Specialty & Technique Guitar Classes

Approach music theory from a guitarist’s perspective. Examine intervals, chord and scale construction, inversions, and progressions in the context of traditional and pop genres. It is highly recommended that all students of the guitar make it a point to enroll at some point in their musical journey. Leave this class with enough material to keep you busy for years. Whether you want to write your own songs, become a hot lead guitarist or just increase your musical vocabulary and ability to jam and make music with others - this is the class for you!

Approach music theory from a guitarist’s perspective. Examine intervals, chord and scale construction, inversions, and progressions in the context of traditional and pop genres. It is highly recommended that all students of the guitar make it a point to enroll at some point in their musical journey. Leave this class with enough material to keep you busy for years. Whether you want to write your own songs, become a hot lead guitarist or just increase your musical vocabulary and ability to jam and make music with others - this is the class for you!

Approach music theory from a guitarist’s perspective. Examine intervals, chord and scale construction, inversions, and progressions in the context of traditional and pop genres. It is highly recommended that all students of the guitar make it a point to enroll at some point in their musical journey. Leave this class with enough material to keep you busy for years. Whether you want to write your own songs, become a hot lead guitarist or just increase your musical vocabulary and ability to jam and make music with others - this is the class for you!

Approach music theory from a guitarist’s perspective. Examine intervals, chord and scale construction, inversions, and progressions in the context of traditional and pop genres. It is highly recommended that all students of the guitar make it a point to enroll at some point in their musical journey. Leave this class with enough material to keep you busy for years. Whether you want to write your own songs, become a hot lead guitarist or just increase your musical vocabulary and ability to jam and make music with others - this is the class for you!

Anyone who's ever picked up a guitar can learn to play solos—and so can you! In this class, we’ll focus on building your vocabulary and instincts, emphasizing the tactile nature of guitar playing over theory and scale exercises. It’s simpler than you might think. Come give it a try!

This class will be offered in a hybrid format. Students can choose to participate online or in person. Use your fingers to bring out melody and harmony in your approach to playing guitar. This class will broaden your understanding and application of melody and chord theory as well as help you develop a rich repertoire in this style. Learn to bring your ring finger into the mix. Styles and alternate tunings will be examined including, blues, traditional folk, Celtic, singer-songwriters, and classical music.

This class will be offered in a hybrid format. Students can choose to participate online or in person. In this class, we explore a wide repertoire of fingerstyle instrumentals from popular songs, blues, Celtic, classical and maybe a song or two. Some material will be in altered tunings. The class material will include tablature, audio and sometimes video files. Students must be comfortable with tablature and have some fingerpicking experience.

Electric Guitar Styles Overdrive is an ongoing class for those intermediate guitarists who have the desire to play electric. Our focus will be on advancing technique, rhythm, speed, and tonal control of the instrument. Songs will be presented and taught with consideration to enhancing and harnessing the techniques needed to make each song sound as much like the original as possible.

This class is a continuation of Introduction to Jazz Guitar. At this level, we will work on a bebop blues, bebop rhythm changes, and select standards from the American song book. We will use bebop melodies to develop our rhythmic vocabulary. Come explore the basic frameworks of improvisation and accompaniment over classic jazz progressions. REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLETED INTRO to JAZZ GUITAR. Contact Tony Do Rosario with any questions at tdorosario@oldtownschool.org

A class designed to bring your jazz guitar skills to a higher level. We welcome those who have taken Jazz Guitar 1 and are ready to increase their musical vocabulary in terms of harmony and melody. We’ll concentrate on great American Standards as well as variations of Blues. REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLETED INTRO, JAZZ GUITAR 1. Contact Tony Do Rosario at tdorosario@oldtownschool.org It’s a lifelong journey and we invite you to repeat level as much as necessary before moving on to Jazz Guitar 2.

A class designed to bring your jazz guitar skills to a higher level. We welcome those who have taken Jazz Guitar 1 and are ready to increase their musical vocabulary in terms of harmony and melody. We’ll concentrate on great American Standards as well as variations of Blues. REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLETED INTRO, JAZZ GUITAR 1. Contact Tony Do Rosario at tdorosario@oldtownschool.org It’s a lifelong journey and we invite you to repeat level as much as necessary before moving on to Jazz Guitar 2.

