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, March 26th
Myles
Xylophone
–C major scale
–identifying the musical alphabet
–up to p16 in the pno book
ACDC: Back in Black–DONE!!!
Livin’ On A Prayer by Bon Jovi
–everything up until verse
–BONUS: go ahead and learn the verse (it’s mostly the same beat)
**Please bring a binder/duotang for handouts on this one. I’ll be writing it out for you by hand
Jonah
Warmups (1min/ea)
–Triplet Exercise (Goal tempo=120)
–Sixteenth-note exercise (goal tempo=100)
–Stick Control: ex. 57-64 (160bpm)
Joel Rothman Book: Lesson 17**
Dance, Dance by Fall Out Boy: everything up until Chorus
PRACTICE CHALLENGE: Re-establish your practice routine by making sure to practice every day this week (1 freebie allowed). Aim for 30min per day, but if you can’t do 30, 10 will be fine! It’s more important to do at least some than it is to do lots!
Noah
Warmups:
–New triplet choreography worksheet (on the google drive)**
–Double-stroke progression: Natural rebound–>”pick it up” after 2 bounces–>drags/ruffs–>double-strokes
–Flams, Flam accents (careful that the LH flam doesn’t get reversed!), Flam Taps, Flam Paradiddles**
No One Knows by Queens of the Stone Age
–Beginning of Coda** “I don’t want to go to school today I really don’t”
Robbie
Warmups (30sec/ea):
–8 on a hand exercise
–Single Stroke Roll (L-R-L-R….) playing smooth, even, controlled strokes
–Double Stroke Roll (L-L-R-R…)
–Paradiddles (L-R-L-L R-L-R-R…)
AC/DC: Back in Black
–End of guitar solo: good
–Add in the following Chorus
–Four-on-the-snare section (Bridge)***
Will
Pad Exercises (1min/ea):
–Triplet Exercise (goal tempo=135)
–Sixteenth-note exercise (goal tempo=110)
–Roll Exercises (90bpm)
–Flams, Flam Accents, Flam Taps
–Rhythm exercise 40bpm
Syncopation Ex. 2 lines 1-5
Spanish Joint by D’Angelo: full song, focusing on transition out of choruses
Saturday March 23 Lessons – Erin P
Glad to hear you all had a great March break! Everyone is sounding great too, nice work!
NO LESSON NEXT WEEKEND. I AM AWAY FOR EASTER WEEKEND, ENJOY THE TIME WITH YOUR FAMILIES AND SEE YOU ON APRIL 6TH
Hakim
Dummy! – RH part in G minor as written.
*New* Raptors – up until star. This piece is in D minor position. Your LH finger 2 is going to reach above to play the Bb, and also will play the G# so that your thumb can stay on A. RH melody sounds like “in the hall of the mountain king”. Use fingers 2 and 4 as written for the changing notes with accidentals. Listen here.
Keep working on your C major triad patterns. See here.
Maria
Viva la Vida – fix “dead, long live the king” measure timing. Discuss with your vocalist if you are going to be doubling the melody or if you are just going to play the instrumental part.
*New* Fundoodle – Listen here. This piece uses a Ton of triad shapes and inversions. It mostly is all C, F and G with some accidentals thrown in for flair. The LH will be your steady rock that any syncopation can bounce off of.
Shakira
*New* Going Undercover – this piece is in C minor position. It uses 2 different 2-bar patterns that alternate to create the feeling of a soundtrack. At first the LH descends from C in whole and half notes, then later, the LH ascends from C in quarter notes. Focus on evenness and use rotation of the wrist to make the 3121 RH fingering easier. This is what it sounds like.
Bryson Tiller – We simplified the chords by taking out some notes. Play around with going between these freely.
Noreet
*New* A Mixed Up Song – this piece has different melodic ideas that repeat throughout the song. At first the part with lyrics is done by the RH, and later on, it is done by the LH, but it is still the same notes and tune, just in a different octave. Great job noticing which parts have staccato markings! Listen here.
C Major Contrary motion scale – these are sounding really great and consistent!
C Major triads – this is our big project to master these for the end of the year. See here.
Grace
Take care of your wrist! Rest it and don’t play through any pain.
Pieces from Journey – I think Apotheosis is a great starting place. Practice not just getting the accented groups of 2 notes in time, but landing on beat 1 of the next bar in time as well.
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
