If you need to get rid of stress and would love to learn a new skill, why not enrol yourself for guitar lessons?

You might think you are hopeless with music and any type of musical instrument, but it should be reassuring to know that a good guitar teacher can get any student through a frustrating time and help them to enjoy learning a new skill.

If you have access to the Internet and are a little cash strapped, it might be a good idea to search the Internet for guitar lessons that are free and that you can enjoy doing at your own pace and during your own time. This might be a good option for someone with a lot of self discipline and an eagerness to learn without the pressure of someone constantly watching you and correcting you on your faults, others prefer to know that a teacher is waiting for them and they have committed on a financial level as well so they have to go.

If you have tried learning to play the guitar through online guitar lessons, books or videos and are still not getting the hang of it, it might be a good idea to invest in guitar lessons taught by a qualified teacher. The guidance that a person sitting right next to you can offer is valuable.

If you are not happy with your teacher, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to move on to another teacher where you would be more comfortable with their style of teaching. Guitar lessons should be fun and you should be looking forward to every class, not fear it.

What You Will Be Taught During Guitar Classes

Besides the practical part of guitar lessons, you will have to learn theory as well. Knowing how to read notes or how to approach a sheet with music on it will enhance your understanding of playing guitar as a whole.

The theory behind guitars isn’t all learning and no fun. You will also get to learn more about the different types of guitars available, like:

• Acoustic – this is the standard guitar and is made with either nylon or steel strings. This type of guitar is mostly used for country and rock music.
• Electric – this guitar is plugged into an amplifier in order to be heard adequately. If you would like to go into genres like rock, jazz, blues or pop, then guitar lessons with an electric guitar is a good choice.
• Bass – this guitar has a longer scale and thicker strings compared to a standard guitar. Although it is available in both acoustic and electric, the electric bass is more common.

While it is not necessary to go out and buy the most expensive guitar you can find before you start with your guitar classes, it might be a good idea to start with a cheaper one and then buy a more expensive one at a later stage when you are serious about it.

There are quite a variety of ways in which piano classes can benefit both children and adults – it can teach them discipline, boost their self esteem and help them to concentrate.

Learning to play the piano should not be something you are forced into as is the case with many children who are forced to take classes because of their parents. Many adults prefer to take piano classes as a way to relax and forget about their daily worries and frustrations.

Whether your piano teacher is a maestro with numerous qualifications and international accolades or whether she is self taught, as long as you are taught in the correct manner and you’re having fun while being taught, it doesn’t matter who your teacher is.

The costs of piano classes will differ from teacher to teacher and you as the student will have to decide how serious you are about the classes and how much you are willing to spend on them. If you are very serious about learning to play the piano and would like to go far, it is wise to spend the extra money for the best teachers. If you are just doing it for the fun and you aren’t too serious about it, it’s not a bad decision to opt for the cheaper classes.

To be a good piano player you will have to understand the theory behind it and you have to realise that you must practice on your own even though you attend piano classes every week. Practicing on your own not only enhances your skill, but it will also teach you to practice self discipline and make you realise how important it is.

Where to Find Information on Piano Lessons

Word of mouth is always a great way to find honest and open opinions on almost all types of subjects. If you don’t know anyone who has taken piano lessons in the past or whose kids are taking them, a search on the Internet will help a lot.

Ensure that the place where your piano lessons are offered is either close to your house or work so that you can attend the lessons on your way home or on your way to work.

People are often too afraid to start a new hobby or engage in piano lessons because they think they are too old. Retirement is the best time to start a new hobby as you have an abundance of free time on your hands and something like piano classes will keep you busy.

There are many reasons why adult music tuition is so popular and growing in popularity. It is a great way to escape the daily pressures like bills that have to be paid, a busy family and work that needs to be completed.

Because many students turn to adult music tuition as a way to relax, there is no pressure to become the best or to win a competition. In fact, if you don’t want to compete in competitions you don’t have to. If the reason you chose to explore this option is out of pure enjoyment, then you will have to make peace with the fact that you will have to learn the theory of music in order to enjoy making music on an instrument.

It is important to approach adult music tuition with the right attitude. Although you are an adult and possibly the CEO of a major international corporation, you will have to start right at the beginning if you want to learn a musical instrument from scratch. You will have to exercise patience in order to become good at what you enjoy and therefore make it a fun activity that you can look forward to.

You should feel completely relaxed and comfortable with your teacher as you will spend a lot of time together over the following months and even years. You should value her opinion and guidance, even if she is 20 years younger than you are.

When it comes to adult music tuition, some students prefer to have private lessons while others prefer the more social setting of a group. Whatever you prefer, make sure you set your goal and don’t give up until you have reached it.