Jazz is an American folk music. Play it yourself on the guitar. In this repertoire driven class, hone your skills by learning both traditional standards and modern compositions. We are learning a musical language that is spoken throughout the world. Students are invited to repeat this class as much as they desire. REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLETED INTRO, JAZZ GUITAR 1 & JAZZ GUITAR 1.5. Contact Tony Do Rosario at tdorosario@oldtownschool.org

Jazz is an American folk music. Play it yourself on the guitar. In this repertoire driven class, hone your skills by learning both traditional standards and modern compositions. We are learning a musical language that is spoken throughout the world. Students are invited to repeat this class as much as they desire. REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLETED INTRO, JAZZ GUITAR 1 & JAZZ GUITAR 1.5. Contact Tony Do Rosario at tdorosario@oldtownschool.org

An ongoing class in the advanced study of Jazz for the guitarist. We will build repertoire, further develop improvisation skills and advance rhythmic variations. Participants should have gone thru Jazz Guitar 2 several times or should audition with the instructor tdorosario@oldtownschool.org

Bluegrass guitar depends on solid rhythm. This class will help you develop strong right hand rhythm techniques in bluegrass guitar. We will cover the correct pick grip, pick control, runs, and rhythm licks. Proper tone, use of the capo, and playing in different time signatures, keys, and tempos will also be covered.

This intermediate level class introduces the music of traditional blues’ great artists. From the ragtime/blues style of Rev. Gary Davis and Blind Blake to the Delta/Chicago grind of Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. Learn such techniques as: fingerpicking (ragtime, shuffle rhythm), open tuning, bottleneck slide, basic improvising, and more. This is some of the most satisfying music steel string pickers can get their fingers on!

This class covers how to play the minor and major scales across the entire fingerboard, various modes and exotic scales, technique building exercises, how to decipher musical notation on the guitar, explanation of how to play “jazz chords”, writing songs in minor keys, and of course, the theory of the universe.

So you know some barre chords, a few cool licks, maybe you can play a little lead. Now what? Start pulling it together. See the way lead patterns and chord shapes fit together, learn multiple ways to figure out both simple and complicated chord progressions, and start to break down and pull apart big chord shapes into useful two and three string pieces that you can use in a million ways. Rock & roll, R&B, pop, soul — everyone uses this stuff. You can too!

Do barre chords leave you feeling frustrated? You’re not alone—but they don’t have to! In this 8-week class, we’ll take the mystery (and misery) out of barre chords with a step-by-step approach that builds both technique and confidence. Through an exciting mix of songs spanning different genres, you’ll learn to transition smoothly between open chords, barre chords, and other chord shapes. From rock to folk, pop to blues, you’ll discover how barre chords can unlock a whole new level of flexibility in your playing. We’ll also explore partial barre shapes and variations, helping you ease into the technique without the struggle. Whether you’re new to barre chords or looking to refine your skills, this class will empower you to play your favorite songs with ease while strengthening your overall guitar technique. Let’s make barre chords fun and approachable—come join us!

Take your Irish guitar skills to the next level! This class dives deeper into rhythmic backup for reels and jigs, focusing on enhancing your technique, dynamics, and musicality. Weeks 1–4: Refine your approach to reels, incorporating more advanced rhythm patterns. Weeks 5–8: Master the intricacies of the 6/8 jig, adding nuance and style to your playing. Ideal for players with some experience in Irish accompaniment or guitar, this class will also explore the use of both standard and Drop D tunings to expand your versatility.

In this class, we’ll focus on simple and effective guitar fills that are easy to execute but make a big impact. Our approach will teach you how to connect phrases smoothly, enhancing both your sound and your singing. Whether it’s a walk, a fingerpick, or a catchy strum, you’ll learn how to add the perfect touch to your playing without feeling overwhelmed. From ballads to swing tunes to country hits, you'll discover how to bring your songs to life with these essential guitar fills!

Let’s dive into the art of strumming! We’ll start by mastering basic rhythm patterns, from straight beats to swing. You’ll learn a simple strum and how to add rhythmic flair, along with tips on choosing the right pattern for your song. Whether you're a beginner or already playing, this class will help you build a solid foundation in essential strumming techniques. From simple folk songs to more intricate rhythms, you'll gain the skills to bring groove and style to your playing across multiple genres!

This class delves into Taylor Swift's mighty song catalogue, using songs we love to expand our skills on the guitar. Each session features a new collection of songs pulled from across all the different “Eras”. Song requests are also welcome and influence what is brought in each session. This class is perfect for Guitar 2 level + above: guitar players with a basic knowledge of open chords (including F, Bm, and Dm) and simple strum patterns.

This class delves into Taylor Swift's mighty song catalogue, using songs we love to expand our skills on the guitar. Each session features a new collection of songs pulled from across all the different “Eras”. Song requests are also welcome and influence what is brought in each session. This class is perfect for Guitar 2 level + above: guitar players with a basic knowledge of open chords (including F, Bm, and Dm) and simple strum patterns.