Gentle Guitar ™ Programs

Browse our programs and see which one suits your current needs.
If you’re not sure, book a trial lesson for a consultation and program demo.

Programs for Kids (Levels 1 – 5)

Levels 1 – 4
Prerequisites: None

Preparatory guitar and musicianship foundations for kids. Focus on developing playing technique, rhythm skills, music literacy, music theory, and learning to play easy songs.

Level 4
Prerequisites: Level 4 or by audition

Girls learn to accompany themselves on the guitar while learning to sing. Includes vocal practice and guitar lessons. Girls learn to perform Disney songs, movie themed songs, and appropriate pop and folk songs.

Level 4
Prerequisites: Level 4 or by audition

Kids learn to play guitar with focus on eventually taking part in a worship ensemble and being able to play rhythm guitar with a band. There’s also an option to focus on singing and playing. The program is based on Christian worship music.

Level 4
Prerequisites: Level 4 or by audition

Ideal for kids who wish to explore the classical repertoire and see if learning classical guitar music could be an eventual goal. The program is based on simplified, but well known classical music of different periods that kids might recognise.

Level 5
Prerequisites: Level 4 or by audition

Learning popular acoustic songs, basic improvisation skills, reading music on the guitar, rhythm techniques, playing with others, performance practice and more. This is a prerequisite for level 6 programs.

Programs for Adult Beginners (Levels 1 – 5)

Levels 1 – 4
Prerequisites: None

For complete beginners or those who wish to fill in the gaps from previous teachers. Focus on developing playing technique, rhythm skills, music literacy, music theory, and learning to change chords smoothly in time.

Level 5
Prerequisites: Level 4 or by audition

Learning popular acoustic songs, basic improvisation skills, reading music on the guitar, rhythm techniques, playing with others, performance practice and more. This is a prerequisite for level 6 intermediate programs.

Intermediate Programs (Level 6-7)

Level 6
Prerequisites: Level 5 or by audition

A program based on progressive drills and exercises designed to set up your right hand (picking hand) with optimal technique for further fingerstyle development. Classical and modern repertoire is included to practice and consolidate your technical development. Essential training for any fingerstyle beginner.

Level 7
Prerequisites: Level 6 or by audition

Many beginners feel overwhelmed by the classical guitar.  Our program is gentle and gradual. It’s designed for the adult beginner to develop sight-reading and technical foundation at a manageable but consistent pace. Part of the study is learning the fretboard and music theory so that later you can arrange and compose for the classical guitar.

Level 7
Prerequisites: Level 6 or by audition

This program focuses on developing your voice and fingerstyle accompaniment skills. Playing the fingerstyle guitar while singing requires more balance and coordination than singing and strumming. This program gradually builds your ability to play more complex patterns as you sing. You’ll also learn the basics of using your voice professionally. Solfege, warming up, vocal exercises and practice routine for guitar and voice repertoire and performance.

Advanced Programs (Level 8-9)

Level 8 – 9
Prerequisites: Level 7 or by audition

This program is about building your fingerstyle technique through the Classical Guitar repertoire. It’s vigorous and exciting in that it focuses on the songwriter and how the melodic and harmonic language of the classical guitar can be applied to modern songwriting and composition. In addition to developing technical ability on the instrument, the program sets a practical music theory foundation that includes fretboard fundamentals. Fretboard fundamentals are the study of triads, chord construction, voice-leading, chord progression, scales, improvisation and basic arrangement techniques.

Level 8
Prerequisites: Level 7 or by audition

Continues where Classical Guitar for Adult Beginners left off. Having a technical command of the instrument is essential to all fingerstyle guitarists, regardless of what style of music you’ll be playing later on. There’s no better and faster way to develop your left and right hand technique, than through time tested classical repertoire. As you make your way through progressively harder classical pieces, you’ll learn how to structure your practice to keep yourself motivated and efficient.

Level 9
Prerequisites: Level 8 or by audition

Continues where Classical Guitar: Technique left of. With excellent ground-work behind you, you’ll work for speed, accuracy and fluency. You’ll develop a light touch to make your fingerstyle playing sound and look elegant and professional. You’ll work on building a basic repertoire that will strengthen your technical foundation and give you a deeper understanding of how classical guitar techniques translate to modern music . You’ll see for yourself how this powerful skillset will give you an advantage over many other players who have not been through classical training.

About the Programs

Our programs run online in four consecutive terms. Each term is 11 weeks with short breaks in-between. We offer private-tuition and group learning options. That means you can go though any program with a private teacher at your own pace, or join a small live classroom. Either way, you’ll follow a set syllabus and have weekly live online lessons and submit assignments to your instructor. For the most part, it’s up to you if you wish to receive group instruction or one-on-one lessons. There are benefits to both options, however some programs are available only as private instruction or only as group instruction. For example, all the kids programs are run as private one-on-one lessons. While the more advanced programs are offered as online classroom option only.

