barbara Silverman, Chris Walz, Randy Morris, Shelley Miller, John Mead, Steve Levitt, Louis Bardales or Deanna Devore
80 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
Your playing will take on a new dimension.
Any Day of the Week with Bill Brickey, Lisa Joy DeRosia, Charles Kim, Dan Fulkerson, Elaine Moore, John Mead, Catherine Norden, Jim DeWan, Andrea Bunch, Matt Gallagher or Alicia Lees
80 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
This class is great entry point for the self taught. You will build repertoire and develop skills.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday or Sunday with Mary Peterson, Lisa Joy DeRosia, Charles Kim, Bob Goins, Shelley Miller or Catherine Norden
80 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
Build dexterity with basic fingerpicking and flatpicking.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday with Mary Peterson, Chris Winters, Elaine Moore, Catherine Norden, Jim DeWan, Steve Dawson, Louis Bardales or Deanna Devore
80 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
Make a long term commitment to improving your guitar playing skills
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday with Mary Peterson, Steve Doyle, Dan Fulkerson, Elaine Moore, Rebecca Toon or John Abbey
80 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
Armed with the knowledge of bar chords one can expand their repertoire to include many idioms.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday with Mary Peterson, Linda Smith, Dan Fulkerson or Deanna Devore
80 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
A special level for students who want to continue on the path of musical growth offered during our morning classes or within the confines of our Armitage location.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday with Linda Smith, Charles Kim, John Abbey or Chris Corsale
80 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
Students of Guitar 4 are well on their way to being able to perform and to express themselves musically.
Monday or Wednesday with Chris Winters, Dan Fulkerson or Steve Levitt
80 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
This class is highly recommended for all guitar students. Make it a point to enroll at some point in your musical journey.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday with Linda Smith, Chris Winters, Jacob Sweet, Tom Ryan, Steve Levitt, Steve Dawson, Tommi Zender or Chris Corsale
80 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
Students have been known to repeat this class endlessly! And of course, learning the guitar is a lifelong journey.
Saturday with Ed Holstein
80 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
The one and only legendary folk icon, Ed Holstein holds court for acoustic guitarists.
Wednesday with Elaine Moore
80 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
Grab that guitar and sing and play with others.
Friday with Shelley Miller
90 minutes · Once a week for 1 week · $15 ($14 members)
We'll focus on 3 and 4 chord songs that are accessible--and fun--for players and listeners of all ages.Ê
If you would like to be contacted when this class runs again, please email Guitar Program Manager Jimmy Tomasello with your contact information.
80 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
Wednesday with Michael Miles
75 minutes · Once a week for 1 week · $25 ($24 members)
90 minutes · Once a week for 7 weeks · $181 ($161 members)
Saturday with Chris Walz
80 minutes · Once a week for 4 weeks · $99 ($89 members)
Rumor has it there's a guitar in the back of your closet. Let's get it out and make some music.
60 minutes · Once a week for 4 weeks · $80 ($70 members)
Sunday with Staff
120 minutes · Once a week for 1 week · $45 ($40 members)
Join the legendary guitarist and educator make the most of what you've got to arrange simple song to make them interesting and compelling!