Although you may only have one or two hours worth of tuition per week, you will have to be willing to practice by yourself if you want to improve. New lessons are taught every week and if you don’t have the self discipline to practice your new skills between lessons, you will struggle to get any further and it will take you longer.

If you find it difficult to travel to your music lesson, get a teacher to teach you at your house. Many music teachers are willing to drive to their students and some teachers actually prefer that to a permanent place of tuition.

Whatever your reason is for taking up adult music tuition, make the most of it and enjoy it.

When you think of education you won’t think of music schools in Gauteng. Music schools may not be exactly the same as ordinary schools, but they do have benefits and open up a whole new world to a developing child. Learning a musical instrument is a way of exploring new things and unlocking talents you didn’t even know you had.

If a child shows any inclination towards music or an instrument, consider one of the music schools in Gauteng.

Benefits of Attending a Professional Music School

There are many music schools in Gauteng and to a child it is unexplored territory. Here are some of the benefits of a musical education at the Phoenix Benedict Music Academy:

• Music training is known to stimulate the left half of the brain and this is the same side that controls language and reasoning. Therefore, musical development will assist with brain development of those areas. That’s why linking music and songs to information help young minds remember.
• Artistic education helps young minds to think creatively and solve problems in different ways. Music education helps the mind think creatively and will expand horizons when solving problems.
• Learning music or an instrument is not always easy. Music education is a great way to learn discipline. The great masters were very disciplined and the master your instrument you’ll have to learn patience and discipline.
• Learning music has shown that children become more tolerant. Studies have shown that children who learn music experience other cultures and become more empathetic. This allows them to become more tolerant and less selfish in their development. This helps bridge cultures and promotes respect for other cultures.
• Learning music helps children strive for excellence. When a child learns music he or she learns craftsmanship and attention to detail. This instils a sense of self pride and encourages them to deliver work of the highest standard. This helps with exploring their limits and not doing anything mediocre.
• Music is expressive. This helps any child express themselves and reach for better development. Music helps a child get in touch with their core being and express it through music. This promotes a well balances psyche and a healthy self esteem.
• By studying music it promotes exploration and taking risks. The performance part of music in particular help conquer fear and to take healthy risks. By taking risks it helps a child push their boundaries and develop their potential. By developing this early a child can blossom and find their true potential.
• Music study promotes action. Music is a discipline focused on doing rather than observing and this is beneficial later in life. Especially in the workplace, it teaches how to perform with multi-dimensional skills. This is something that employers are looking for and will result in success in the professional world.

Every parent wants their child to have a head start and by promoting musical education, or even just the playing of a musical instrument, he or she will flower. Look at one of the many music schools in Gauteng for options and advice.

We all know education is important. Children need the stimulation of learning to advance and grow. However, for education to be beneficial it needs to be balanced and all encompassing. Math, science and biology are all important, but it needs to be complimented with the subjects of art. Not all schools have the capacity for arts, and therefore parents often have to look privately for an artistic extra mural activity.

Music is a great way to stimulate artistic talent and there are many people who give music classes in Gauteng. Music in particular has some unique benefits and is a great way for young children to explore their artistic side.

The Benefits of Music Classes

Parents need to encourage their children to pursue an extra mural activity that stimulates their artistic side. By taking music lessons in Gauteng, that artistic side can flourish and the child can reap some of the benefits:

• Confidence – Playing a musical instrument helps build confidence. It is an activity that shows improvement and encourages a child to strive to get it right. Many music schools hold recitals or concerts and the child will gain confidence by performing in front of a crowd.
• Discipline – Playing a musical instrument takes discipline – not only in learning the instrument, but the hours needed to play it perfectly. This kind of self discipline is used later on in life and is projected onto other activities.
• Co-ordination – This is especially evident in younger students. By learning instruments like the guitar or the piano it helps stimulate hand-eye co-ordination. This becomes handy when playing sports or other activities, as it gives some young children a head start.
• Time Awareness – Playing a musical instrument helps teach timing and pacing. Music is about tempo and a musician has to pay close attention and follow the timing of the music. This can help down the line with problem solving and time management.
• Career Options – Music can be a very lucrative career and popular entertainers have made successful lives from playing an instrument. It may start out as a hobby, but having a musical talent is a handy option as a career path in the future.

Give your child a head start and invest in music classes in Gauteng as an extra activity. Stimulating that artistic side will highlight many of the benefits needed for a developing child.

One of the most popular instruments that people take lessons for is the guitar. Perhaps it’s because of all the rock stars who enthral the crowds with their onstage antics. Guitar lessons are usually the first step and a trained professional (who is usually a musician themselves) will teach the basics.

You can find any number of guitar classes to choose form. There are community classes, classes at schools, professional music academies and even online courses that will teach everything from beginners to advanced students.

