There are a few things that guitar players can do to keep their guitars in good condition. These are very simple things that can make a world of difference for the longevity of your instruments life. First and foremost, most novice players do not change their strings often enough. A string’s life begins its process […]
Guitar
Don’t let summer stop your groove
With the summer in full swing, many students are taking breaks from their music lessons to engage in more seasonal activities. What many students don’t realize, however, is the importance of continuing practice throughout their break; a point I often push on my students. As practice time diminishes, so do many of the important physical […]
It’s a real shame when folks be throwing away a perfectly good pink guitar like that
Shortly after I blogged about how inexpensive short-scale guitars are rare, I found this pink guitar in Harper Woods on trash day. It’s an inexpensive First Act child’s guitar, but after a thorough inspection I realized that the only thing wrong with […]
Get your child a full size guitar so they can grow into it…
Wait! The title to this post is all wrong. That is the absolute worst thing that you could do to a beginning guitarist! If you subscribe to this philosophy you may as well buy clothes that are too big for them so that they can grow into them. Don’t let an ignorant sales person at […]
Upgrading your guitar to a bone nut and saddle.
Often times I am asked by customers what upgrades they can make to their guitars to improve the sound of their instrument. Most of the time, I advise them to replace their nut and saddle with one made from a bone material. This is a fairly low cost repair that is always an improvement. Most […]
Am I ready for Rock Band Class?
Rock Band classes are small group lessons typically 3-5 students who work on playing together rhythmically and learning performance skills while playing their songs. An experienced teacher guides the group providing instrument coaching and objective critique. Anyone who has started a band realizes that there is certainly potential for a power clash between the lead […]
Am I too old to learn Guitar?
In the 40 years that I have been teaching all styles of guitar to every type of student, there have been a few questions that come up over and over, and seem to be the cause of great concern and anxiety for guitar students. High on the list is “Am I Too Old To Learn […]
The Bass In Latin America Peruvian Grooves
BY MARLON BISHOP BORED OF PLAYING IN 4/4? NEVER mind modern jazz and its crazy meters. For a real mind-bending rhythm workout, aim your ears southward to suss the milieu of Afro-Peruvian grooves. “I studied jazz for a long time, and I could play in all sorts of meters—5/4, 9/8, 11/8,” says Joscha Oetz, an […]
Guitar Repair
It is that time of the year again! The Summer is upon us, the school year is coming to an end, and the weather is becoming consistently warmer. Some Michiganders may be complaining of the rise in heat and humidity recently, and if your instruments could talk, they would be too. A guitar or any […]
Rock Band Classes
Grosse Pointe Music Academy: Rock Band Classes Do you want to learn how to play in a band? Grosse Pointe Music Academy offers rock band classes for students of all ages and skill levels. Our experienced instructors will teach you the basics of playing in a band, including how to read music, how to play […]
Guitar Ensemble Classes
The Grosse Pointe Music Academy is now offering Guitar Ensemble classes for people of all ages, and they are very excited about it! The class will be taught by Levi Henson, who is a Jazz Studies major at Wayne State University in Detroit and also plays guitar for the Rhythm Society Orchestra. He has been […]
Peppino D’Agostino Guitar Lesson
Italy is a land of romance, known for fine food and wine, great painters, classical composers, and opera. It’s also the homeland of Peppino D’Agostino, an eclectic acoustic guitarist who moved to the United States in the early 1980s. D’Agostino now lives in California, but he continues to channel the spirit of his native land […]
Grosse Pointe Idol
America’s Hot Musician is also one of Grosse Pointe’s coolest guitar teachers. Robert (Bobby) McManus, 23, teaches guitar at Grosse Pointe Park’s Grosse Pointe Music Academy. He spends each day teaching kids from 5 to 51 how to read tablature, learn the correct fingering on the frets and how to strum with the ideal rhythm. […]