Guitarist Gergely Szabo has an Advanced Diploma in Music Performance from Cambrian College where he majored in the classical guitar. Over his time there, he completed 2 years of comprehensive pedagogy courses. He also gained well grounded vocal skills, as well as basic knowledge on the piano. Outside of classical music, he exhibits a repertoire of skills and knowledge in playing the genres of rock, blues, and heavy metal music. He has experience in teaching the guitar and the ukulele to a range of people aged 6 to 54.
Gergely’s teaching methods include both the use of books and digital methods. The three main books he uses to teach guitar are as follows: “Guitar Method Book 1 by Will Schmid and Greg Koch,” “Four Star Sight Reading and Ear Tests RCM Level 1,” and “Classical Guitar Repertoire and Etudes RCM Level 1.” For teaching ukulele, he uses the book “Ukulele Songs for 1, 2, or 3 players by Elizabeth Ragsdale.” Aside from these, he frequently uses the Muse Score application as a play-along practicing tool.
Gergely’s passion for music and his dedication to growing the love of music in others are the biggest reasons why he teaches guitar and ukulele. His approach to teaching involves learning through play. The material he covers with his students is always delivered in a way that is highly interactive. Most of the assigned exercises he gives involve the elements of play that students can enjoy both in class and as homework.
Get to know Gergely…Beyond the Bio!
Coming soon!
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Latest Homework from Gergely
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Tuesday, January 7th
Josh, Jan 7
- Warm ups: warming up our hands and wrists by stretching
- Build up the groove for I Had Some Help by playing only the snare, then adding the kick, then adding the hihat. Always count yourself in out loud “1 2 here I go” so you play in time
- Start the metronome at 95. Play the groove at this speed until you are comfortable. Increase the metronome to 100 and play the groove until you are comfortable here. Try to get up to 115 this week.
Myles, Jan 7
- Warm up: paradiddles. Play toms with the right hand and “walk” your right hand around the drums
- Weezer: My Name is Jonas – Practice the groove before the chorus on a loop
- Play a recording of the song. Try to keep time using only the hihat
Xylo next week! Here are you notes from last time
Xylophone
-G major technique: Great job! If you’re wanting to vary the way scales are practiced, try
incorporating dynamics or different rhythmic patterns (doubling each note, swinging the notes
going up and down)
-Reading at the keyboard: see image on anchor points and note acronyms on the staff
-Cirone Simple Steps: Awesome sight reading today! Continue working on your note recognition
on the staff
-Over the break, focus on Weezer: My Name is Jonas and G major technique
Finn, Jan 7
- Warmups (30sec each, counting aloud):
- Single Strokes
- Double Strokes
- 8 on a hand
- Visual Drummer: great job reading today!
- Ex. 7-9: play each one 4 times, one after another without stopping
- Ex. 10-12: practice these. Play the kick drum only and count out loud first
Next week we’ll play I Love Rock and Roll!
Francisco, Jan 7
- Warm ups: Add Stick Control #9-12 (4x each, 120 bpm)
- Challenge yourself with stick control by walking your right hand around the toms, playing at different dynamics, and not stopping between lines
- Superstition: practice the “bucket of fish” fill. Remember to go slow and read the grooves that are slightly different. Keep working on the new groove section (3rd page, second half
Noah, Jan 7
- Warm ups: Single, Double, and Triple paradiddles, 1 min per session, 75 bpm and use a metronome! We’ll work with a metronome more next week
- Late in the Evening: Work on keeping your torso upright and not rocking back and forth when playing with both feet
- Using a metronome, try to lock in the kick and hihat with the metronome click. This will help keep your hands steady
- Challenge yourself by adding kick and hihat downbeats on single and triple paradiddles
Homework for January 7-14
Henry
Welcome back from break! Great job on your lesson today! Here is your homework:
Recommended minutes to practice: 5-10 per day
What to practice:
Review Stepping and Skipping from C, A, and E; C starting with 1 on right hand and 3 on left hand, A starting with 3 on left hand, E starting with 1 on right hand, combining them
Heart and Soul left hand passage with repeated notes
How to practice it most effectively:
Stepping and Skipping- follow the music for the combinations on pages 6 and 7 in your book. For page 6, Combining Group 2 and Group 1, have both thumbs share middle C, position the rest of your fingers stepwise, and start with 3 on left hand. For page 7, Combining Group 3 and 1, have both thumbs share E, position the rest of your fingers stepwise, and start with 1 on right hand.
Heart and Soul- the passage is: 2 Cs, 1 B, 2 As, 1 G, 3 Fs. Practice it until you can do it correctly 3 times in a row.
How parents can support practice: Guide him in using correct fingering for both pieces, and pay close attention to the correct note repetition in Heart and Soul. Otherwise, be there as an extra support.
See you next week :)
Shelley
Preferred Books for Gergely’s Students
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Hal Leonard Guitar Method
The second edition of this world-famous method by Will Schmid and Greg Koch is preferred by teachers because it makes them more effective while making their job easier. Students enjoy its easy-to-follow format that gives them a solid music education while letting them play songs right away. Book 1 provides beginning instruction including tuning, 1st position melody playing, C, G, G7, D7, and Em chords, rhythms through eighth notes, solos and ensembles and strumming.
Four Star Sight Reading and Ear Tests