Our programs are for students of all ages and various musical backgrounds.

  • Are you completely new to music study, and would like to start playing guitar?
  • Have you taken other instrument lessons like piano or singing in the past, and now would like to pick up the guitar?
  • Are you self-taught or looking to patch up any playing and learning gaps from previous instructors?

Our programs are based on time tested classical and contemporary guitar styles, with method-based instruction and improved pedagogy.

  • Method-based instruction means that you will know what your results will be before you start learning.
  • Classical guitar technical foundation means that you will have superior technical development of the left and right hand.
  • Contemporary music theory and fretboard fundamentals will empower you to be creative, improvise, arrange compose and write songs on the guitar.
  • Reading and writing standard notation will help you grasp complex harmony and chords faster and easier.
  • Unlike other teachers who show you how to play cover songs, our programs teach you how to be creative and express your own ideas on the instrument.
  • Ear-training is included in all the programs and is essential for anyone who wishes to compose on the guitar or write songs.
  • The programs are progressive. You can start at the beginning as a complete novice and each year progress with measurable results and clear goals from semester to semester.
  • You’ll learn classical guitar technique and repertoire.
  • You’ll learn contemporary fingerstyle technique and repertoire.
  • You’ll learn to think like a composer and get familiar with the fretboard as your composition tool.
  • You’ll understand how to write songs on the guitar and create advanced fingerstyle accompaniments that sound professional and full.
  • Along the way, you’ll learn about the role fingerstyle guitar plays in folk, pop, and other historic and contemporary music around the world. From Celtic to Bossa Nova, from Blues and Country to the French chanson and the Russian bard.
  • You’ll stop seeing the guitar as “chord shapes” and a set of strings to strum. You’ll explore a deep personal connection with your own music and will be encourage to soul-search and define your unique sound on the fingerstyle guitar.
  • That means along the way we’ll explore how many modern guitar composers and songwriters are using the fingerstyle guitar to create unexpected results. Percussive techniques and other innovations.
  • Finally, you’ll discover how you wish to use the instrument for solo performances, as a pard of a modern band or jazz ensemble, as a singer-songwriter. The end goals are up to you. Our programs are here to provide a foundation from which you can continue to grow and build on.

The programs are level-based. You start at level 1 and move up through the levels from complete beginner to intermediate and advanced.  Each program has weekly assignments, end of semester evaluation, and a final end of year test. To get accepted into an intermediate or advanced program you’ll either have to complete the prerequisite programs and receive certificates of completion, or apply to sit the test without completing the prerequisite programs. You can discuss these options with a student advisor by booking a trial lesson.

  • A nylon string hybrid guitar. A traditional classical guitar is okay for the beginner programs. If you don’t have a guitar yet, please speak to our student advisor before buying one. If you already have another type of guitar (not classical), you can use any guitar to get started. We recommend a nylon string guitar, regardless of which style you’d like to play later on. Starting with a classical foundation has many benefits.
  • Guitar pick (medium/medium-soft thickness), guitar tuner and metronome (both available as free apps for smartphone)
  • Meeting live on a video call with your instructor (regular 30-60min weekly lessons)
  • Ability to record and submit video recordings of your weekly assignments. Smartphone video recordings are easy to make and share.
  • Having the time to devote to guitar study. 30-60min once a week for a live class, and about 30-40min a day for daily practice. (A total of about 5-6 hours per week)

FAQ

We operate on a semester based tuition model. Each semester has two terms. Each term is 11 weeks. (A program is four 11-week quarters or two semesters.) You and your instructor meet weekly for one-on-one lessons or in a group class. (depending on the enrolment option you choose.) Payment is completed on a quarterly basis. The cost of your tuition will depend on the enrolment option you choose. For details on payment and enrolment, please book a trial lesson with a student advisor.

A program can run anywhere from one to four years. Our beginner and intermediate programs are usually one year. Our advanced programs are usually two to four years and are considered a pre-conservatory level. That means the programs resemble a music conservatory (music university) but are designed for a gentler pace so that anyone can follow along. You can be enrolled in several programs at once, that way you have an “online conservatory experience” and will complete your programs sooner.

You don’t have to complete the full program. You are committing one term at a time. Your commitment to the program is for 11 weeks, the duration of a program term. Depending on your goals, you may stop after one term, or complete the four program terms. A program certificate is issued upon completiong of the program and level and is a prerequisite for our other programs.

We are an international online school established in New Zealand. Our teachers and students are from all over the world. We don’t offer accredited certificates for any particular country. As an online guitar pre-conservatory, we offer our own exams and certificates based on global standards. Teachers around the world use our method and curriculum for their lessons. When you complete our program, you get a Gentle Guitar Program Certificate. A PDF document comes with your certificate listing the qualifications of your study for the program and level.

Instructors