Start on Thursday 23rd January (improvers plus) and Friday 24th January (beginners plus); six weekly 2-hour sessions - £150 including music materials. We keep classes small, so places are limited.
Saturday 28 December 2013
Thursday 19 December 2013
Latest download
available now - Progressive Fingerpicking Pieces that allow the student to progress through various techniques including tricks that the professionals use for smooth and slick playing.
Monday 9 December 2013
warnings
Two warnings:
1. There is a web service called Chordify. It promises to make a chord chart of any song you like.
Al tried it this week and could not believe how inaccurate it was. He thinks his toothbrush could do a better job!
2. Here is a nice warning. The download version of Progressive Fingerpicking pieces will appear on the Al n Ray website very soon.
1. There is a web service called Chordify. It promises to make a chord chart of any song you like.
Al tried it this week and could not believe how inaccurate it was. He thinks his toothbrush could do a better job!
2. Here is a nice warning. The download version of Progressive Fingerpicking pieces will appear on the Al n Ray website very soon.
Friday 15 November 2013
Sunday 10 November 2013
Ukulele tunes in TAB & clef
Al & Ray's latest bargain download is a collection of tunes for Ukulele from all over the world. It also contains a few useful exercises, scales and chords. Most usefully, everything is shown in not only clef notation but also tablature - TAB - with later pieces exploring some higher frets and interesting string crossing techniques. Fun and instructional!
Saturday 26 October 2013
Schoenberg
The travel part of Al's Finzi Scholarship Award project (researching Schoenberg's creative teaching methods, particularly with "less able masters") has come to a close.
The insights gained from studying the background, original manuscripts and typescripts of Schoenberg's Models for Beginners in Composition are already informing his teaching, thanks to assistance from the Finzi Trust, the Arnold Schoenberg Center and Andrew Bendefy.
Look out for Al's Schoenberg day at Dillington House in April.
The insights gained from studying the background, original manuscripts and typescripts of Schoenberg's Models for Beginners in Composition are already informing his teaching, thanks to assistance from the Finzi Trust, the Arnold Schoenberg Center and Andrew Bendefy.
Look out for Al's Schoenberg day at Dillington House in April.
Sunday 20 October 2013
Evening classes
Al & Ray's latest acoustic guitar evening classes for Adult beginners and improvers are well under way.
This time by popular demand there is a distinctly bluesy feel with some finger-picking and improvisation. As to be expected there is also the usual very practical application of music theory...and the coffee and biscuits seem to be particularly good!
This time by popular demand there is a distinctly bluesy feel with some finger-picking and improvisation. As to be expected there is also the usual very practical application of music theory...and the coffee and biscuits seem to be particularly good!
Tuesday 8 October 2013
Dillington course
There's still a couple of places left so time to book up for Al & Ray's 'No Boundaries Band' course at Dillington House at the end of October.
The tuition is nearly as good as the meals!! & the setting is just fantastic.
The tuition is nearly as good as the meals!! & the setting is just fantastic.
Saturday 7 September 2013
Wednesday 28 August 2013
Guitar Tutors Conference
Once again Al & Ray will be delivering one of their entertaining and informative seminars at this year's RGT conference at London College of Music on 8th September.
The day is an excellent event for all guitar teachers as well as those interested in teaching. There is about a week left to book your place.
http://www.rgt.org/info/events/conference-info.php
The day is an excellent event for all guitar teachers as well as those interested in teaching. There is about a week left to book your place.
http://www.rgt.org/info/events/conference-info.php
Next Dillington course
Al & Ray's next Dillington House course is open to all instrumental players and follows the format of their most successful and popular sessions. If you are interested in a fabulous few days at the end of October in an idyllic setting with lots of music making interrupted by excellent food, follow the link below.
http://www.dillington.com/products/no-boundaries-acoustic-band-course/49/
http://www.dillington.com/products/no-boundaries-acoustic-band-course/49/
Wednesday 14 August 2013
The return of a well-regarded sight reading book
Don't Be Afraid Of The Neck was last reprinted in 2004 after the first editions sold out very quickly. It was praised for its presentation as well as its serious usefulness and fun qualities. This download is an exact copy of that reprint.
