Author Archives: jghzap

Really sad news to hear Julian Bream died yesterday at his Wiltshire home. He was one of the great figures in the classical guitar world and played an important role in raising the profile of the instrument. It’s interesting to … Continue reading →

Recently a BBC news story covered a piece of research from Imperial College in London which expressed concern about the lack of dexterity development in younger people. The report focused upon medical students, and its main thrust was that whilst … Continue reading →

I’m often asked what attracts me to the classical guitar? First, let me say I love guitars of all shapes and sizes. I’m fascinated by the different sounds they produce, and respect and admire people who can make well crafted … Continue reading →

A new pupil asked me this question. The short answer is no. Many fine guitarists do very well without reading music. There are options  to learn without reading standard notation: good observation, good listening, chord windows and good old guitar … Continue reading →

I’ve had a number of discussions in recent months with experienced guitarists who say they play regularly but don’t seem to improve, so they want to take some lessons. Naturally I’m pleased about this because my business depends upon well motivated … Continue reading →

Some time ago a young student  arrived at my studio for her first lesson with a  new guitar an uncle had bought  her as a surprise birthday present. It was an inexpensive model and there was nothing wrong with it … Continue reading →

To get value from your guitar lessons you have to set aside time to practice between lessons. Many students ask -how much time? My response is it depends where it fits into your lifestyle, but a short period everyday is … Continue reading →

I often meet people who are approaching retirement or have been retired some time who say they’d love to learn to play the guitar. “So what’s stopping you?” Iask. “Oh I’m probably too old now” they often reply. Now for … Continue reading →

It’s a funny thing but I can usually tell within a few weeks if someone is going to really progress with their playing. It hinges on what’s happening between lessons. Now to be fair to a lot of folks, the … Continue reading →