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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Homework for Mar 4-11
Dear students,
Great work today! Here is this week’s homework:
Nova
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 per day
What to practice: Juggler, Matchmaker, Ruler of my Heart, C broken triad hands separate
How to practice:
-Juggler/Ruler of my heart- review
-Matchmaker- Emphasize beat 1 of the three beats, staccato with a slur is still a stacatto just not as short as staccato without a slur, a lot of the bars repeat the notes but change the dynamics. Posted in google drive
– triads- play fingers 1,3,5; except right hand first inversion 1,2,5 and left hand second inversion 1,2,5
How parents can support practice- listen and guide as needed
Maya
Recommended minutes to practice: 5-10 per day
What to practice: Gallop Away, The Rainbow
How to practice:
Gallop Away- the E in line 2 is one beat, no overlapping; do not rush second last bar. The D is Beats 1 and 2; the B is beat 3. Practice with metronome.
The Rainbow- good reading! Right hand is the top line, left hand is the bottom line; they are the same except upside down. Remember note reading in left hand- middle C has its own special line, A is on the top line. Make sure there is connection between all notes; no stopping between lines. Once one note is done, the next note follows.
How parents can support practice: Listen and guide as needed. Help her practice the songs with the metronome.
See you next week :)
Efe – Feb 28th
Hi Efe!
Here is your homework for this week.
Google Drive of last week: Feb 21st
- The drive has most of the things you need. Here’s what was missing: BOBD Feb 28th. For whatever reason, Google Drive is refusing to let me upload videos whose speeds you can change. This link is an Unlisted YouTube video link where you can change the speed to 0.75x, as my video points you to do.
- For that video: If there are still issues, then I’ve uploaded a PDF of the games described in the video that I want you to play on the guitar this week. – Play these games at 90BPM.
— Em pentatonic scale
- Keep going with this. You now have all 12 frets to improvise something on. Remember the limiting rules; these can help spur your creativity.
- Backing track. Cool blues
— F#m scale
- Keep playing this scale. Same area of the fretboard as last week.
- Remember: No finger 2, here.
— BOBD — You’ll soon see videos and pictures in the Drive that pertain to the items below.
- The melody with the octave chords we talked about in class today. — Try this melody. Make sure your Left Hand wrist is not too bent.
- The melody with the sliding single notes.
- The usual chord progression; the one you’ve been playing. — Try it both slowly and also play it at the song’s original speed.
- The powerchords of the chorus.
— Acoustic Open
- Keep trying this. But go back to the start.
- I’ve included the file for this in the Google Drive here.
— Get a capo. Here is the one I recommend: Amazon link
If it’s harder to practice on a week, then just do smaller amounts of practice each day. Even 5 minutes of practice a day is better than none at all.
Thank you, Efe. See you in a week!
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
