Gunther K. TakeLessons Instructor Composition & Improvisation, Music Theory, Acoustic Guitar, Steel String, Electric Guitar,... Jamaica, NY

NOTE: I do not offer home lessons or travel to students location option.  All lessons are taught from my home studio location only.

I have been playing over 20+ years. Teaching for over 9 years and have studied professionally under numerous influencial players with diverse musical backgrounds and styles.

Specifically with former Berklee College musician, Frank Jargon and NY Classical guitarist David Gilfix as well as jazz guitar virtuoso George Bien. My musical and guitar influences range from Malmsteen, Roth, Vai, Hendrix, Page, Beck, Di Meola, Holdsworth, Gambale, Pass, Diorio and classical guitarist/composers like Francisco Tarrega & Fernando Sor to a majority of the Shrapnel Records moster shred players of the 90's.

I was also a music theory major while in college and have written a theory based book for guitarists that received subsidized publishing interest.

The styles I cover are essentially electric guitar: blues, rock, metal with jazz/fusion and neo-classical influences. I do concentrate heavily on proper technique and execution but I primarily focus on music theory and it's application: scales, modes, chord theory, song structure and composition. You will learn to write, compose songs as well as solo and improvise over a variety of chord progressions in diverse musical styles.

Topics I will cover with every student:

Proper technique to develop maximum efficiency, speed, flexability, dexterity and strength. This technique is derived from classical, jazz and fusion stylists as well as rock and metal monster shred players. I provide specific exercises to develop both hands equally to achieve maximum physical results.

Music theory and application. The universal music concepts and terminology is covered in detail, to provide you with the keys to understanding and applying all music related theoretical ideas immediately. This is essential to being a "literate" musician.

Composition and Improvisation skills development.
Lead soloing and melodic playing, rhythm analysis and applications in various music styles, phrasing and articualtion development. Know how to apply various scalar solutions to different chord types and key structures. From simple to more advanced approaches covering a diversity of music genres. Pentatonic, blues, major, harmonic and melodic minor modes as well as altered scales and applications. This is mandatory to becoming a skilled lead guitarist.

Advanced soloing techniques and styles.
Lead guitar techniques from legato to speed and hybrid picking. Sequencing and broken, sweeping and two+ octave style movable arpeggio’s. Double-stops and intervallic applications. Analysis of techniques and application of articulation in different styles of music. Knowing scales and modes is not enough - Knowing how
to play them is essential to being an accomplished melodic guitarist.

Chord structures, composition and applications. Modulation, transposition, inversions, voicings and uses of extended and altered type chords in songwriting and crafting chord progressions. From basic traids to sevenths and compound extensions - Common fingerings, theory and applications. Essential vocabulary for writing guitar parts, songs and harmonies

Hard Rock, Blues, Metal, Neo-classical, Jazz, Fusion, Instrumental.
Specializing in the following improvisation elements:
Speed picking, Hybrid picking, Legato
Broken arpeggio's and Sweeping arpeggio's in Rock/Metal/Jazz/Fusion & Neo-Classical styles.
Applications of all scales and modes in lead guitar/solo building skills.
Chords and theory in song writing skills
Composition Improvisation, Technique,

Composition & Improvisation, Music Theory, Acoustic Guitar, Steel String, Electric Guitar, Classical Guitar, Flamenco Guitar, Nylon String.

Music magazine and print reviews (Waricide) - 16 track demo:

East Coast Rocker Review: 12/01/1991  

Sarcoformity - Danish Music Magazine  

Rock Hard - German Music Magazine  

Heavy Oder Was? - German Music Magazine