Types of Guitars for Guitar Lessons

Anyone can take guitar lessons; all you need is an instrument. However, before taking up guitar lessons you need to know which guitar you want to play. Although most guitars are fundamentally the same (a body and strings), there are variations for different genres in music. Here are the most popular guitars people want to take guitar classes for:

1. Electric guitar – Anyone who’s dreamt of being a rock star wants to play the electric guitar. Like its name suggests it needs a current to play and the sound is fed through an amplifier. The electric guitar is mainly used in rock and roll, blues, jazz and R &B. Those who want to learn to play the electric guitar in guitar classes will be advised to get a good quality brand like Gibson or Fender.
2. Classical Guitar – The classical guitar can be used to play a variety of music, most notably classical music. It’s played in the seated position and has a wide, flat neck to assist the player to play scales and certain accords with more ease.
3. Twelve String Guitar – Used mostly in folk and blues, the twelve string guitar has steel strings. Unlike the regular six strings it has twelve strings made up of six courses of two strings each (similar to a mandolin). Its produces a richer and more ringing tone than the ordinary guitar.
4. Bass Guitar – The bass guitar looks similar to the regular guitar, but has a longer neck and can have four, five six or eight strings. It’s used in many styles of music from rock and roll to fusion, reggae and pop.

Once you have selected your style of guitar, find a location offering guitar lessons. Guitar classes are great way for you to explore and find your musical talent through this stringed instrument.

Our music classes are unlike any you have tried for flexibility and scope, and it has seen to us growth at an unprecedented rate since we had opened our doors in 2010.  It is a given that our teachers are the best available today and they are experts in their respective fields; par for the course is also our varied product offering, including various instruments, music theory and song.  The combination of all the following factors makes our music lesson offering unique in the market:

• we offer extramural music tuition
• we offer Cambridge International Examinations’ O- and A-Level music
• we offer graded examinations, like ABRSM, UNISA and Trinity
• we offer music lessons via Skype
• AS-Level Music online

Music Classes with You in Mind

Our classes consider the individual’s talents, interests, existing skills and music tastes; these factors are important in order to maintain a student’s motivation and to maintain the relevance to concrete music principles that are present in actual popular culture.  Considering your current skill level, our classes endeavour to present the material to you at a pace with which you are comfortable and that allows you to relate your tuition experience with your music interests and personal music goals.

A Music School that Offers Classes via Skype

A music school that offers music classes via Skype is certainly unusual and although not all our classes are accessible in this way, the list of available modules is still a long one:

• classical and contemporary piano
• classical, flamenco, rock, metal and pop guitar
• classical, pop and musical theatre singing
• woodwinds: saxophone, flute and recorder
• all the music theory grades up to Grade 8

Have a look on our website under “PBMA MusicEd via Skype” for more information and if you are interested, feel free to complete the web form on that page.  You need to submit your personal and contact details, which modules you are interested in, at what level you are (our music school caters for beginner, intermediate or advanced students) and your preferred day and time slots in the week for lessons.

AS-Level Music Online

We also offer AS-Level music classes online and you can look at the 2012-2013 courses on our website too; this course takes thirty weeks to complete, spread out over ten months.  Enough time is allowed for intensive revision and the written examinations take place in May/June, so you should aim to finish the course by April if you want to write these examinations.  Tutorials are held in April and October each year and students are strongly advised to attend them; they include in-depth discussions about the current AS Music syllabus and bookings have to be made at least a month in advance.

With such a wide-ranging value offering, it is no surprise that we have experienced a surge in student numbers and our music experts are ready to meet you at the skill level where you find yourself and realise the musician within.  Skills like ear training, music software literacy and film scoring also form part of our music classes.

When you enrol for music lessons, you want to be sure that you get the best quality tuition available from a professional team of music experts that can meet you where you are.  By that we mean that they are able to teach anybody – from a complete beginner with no music background whatsoever, right up to an advanced student that want to expand their music skills.  It does not matter if you are six or seventy, it is never too late to start, so talk to us today, because we can assist you with:

• extramural music tuition
• Cambridge International Examinations’ O-Level and A-Level Music
• Graded examinations (like Trinity, ABRSM and UNISA)

The Importance of Music Theory

The importance of music theory cannot be overstated and it is crucial that anybody who is serious about their music ventures have a sound base of music theory.  Understanding everything about note values, key signatures, rests, melodies and minor and major scales are critical if you are to understand how your instrument works and how music is composed.  It will also enable you to read and play sheet music, sight-sing and later even compose your own music; in fact, a musician is not taken seriously unless they have a firm grasp of the theory behind it all, so let us take you through your music theory lessons so that you can write the formal exams and pass your music grades.

