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!
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Latest Homework from Gergely
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Assignments for the week of November 13th, 2024
Hakim
Technical Exercises – Working through 1 octave scales starting on C – hands separately and together.
- Practicing as both solid blocked hand positions and stepping through – not just practicing stepping through quickly.
- Practicing with a legato, staccato, and detached articulation.
Celebration – Working through start to finish hands together – being able to play through without hesitation. Double check where you need to move between sections (like between measures 8-9).
Bartok – Working through exercises #1-6 being prepared to play through any of them start to finish without hesitation – hands together.
Clara
Technical Exercises – Working through our new 1 octave C major scale – only hands separately.
- Playing through as solid blocked chords and then stepping through while still thinking about solid hand positions. Moving horizontally between positions in the same way, stepping or solid blocks.
- Try practicing with a variety of articulations (legato, staccato, detached and dropping from the arm)
Lesson Book – Pages 59-62
- Octopus – Jumping between Bass and Middle C in the LH. Playing our C 1 octave scale in measure 5 as written (only in finger 3) and using our scale fingering we learned (groups of 5 and 3 fingers, changing hand position)
- Copy Cat – RH presenting an idea (melody, rhythm, and dynamics), LH copying. Noticing when our pattern breaks/intervals change.
- Grandmother – starting HS, noticing how our RH in measure 5 copies our LH in measure 1 before trying to add hands together.
Tuesday, November 12th
Josh
Post Malone: I Had Some Help
–Practice Visual Drums #9 in your personal folder to learn the main beat in this song
–The pre-chorus fill (on the handout) goes flam-bass flam-bass flam-bass flam-bass on all eighth notes (“1+2+3+4+”). Practice this to make it comfortable, and slowly build up the speed to match the song
Myles – Xylophone week(Drums next week)
Xylophone:
–Review of C Major scale
–Simple Steps to Keyboard Percussion “Step Six” p. 12-13 (in google drive). Use “Step 5” exercises to help you find the notes
–Flashcards for note identification
–Next time we’ll do eartraining
Drumset Musician p81 ex. 9-12
NEW SONG Weezer: My Name is Jonas
–Drill the intro and main groove on p.1
–Today, we muddled our way through the WHOLE SONG. It’s not super complicated, but we’ll continue to work on the details each week
Finn
Warmups (30sec each):
–Single Strokes
–Double Strokes
–8 on a hand
–This week, practice putting a count (“1+2+3+4+) overtop of the Singles and Doubles.
White Stripes: seven Nation Army
–Great work! You’re a pro! Last steps now…
–Polish the syncopated variation in the chorus. Don’t forget to return to the basic beat afterwards!
Robbie
Warmups:
–Gminor and Bb Major arpeggios (G-Bb-D-G; Bb-D-F-Bb)
Canticum:
–Practice the notes with your index fingers on the piano to help with the sticking
–You know all the parts now, it’s just a matter of putting them all together
Halloween:
–Good work. Not too slow! Make sure to READ the variations in the snare drum part
Third Planet:
–“I don’t have a pen” rhythm at the end: be consistent
Francisco
Warmups (30sec/ea.):
–8 on a hand (80bpm)
–Singles (sixteenths at 145bpm)
–doubles (16ths at 100)
–Paradiddles (16ths at 100)
Stevie Wonder: Superstition–Everything up until the bottom of page three ***
–Play along and work out the fills you know. Next week we’ll cover the details that aren’t familiar
–Drills: R-L-K triplet rolls
—-Floor tom, Snare, kick, repeated
—-hi-tom, med-tom, snare, as written in the fill
–Listen to complete demo of “the big fill” in your google drive folder
Noah
Warmups (1min each per practice session):
–Single paradiddles 75bpm
–Double Paradiddles 75bpm
–Triple Paradiddles 75bpm
–Combo exercise: four of each paradiddle w/o breaks
Paul Simon: Late in the Evening
1)Memorize the sticking that holds this beat together
2) Master the sticking with the feet playing underneath at 75% speed (90bpm). Once mastered, add in the orchestration we learned today (find it in measure 2 of the chart in your personal gdrive folder)
3) Build the hands up to performance tempo (119bpm) without the feet. Start at 110 (today’s maximum) and gradually work your way up
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