Mandolin download
Dozen of tunes for mandolin in all sorts of styles with treble clef and tablature notation. Also some chords, scales and arpeggios. Plenty of easy tunes and some material that will seem pretty impressive!
If you like this, maybe Al & Ray could supply something similar for Dobro, banjo, Weissenborn, ukulele......
If you like this, maybe Al & Ray could supply something similar for Dobro, banjo, Weissenborn, ukulele......
Saturday 10 August 2013
new blues guitar download
23 pages of 12-bar blues grooves and turnarounds etc, with a demo solo and some scales for good measure, all carefully considered and put together in a progressive order. The favourite keys are covered in various styles, giving you some good and typical blues rhythm 'vamps' to accompany 12-bar blues. For teachers it offers good lesson material presented in a logical order. This material has been tried and tested with many students over many years by experienced Registered Guitar Tutors.
Friday 9 August 2013
Ozark 12-string guitars:
we are so pleased with the quality of these guitars that we bought one for ourselves - there are two more in stock. At £275 with a fitted hard case, this is quite a bargain. Once these two have sold, there won't be any more - certainly not at this price.
Visit GandA Music at 8A Chinns Court between 10am & 4pm on a Thursday or call 01985 211786.
Visit GandA Music at 8A Chinns Court between 10am & 4pm on a Thursday or call 01985 211786.
Thursday 8 August 2013
Music shop in Warminster
Since our friends at Acre Music closed for business, 8A Chinns Court in Warminster began hosting a music shop open to the public on one day a week from Spring this year.
GandA Music has been supplying music bits & pieces, including strings, sheet music and instruments, for 20 years. Although this has been mainly a specialist operation for music teachers and other professionals, the service now includes restringing & other basic set-ups. It is open from 10am to 4pm every Thursday, & also by appointment. See www.gandamusic.co.uk for a few more details.
GandA Music has been supplying music bits & pieces, including strings, sheet music and instruments, for 20 years. Although this has been mainly a specialist operation for music teachers and other professionals, the service now includes restringing & other basic set-ups. It is open from 10am to 4pm every Thursday, & also by appointment. See www.gandamusic.co.uk for a few more details.
Wednesday 3 July 2013
Mandolins
Mandolins seem to be flavour of the month at the moment. As Ozark main dealers for mandolins (and similar fretted instruments) we have had some great mandolins in stock recently, and not one of them has gathered dust. We have several happy new mandolin owners, as AlnRay clients and as customers of the Chinns Court GandA Music shop.
Tuesday 14 May 2013
Chords!
Ray and Al's latest offering has a focus on helping to make your chord playing smoother. Chords for the Impatient Guitarist is a download of logical and ergonomic chord progressions that fit the hand well and will help you move between chord changes more expertly. It includes some of the effective professional chord voicings that the chord books simply don't tell you!
Sunday 14 April 2013
New downloads on the way
For those of you who enjoyed the blues fingerpicking download, watch the website for two selections of fingerpicking tunes that also teach you how to make your own arrangements while you learn to play.
Also Ray & Al have been busy putting together a unique chord playing book to be called something like "Chord Playing for the Impatient Guitarist" to enable you to learn to move smoothly between chord changes. This will be available as a download very soon.
Also Ray & Al have been busy putting together a unique chord playing book to be called something like "Chord Playing for the Impatient Guitarist" to enable you to learn to move smoothly between chord changes. This will be available as a download very soon.
Wednesday 13 March 2013
Fingerpicking blues step by step
I have played through Al's latest download and it really works. It gradually builds up your blues finger style techniques and is fun to play.
You can download it from the website
Thursday 7 March 2013
Another great weekend at Dillington
At their slide guitar weekend at Dillington House, Ray and Al once again met some wonderful people and welcomed back a couple of regular supporters for plenty of food and drink and playing (and very little sleep). Dillington hospitality was excellent as usual.
This was followed by a great session at Doorway, the homelessness centre, in Chippenham on Monday morning.
New evening classes for adult acoustic guitar improvers begin again on Thursday 14th March in Chinns Court and are almost fully booked.
This was followed by a great session at Doorway, the homelessness centre, in Chippenham on Monday morning.