Choose from Many Modules

Our music lessons are presented in the form of modules and you can select the ones you would like to complete; among these modules are:

• practical piano and keyboard
• graded music theory
• contemporary church music
• song writing
• music software literacy
• film scoring

This modular and flexible approach is highly personalised and designed to take into account every individual’s talents, interests and musical tastes, tailoring our value offering to your bent and style.  It also helps you maintain your motivation and progress happens at a rate with which you are comfortable, while you are being introduced to the practical and theoretical music principles.

Qualified Experts

Our team of qualified experts include M.Mus and B.Mus graduates, music students and musicians and their fields of expertise include:

• ear training
• pre-school music education
• guitar (flamenco, metal, classical, pop, acoustic and rock)
• music theory
• vocal training

Enrol with us today and unleash the inner musician with our music lessons.

Like learning to type, piano lessons require sound tuition and a lot of practise and nobody is ever too young or too old to start learning to play the piano.  Our approach to teaching piano is unique and our personalised format aims to take into account each student’s individual interests, talents and musical tastes in order to maintain their motivation and realise their potential.  Therefore, it does not really matter if you prefer popular contemporary or traditional classical music; our process is designed to introduce the relevant musical principles to you at a rate that is comfortably within your capabilities and at the appropriate level.

Piano Classes for Young and Old

Piano classes can be a most rewarding experience for students of any background and whether they are beginners or advanced students; we have students from six to seventy years old.  Gain a more meaningful understanding of the practical and theoretical music principles and learn to relate to your favourite composer, song, piano piece or film soundtrack in a fresh way.  We aim to present our music lessons in such a way that they relate directly to your personal interests and music goals and to this end, a large variety of flexible modules are available, so you will always find the right set of piano classes to suit your frame of reference.

Music Specialists

Our music specialists can teach you anything from piano lessons to music theory:

• Franscois Bezuidenhout: founder and principal of our academy, Franscois is also the module coordinator and improvisation specialist and presents music software literacy, film music, A-Level music and B.Mus support.
• Gerbrie Kritzinger Siegel: presents theory, ear training, piano classes and song.
• Lauren Harrison: presents flamenco and classical guitar.
• Kgololo Mogotsi: presents piano, but is also our theory teacher for beginners and our pre-school music education.
• Jan-George de Lange: presents classical and pop piano, pre-school music education and theory.
• Francesco Emery: presents rock, pop and metal guitar (both acoustic and electric).
• Michelle Wheeler: presents classical and rock school piano, voice training, theory and pre-school music education.

Modules

As we have mentioned earlier, we present a massive range of modules among which you can choose at your leisure, based on your specific requirements for your own musical advancement.  Modules include:

• graded music theory
• film scoring
• music software literacy
• song writing
• contemporary church music
• practical keyboard and/or piano lessons.

For those who choose to make their passion into a way of life, a qualification from a widely accredited and prestigious academy can make the difference between success and mediocrity. This is especially true in the world of music. In this field only those with both exceptional talent and the drive to succeed will overcome the many hurdles that are placed in their way on the road to success. The nature of the music business is such that to make a living, the avid musical student should choose a music academy that will provide them with tuition that combines the most creative and driven teachers and advisors with course content that takes into account the real world opportunities that are available to the aspiring artist.

The services of the top notch music academy should take into account the requirements of the student as far as reaching new audiences and taking advantage of new technologies are concerned. Many music students will want to take their qualifications and move into fields such as the production and scoring of music for the cinema or even for the production of video games and Internet usage.

The availability of curriculums from the advanced music academy will take into account both the new technologies and new opportunities that are today available to the aspiring music professional. By tailoring their curriculum to the new reality that has become part and parcel of the musical experience, such as the widespread us of the Internet today’s music academy, can both remain relevant to its students and the business that wait to take advantage of the talents of the new breed of music professionals that is today emerging from the rank and file of those studying towards a music degree or diploma.

The new courses offered by the advanced music academy bear very little resemblance to those offered only a generation ago to aspiring musicians. Today’s music qualification is in fact closely modelled on the MBA, in that it offers the student a more rounded curriculum and provides them with the skills that they will require in order to take advantage of the many new opportunities available to the music professional in the 21^st century.

Distance Learning From the New Breed of Music School

New advances in the technologies that provide distance learning opportunities to students from around the world have today found their place in the curricula that are offered by the music school of the 21^st century. At present it is possible for the aspiring musician to obtain a degree, diploma or other qualification from a prestigious music school through distance learning. New technologies, such as those which take advantage of the functionality of communication portals like Facebook and Skype, mean that the music student today can enjoy periodic one-on-one tuition sessions with the tutor of their choice, as well as take advantage of video on demand to hone their skills.

By using these technologies a music academy can continue to offer coursework that is both relevant and easy to access. The music school of the 21^st century is today striving to provide its students with easy access to the professionals who can help to guide students through the potential pitfalls that will challenge them in their chosen careers.