Music lessons
Do you want to learn to play the guitar?
During a try-out lesson we can meet, see what you would like to learn and what I could teach you.
The try-out lesson is free of charge and without any commitments.
AT THIS MOMENT ONLY VERY LIMITED TIME SLOTS ARE AVAILABLE
After having taught the guitar for five years at Pianoleswinkel Marjolijn (now Muziekleswinkel Marjolijn) in Watergraafsmeer (among other things), since last school year (2019-2020) I started my own practice, located at Rapenburg 51. There's a table with coffee, tea and WiFi and there's a children's table with color-pencils and children-books and comics for whoever comes along to listen.
Vision & practice
*Usually instrumental lessons can be started from about 5 years
of age. A little younger is possible, depending on the student.
*Motivation is the most important thing to learn to play an
instrument. The student's
personal interest is of vital importance for the motivation. That's why I try to adapt the teaching material not only to
the level, but also to the taste and wishes of my students.
*From the very beginning, attention will be paid to a good posture for playing.
*A good technique is a basis that helps the music to be expressed as freely as possible. To get rid of a wrongly learned technique can be very difficult and time-consuming. Especially in the beginning, during most lessons a (few) technical exercise(s) will be played. This is possible without any knowledge of music notation.
*The guitar and ukulele lessons start with the tuning of the instrument, or at least a few strings, by ear.
*During the lessons, from the very beginning, attention will be paid to
the connection between listening and playing (auditory learning).
*From the beginning as well, attention will be paid to improvisation. This is possible without knowledge of scales and chords. Good improvisations can grow into original compositions. Good songwriters and composers almost always are good improvisors as well.
*The methods and pieces are being chosen carefully, in such a way that
reading and writing music and music theory progress evenly with the playing.
Understanding, reading and writing music doesn't have to be
demotivating, as long as it's applied to the pieces and songs that are
being played.
*Theory will be covered additionally whenever it
adds to a better understanding of the pieces and songs that are being
played, or if based on that there's a broader interest. Of it's
necessary to write down an original composition for instance.
*Playing melodies, often
I play an accompaniment as soon as the student masters the notes, so that the melody is being felt in the
musical context (rhythm and harmony) right away.
*Guitar and ukulele, but piano and accordion as well, are
instruments that are eminently suitable for vocal accompaniment. Singing is a natural part of the lessons.
*Attending music lessons, not only do you learn to play an instrument, you also learn to study.
*If apart from the lessons you study by yourself, you will improve quicker and get more out of the lessons themselves.
*In the case of young students, parents and caregivers can play an important role creating the habit of studying.
This is the second website I ever made and currently (April 2020) it's still under construction..
Thanks to TuxIC.nl (hosting) and HTML5webtemplates.co.uk (basic design).