Class Description

Have you ever wanted to learn the guitar but simply find it difficult to find the time? In just a few hours you can learn enough about playing the guitar to give you years of musical enjoyment, and you won't have to take private lessons to do it. This crash course will teach you some basic chords and get you playing along with your favorite songs right away. Bring your acoustic guitar. Class limited to 15 students. For ages 13+.

Topics include:

• How chords work in a song
• How to form the three main types of chords
• How to tune your guitar
• Basic strumming patterns
• How to buy a good guitar (things to avoid)
• How to play along with simple tunes

Class Fee

There is a registration fee collected by the sponsor (college or recreation program) ahead of time. This fee varies from location to location. For the exact fee contact the class sponsor listed on the "enroll in a class" page on this website.

Materials Fee

Additionally there is a $29 materials fee for the workbook and practice DVD collected in class by the instructor. Everything covered in the class is also covered on this DVD which is designed for home practice and study. (Sometimes these 2 fees are combined and collected by the sponsor. If you have a question about the materials fee be sure to ask your sponsor about this fee.)

What do I need to know before coming to your class?

Obviously any experience you have in playing the guitar is going to be a help, but most students who attend the Just ONCE guitar class have NEVER ever played the guitar at all (and that is why they are coming to the class). We assume when you come in that you are an absolute beginner and take it from there.

What is covered in the class?

In the class we will teach you how to form 5 different chords and how to strum your guitar. We also take you through several different songs during the class. Additionally we talk about how to tune your guitar and a lot of very helpful information about how music is put together. We do not cover advanced playing but we do demonstrate some advanced techniques near the end of the class.

What should I do after the class?

The Just ONCE guitar class is designed to be an introduction to learning the guitar. Everything that is covered in the class is also covered on the practice DVD that you will be taking home with you. This DVD is a companion tool to be used along with your Just ONCE Guitar workbook. We expect that when you go home you will practice your guitar using this workbook and DVD. You will be able to take this at your own pace and rewind and rework each practice step as many times as you need to. Most students will complete the material from the Just ONCE class in 2-8 weeks time.

What can I realistically expect to do after taking your course?

After attending the Just ONCE guitar class you should be able to strum along with simple songs right away using the chords you have learned in the class. Many songs just have 2 or 3 chords in them and it is really surprising what you can do if you know just a few chords. It will take some time to develop calluses on your fingers and there will be some pain involved at first but you will be on your way sooner than you think.

Are we practicing the whole time?

The Just ONCE guitar class is partly hands-on instruction and partly lecture/demonstration. This is by design. We play for a while and then you will take a break from playing while your instructor does some lecture/demonstration (and you will also get to rest your fingers during this time). Then there will be some more hands on instruction and so on.

Will I have to play in front of other students?

Most of the students in the class will be absolute beginners just like you so you don't need to be self conscious about your skill level. Students are encouraged to simply strum along as they are ready and everyone learns at their own pace.

Does this class apply to electric guitar as well as acoustic?

The information we cover in the class about chords applies to both acoustic and electric guitars and you are welcome to bring your electric guitar to the class. However, to be fair to the other students and to avoid drawing attention to yourself we encourage you to NOT bring your amplifier to the class. (We don't have students use these in class)

How can you effectively teach a group in 2.5 hours?

The class is designed to be an effective introduction to learning the guitar. In order to actually play the guitar students need to take the instructional book and DVD home and practice this through at their own pace. Many guitar players are entirely self taught and it is not at all unreasonable to expect that a student could take our materials home and learn the guitar in this manner. Many students simply learn a few chords and are happy with this level of playing. Others take advantage of the advanced materials we offer and are able to go on to a much more advanced level of playing.

How can I get really good at playing the guitar?

We can get you started on the guitar in the Just ONCE guitar class but to become really good at the guitar will take years of dedication and practice. You could take private lessons or you could take advantage of the very effective DVD instructional materials available at the class. These materials are the most highly rated guitar materials available on the Internet today and are being used by students all over the country. The Learn and Master Guitar course can take you from the point of being a beginner to the level of a professional guitar player.

Where should I buy a guitar?

Many locations sell guitars and one store is not any better than another. What IS important is to get some good advice from someone who really knows about guitars and what to look for. If you have a friend who plays guitar it would be good to ask for advice from this person. Obviously a store that specializes in guitars will be able to show you a better selection and offer you more options than a store that does not specialize in musical instruments.

Where do I get guitar music?

Music stores of course carry guitar music but there is also a LOT of guitar music available today online for free. Simply type in the song title that you want to play on your search engine and you will probably be able to print your song out online for free. This will most likely give you the lyrics for your song and the chords you need to strum.

Can anyone learn to play the guitar?

Every musician will tell you that part of learning an instrument is natural ability and part is simply hard work. Every student will not learn to play at the same level of skill but we start out with the idea that everyone can learn the guitar.

What ages can come?

The minimum age for attending the class is 13. There is no maximum age. Adults of all ages attend the class.

How do I know if my guitar is functional enough to use in class?

Your guitar needs to have 6 strings and not have any obvious defects. It must be in good enough shape that your instructor will be able to tune it and it will stay in tune after this is done.

Do I have to have my guitar tuned before coming to class?

If you can tune your guitar before coming to class this will be a big time saver but don't feel that this is absolutely necessary. One of the first topics we cover is how to tune your guitar and your instructor can tune your guitar for you at the class. If you need to have your guitar tuned it would be helpful for you to arrive early to the class so that this can be done before all the students arrive.

If I am good at guitar hero will this help me play?

Guitar Hero is a really fun game but it has nothing to do with really playing the guitar. You will find this out very quickly when you come to the class. But that doesn't mean that playing the guitar is not fun as well. There's a reason why the guitar is such a popular instrument. It is really fun to play.

How long does it take before it doesn't hurt anymore?

Developing calluses on your fingertips is one necessary step in becoming a good guitar player. If you practice consistently on the guitar for 30 days you will have developed some good calluses and the pain in your fingertips will become more of an occasional thing rather than something that happens to you every time you pick up your guitar.

Will you teach us how to strum?

We go over some simple guitar strumming patterns in the class. This is also covered on your practice DVD.

How many chords do you need to know to play a song?

Many people are not aware that American music is built around 3 chords – rock and roll, country music, blues, folk music-all of these styles are built around 3 chords. There are professional guitar players who do nothing but play 3 chord songs. They are not playing sophisticated music but they are actually getting paid for it. We think you will want to get beyond the point of playing simple 3 chord songs, but it is encouraging for beginners to understand that they can do a lot with a few chords.

How often do I need to practice?

The most important thing about practicing is consistency. Many people assume that if they cannot devote an hour a day to practicing their instrument that they should not even bother trying. This is not true. Even a short practice session on a daily basis will eventually result in significant progress. We encourage our students to start out with 2 short practice sessions in a day, one in the morning and one at night. Even 15-20 minutes of practice a day will add up over time to a lot of practice time.

What is the difference between an acoustic and classical guitar?

A classical guitar has nylon strings and also a wider neck than a normal acoustic guitar. Many students bring classical guitars to the Just ONCE guitar class.