Looking for guitar lessons in West Auckland, Titirangi or Glen Eden?

Looking for harmonica lessons in West Auckland, Titirangi or Glen Eden?

Guitar Lessons, Harmonica Lessons in West Auckland

Hello there, my name is Grant Scott. I am a music teacher based in West Auckland. I am a player and teacher of the guitar and harmonica.

My first instrument is the guitar. I have been playing for over 30 years and teach the acoustic and electric guitar, including blues, classic rock, modern rock, reggae, country, rock n roll and classical styles.

Teaching lead blues/rock guitar soloing and jamming is one of my specialties as is teaching advanced classical guitar styles to players who are unable to read sheet music. I offer tuition to all levels from beginner to advanced. I have taught many students from 6-7 years of age until they turned 17-18+.

I am a qualified primary school music teacher (Bachelor of Music Education and Diploma of Teaching Primary).

I play professionally as a solo classical/flamenco blues performer.

While I am by no means as skilled on the harmonica as the guitar, I have been playing blues harmonica for around 25 years, and am certainly able to assist people in making a good start on this wonderful social instrument.

For many years I have given harmonica lessons to individual guitar students whenever they expressed the interest, but the consistent amount of ongoing requests for this service convinced me in 2006 to offer the tuition in a more ordered and structured way.

Thus in addition to my guitar teaching, I now also offer harmonica tuition. I am also the supervisor of the West Auckland School of Guitar and Harmonica. Please read below to see options offered at our school, based in Glen Eden, West Auckland.

Beginners to advanced, kids to adults and all ages in between. Current students range in age from 7 - 85. All ages and abilities are catered for. You don't need to know how to read music to learn!

Catering for students from Kaurilands Primary, Titirangi Primary, Woodlands Park Primary, Konini Primary, Laingholm Primary, Green Bay Primary, Glen Eden Intermediate, Blockhouse Bay Intermediate, Green Bay High, Kelston Boys, Kelston Girls, Lynfield College, Avondale College, Mt Albert Grammar, Western Springs, St Peters, Marist Girls, St Marys, Auckland Boys Grammar etc.

Guitar students of all ages will learn to play a mixture of classical/acoustic finger picking styles, strumming, 'regular' chords, 'barre' chords and 'power' chords. Learning traditional and popular songs, while using a picking to play electric rock, funk and blues styles. During over twenty years of teaching, I have developed a comprehensive teaching method which will help students get 'up and running' pretty quickly, while giving them a good solid grounding in a range of techniques.

 Shared Guitar Lessons (in pairs)

Shared lessons (in pairs) are $13 per lesson. A term is generally ten weeks: ten weeks x $13 = $130 (for term dates see below). Children from 7 years to 11 or 12 years are generally taught in pairs. They are teamed with a buddy of similar age and the lesson cost is then shared.

Students are welcome to find their own buddy, as many have done, or we can find a suitable partner, no worries. I have been operating this system very successfully for a number of years and have found that with few exceptions, for most children at primary or intermediate age, this is by far a more beneficial option than one on one lessons.

For the family, there is the obvious benefit of keeping the price lower, thus making the lessons more accessible and sustainable. For the students, there is the very real benefit of having a musical partner

Shared lessons offer the opportunity to have one on one instruction in technique while at the same time students get a chance to make music with a buddy.

Shared lessons in pairs are, in my experience, far less intense than 'one on one' lessons (especially for younger students). There is also a noticeable absence of the 'chaos' that often occurs in groups of three or more.

For the students and the teacher, the experience is rather like enjoying one on one lessons while working in a band. Students learn to 'listen' to other players, rather than 'playing in a vacuum' and learn the all important art of cooperation with fellow musicians. Opportunities are available for students to make studio recordings as either a duo or solo.

Many pairs have worked successfully together for 2-5 years. Learning music in pairs is, quite simply, fun! The essence of most successful musical acts is usually the pair, and in fact many of the primary and intermediate school aged students now go busking on a regular basis. Many students have also auditioned successfully for school bands.

When students are older and have a good grounding in basic technique, they can then perhaps move on to one on one lessons, to specialise in either rock or classical, acoustic or electric, or whatever style they may prefer.

Individual Guitar Lessons (one on one)

Prices for guitar lessons for students 13 years and above are $26 per one on one, half hour lesson. A term is generally around ten weeks: ten weeks x $26 = $260.

For students starting around 13 years of age it is probably best to have one on one individual lessons (indeed for some younger students this may also in fact be the best option). Although it is in theory possible to learn in pairs at any age, it is generally easier to learn individually from around 13 years of age.

Once the basic finger styles of classical/acoustic, strumming and chords have been learned, lessons may then be geared towards the student's personal taste. Popular songs, classic rock, rock n roll, blues, reggae,  R&B, hip hop, folk, country, indie, singer songwriters or metal may be explored.

'One on one' students  may wish to focus eventually on lead guitar, soloing or jamming. Music theory and sight reading may also be the focus, or the student may just wish to 'play by ear'. If a student wishes to learn to accompany themselves for singing this is also easier to accommodate through one on one lessons.

Individual Harmonica Lessons for Adults and Children (one on one)

Prices for harmonica lessons for students 9 years and above are $26 per one on one, half hour lesson. One term is generally around ten weeks: ten weeks x $26 = $260.

grantscott38@hotmail.com or phone (09) 813 5434