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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Assignments for the week of September 12, 2024
Hello everyone! Great seeing you all this week. Here are notes for your lessons:
Eva
What we learned/reviewed in lesson:
- Reviewing finger numbers on both left hand and right hand
- Rhythm playback
- Black keys — counted 7 groups of two and 7 groups of 3!
- Hand position, soft “c” shape
- Reviewed pages 10-13 (Faber Primer), play through pages 15 and 16
Recommended minutes to practice:10-15 minutes on weekdays
What to practice:
- Review Left and Right hand number patterns; practice recalling which finger is which number (thumbs are always number 1!). Try playing through some of the patterns on a flat surface (does not have to be at keyboard)
- Look through pages 16, 17, and 19 (from Faber Primer); try reading out the numbers, matching it with fingers, and eventually on the (black) keys of the keyboard
- This pdf has the pages we played through last week and some tips for sitting at the piano and hand shape at the end
How to practice efficiently:
- Review our hand position, is it in the soft “c” shape? Give hands a gentle shake (like we’re flicking off water) to release any tension
- Always double check your hands! Check with the music: if we are looking at the R.H. (Right Hand) line, are we making sure that it’s the Right Hand that’s playing? Same for finger numbers.
- Make sure to have fun!
How can caregivers support practice:
- Practice recalling finger numbers on Left and Right hand, can double check with the image we drew at our first lesson
- When Eva practices, check hands to make sure they aren’t curled up/tense. Shake out tension and reset to the soft “c” position
Greta
What we learned/reviewed in lesson:
- Treble clef: notes in spaces (FACE), notes on lines (Every Good Bat Deserves Fruit)
- Bass clef: notes in the spaces (All Cows Eat Grass), notes on lines (Good Bats Deserve Fruit Always)
- Dynamic ranges (pp p mp mf f ff; pianissimo, piano, mezzo piano, mezzo forte, forte fortissimo)
- Great sight reading today!
- Review of (piece), playing around with dynamics/shaping the phrases
What to practice:
- Start Amber Moon and/or Bouree in D minor
- Technique: G major scale (hands together, 2 octaves) and/or D minor solid triad (2 octaves, hands separate or together)
How to practice efficiently:
- Always check in with what’s written in the piece (fingerings, dynamics, tempo)
- Look for patterns and where they come back
Have a good week everyone!
Tuesday, September 10th–Welcome back!!!
Myles
Goals for this year:
–Xylophone and Reading
–Learn 5 songs this year
Warmups:
–Flam Paradiddles (rL-R-L-L lR-L-R-R)
–8 on a Hand, goal tempo= 130bpm using a metronome (free app download, or purchase one at a music store)
John Mayer: Gravity
–Please learn this by ear this week (it’s brand new, but very simple)
–Can you identify how to count this song?
Finn
Finn – 7yo – pno, drums, ukulele, dancing – pizza
Basics of Grip (V-shape, dribbling the basket ball, backs of hands facing up)
Warmups:
–Single Strokes
–Double Strokes
–8 on a Hand
Basic Beat Level 1
Step 1) Count “1 2 3 4”
Step 2) Play the Hihat with your Right Hand (RH) on all the counts
Step 3) Add in the Bass Drum with your Right Foot (RF) on “1” and “3”
Step 4) Add in the Snare Drum with your Left Hand (LH) on “2” and “4”
Required Materials:
–Sticks (5A is pretty standard; 7A (a little shorter and a little lighter) might fit Finn’s smaller hands, but go with what’s comfortable)
–Metronome
–Notebook, binder, etc for handouts and notes
Recommended Materials:
–Hearing protection
–Practice
–Method Books
Francisco
Skip warmups for Today
Bon Jovi: Livin On a Prayer (find the sheet music in your student folder)
–Intro Fill (3e+a 4 + )
–Main groove: like a basic beat, with an extra bass drum on the “and” of 4 every other measure’
–Working on the fill before Verse 1
Warmups (30sec/ea., find goal speed):
–8 on a hand (140bpm)
–Singles (sixteenths at 140bpm)
–doubles (16ths at 90*)
–Paradiddles (16ths at 90*)
Drumset Musician p13 ex 20-23
Noah
Goals for this year:
–Rock band program
–Finish Green Day: American Idiot
–Xylophone
Green Day: American Idiot–focusing on notes, not tempo
–Everything up until the beginning of the 6th line on page two (stopping at the beginning of that cool tom fill)
–remember alternating hihats/floor toms before the bass drum segments in the verse
–Careful to distinguish the similar but different bass drum parts in the Chorus
Preferred Books for Gergely’s Students
Click to buy them here, and they’ll come right to your house! What could be easier?
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
