Learn your notes: new free downloads

This week there are two new - and free - downloads: easy reference charts.
One shows the notes on a 4-string bass guitar in bass clef, tablature and by note name. The other does the same for standard tuned 6-string guitar.
Ray and Al have been asked for their very clear way of showing this so often that they thought they would simply share these charts.
No excuses now for not knowing your notes! If you do want some strategies for helping you learn them faster and remember them or work them out on the fly, the Know Your Notes book is available as an inexpensive download. This is also good for guitar and bass tutors wanting to pick up teaching tips.

Registry of Guitar Tutors

On September 21st the annual RGT conference sees Ray & Al presenting two seminars again. One is on making the best of challenging students; the other deals with strategies for improving sight reading abilities.
It's always great to see our colleagues there and to meet teachers new to the profession.

Dillington

Another wonderful "No Boundaries" band course at Dillington this month. Flute, clarinet, violin, harmonica, piano, ukulele, classical guitar and two steel string guitars were the instruments, everyone getting a part to give them a role in the band.

Tips & tricks music & tab

Ray & Al's popular series of short film tutorials covering techniques used in many well known songs has a series of very clear and simple music examples presented in both clef and tab notation.
If you learn the technique, you can play the riff. You get the whole lot in one download for less than the price of a cuppa!

Gypsy jazz licks

Al's practical analysis of "Hot Club" style jazz phrases has proved very popular over the last 20 years and is now available as a download.  It's cheap, cheerful and tuneful!
You will also find it informative as it relates each phrase to a chord type.

Theory week

Al has just completed his 3rd "pick my brains" theory week since they begun last August, culminating as usual in a composition workshop based upon Schoenberg's wonderfully effective Models method. 

This improves ear training, reading and also understanding of music. As ever, all the results were played and sounded really good and full of character.

Next similar event will be in August 2014.

Al & Ray's next evening class course will begin in September 2014.

Recent videos

The 1st part of Al & Ray's tips & tricks tutorials are not up on the site. These cover common techniques found in well-known songs and riffs in no-nonsense way. The first batch includes chromatic bass runs, zero fretting, the minor/major 7 chord etc.
Look out for more tips & tricks videos soon as well as new music downloads to accompany the series.