Guitar Lessons in Christchurch New Zealand

Friendly one-to-one guitar lessons
Hello, my name is Don King.

I teach private acoustic guitar lessons in Christchurch, New Zealand.  

When you enrol with me at the Academy of Guitar you will have the benefits of:
  • expert tuition
  • friendly, one-to-one personalised weekly lessons
  • step-by-step lessons making learning easy and enjoyable
  • learning the versatile classical/acoustic finger-style technique
  • having fun while developing your playing skills by exploring a wide variety  of music including renaissance, baroque, classical,
    folk, blues, pop classics, rock and Spanish flamenco
  • easy to understand lessons in music reading and theory.
I especially welcome adult beginners.

Expert tuition

When you begin learning any instrument it is important to have an experienced teacher to guide you.
 
Doing so can save you a lot of wasted time and effort in learning wrong and unhelpful playing habits and then having to re-learn to correct your technique. Importantly, it will also make your learning  easier, faster and more fun.

I have had more than 45 years of guitar teaching experience; see About Don King

One-to-one lessons

In my experience I have found that students learn much faster with a personal, individual approach in a relaxed and friendly environment.
 
Because everyone is different, with different commitments, (juggling work or business trips, looking after children, school activities, homework etc) your guitar lessons are tailored to suit you, and to suit the amount of time you have available to practise at home.

Classical finger-style technique

Because of its versatility, the method that I teach is the Classical
'finger-style' technique. It is ideal for playing solo classical, blues, folk,
Spanish, and instrumental arrangements of popular songs. Read more about different Playing Techniques here.

Guitar lessons with a step-by-step approach

Research has shown that learning is easier when one new skill or concept is introduced and studied at a time. I have designed this course with a  carefully graded, comprehensive step-by-step approach. And this means that you will find learning the guitar both achievable and enjoyable.

Exploring a wide range of music

Most guitar teachers specialise in one type of music (rock or classical or folk chord strumming for example).
 
This course is different. Because I have found that students love exploring different sounds, your course will cover (step-by-step) classical, renaissance, folk, blues, ragtime, pop classics, Spanish flamenco and many more.  Read more about Guitar music styles here.
 
I am sure that you will discover that this variety not only builds your musicianship and technical skills, it is a whole lot of fun.

Music reading and theory

Music reading and the theory of music is a vital part of learning any
instrument. The problem is that it is often taught in a way that makes it seem daunting to a beginner.
 
I have designed an innovative method that will make learning to read music easy and enjoyable for you.
 
And you will learn about the theory of music in a practical way that is related to the particular piece or style of music that you are studying at the time. This makes theory practical, easy to understand and at the same time it will enhance your enjoyment of playing and listening to music.
 
Both children and adult beginners are welcome.

Christchurch Guitar lessons for children

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Your child can start learning the guitar as early as six or seven years of age. Two main criteria are: 1) that they are keen to start, and 2) that they have good physical co-ordination.

I aim to provide a warm, friendly and   encouraging atmosphere, which is so important for children to learn successfully. This provides the foundation in allowing a child's natural  enthusiasm for music to  flourish and grow.

By-the-way, there has been substantial research
showing that music training at an early age greatly enhances the learning ability for other activities, notably mathematics, see Children & Music

Christchurch Guitar lessons for adult beginners

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If you are an adult beginner you are especially welcome.

I have discovered over many years of teaching, that people in their 50's, 60's and even 70's find great enjoyment in learning to play the guitar.

They make good progress even if they have had no previous musical experience.
 
There is also a bonus in learning new things when you are older... it keeps your brain young! See Older Adults & Music

Your first lesson — no obligation — your choice

I recommend that you begin with just one 'no obligation to enrol' lesson (at the standard fee of $30.00). 

In this first lesson I'll get you started playing, show you how the course is structured, and the sort of music that you will be playing along your  learning path. This way you can decide if my course is right for you.
 
If you do decide to continue, we will work out a regular weekly lesson time to suit you.

If you live outside the Christchurch area, I may be able to recommend other teachers...
 
... but for guitar lessons in Christchurch, New Zealand, please contact me for times and location, and click for lesson fees.
 
I look forward to your enquiry.
Tel: (03) 385 0373
 
165B Slater Street, Shirley, Christchurch New Zealand


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