New evening classes for adult acoustic guitar improvers begin again on Thursday 14th March in Chinns Court and are almost fully booked.
Wednesday 20 February 2013
Research
Al has recently been awarded a Finzi Trust scholarship for research into the educational methods of the composer Arnold Schoenberg and in particular his preparations for teaching amateur adults, including his ideas about ear training.
He's delighted about this and very grateful to the Finzi Trust.
On a completely different matter, the premises at 8A Chinns Court, Warminster is now open every Wednesday from 10am to 4pm for the sale of our music bits and pieces and for services such as restringing etc.
He's delighted about this and very grateful to the Finzi Trust.
On a completely different matter, the premises at 8A Chinns Court, Warminster is now open every Wednesday from 10am to 4pm for the sale of our music bits and pieces and for services such as restringing etc.
Wednesday 6 February 2013
Doorway
The last Saturday in January hosted a gig at The Cause, Chippenham, featuring the Doorway band. Ray supported Phil, Lee and Dean in a great show - the best ever according to many people.
Dean opened the concert with great versions of his own songs, performed brilliantly. For those who had not heard him sing and play before, there was a surprise in store - a standing ovation was the result!
Phil worked the audience well, in his inimitable way, with very professional rhythm section support from Lee on drums.
Ray's encouragement gave confidence to the proceedings; Al hoped to make it but was delayed on the train journey back from an unusual visit to London [interview for his Finzi Trust Scholarship Award].
Dean opened the concert with great versions of his own songs, performed brilliantly. For those who had not heard him sing and play before, there was a surprise in store - a standing ovation was the result!
Phil worked the audience well, in his inimitable way, with very professional rhythm section support from Lee on drums.
Ray's encouragement gave confidence to the proceedings; Al hoped to make it but was delayed on the train journey back from an unusual visit to London [interview for his Finzi Trust Scholarship Award].
Wednesday 23 January 2013
Snowy and creative weekend at Dillington House
Ray and Al set off down the A303 last Friday wondering if they'd have any participants for the No Boundaries Band weekend.
They welcome any acoustic instrument and prepare special arrangements for each to create a good ensemble sound for this course, so it's desirable that all the various instruments are there.
Any fears were soon forgotten as they arrived...to find some had even beaten them to tea and cake!
Being stuck in a lovely country house for three cold days during a white-out was very cosy.
Dillington hospitality and catering was superb as ever and a full complement of wonderful participants ensured good humour and lots of great music making.
They welcome any acoustic instrument and prepare special arrangements for each to create a good ensemble sound for this course, so it's desirable that all the various instruments are there.
Any fears were soon forgotten as they arrived...to find some had even beaten them to tea and cake!
Being stuck in a lovely country house for three cold days during a white-out was very cosy.
Dillington hospitality and catering was superb as ever and a full complement of wonderful participants ensured good humour and lots of great music making.
Monday 14 January 2013
Dillington again
Following a wonderful & energetic beginners' day at Dillington House last Saturday, Ray & Al are looking forward to another adult acoustic guitar evening class starting this Thursday the 17th & to their "No Boundaries" band residential weekend starting on Friday at Dillington. This course, open to any acoustic instrument, is always very creative & great fun!
Thursday 3 January 2013
Happy New
Happy New Year folks.
This is Giuliani (better known as Gill) writing on behalf of Ray & Al to let you know what's new.
The Dillington House beginners' guitar day has sold out and promises to be a fun day for all.
The Acoustic Band weekend (starting 18th January) has just a couple of places left. See www.dillington.com/residential_details/display/1302/19 for details.
17th January sees the start of the next batch of adult Acoustic Guitar evening classes. These are booking up fast. If you would like to register contact Ray or Al or see www.gandamusic.co.uk.
This is Giuliani (better known as Gill) writing on behalf of Ray & Al to let you know what's new.
The Dillington House beginners' guitar day has sold out and promises to be a fun day for all.
The Acoustic Band weekend (starting 18th January) has just a couple of places left. See www.dillington.com/residential_details/display/1302/19 for details.
17th January sees the start of the next batch of adult Acoustic Guitar evening classes. These are booking up fast. If you would like to register contact Ray or Al or see www.gandamusic.co.uk.
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