Guitar lessons for all ages, styles, and levels
Richard Rabatin teaches beginning, intermediate, and advanced guitar lessons from first graders to professionals in a multitude of music styles from the 1920s to the present: Rock Guitar Lessons, Blues Guitar Lessons, Metal, Fingerstyle, Country, Jazz and more. The lessons are very informal, personalized, extremely flexible and are – for most students – geared toward pure FUN: You choose the direction of the lessons, the songs and styles that you like and that you're most motivated to learn.
Beginners learn basic elements such as posture and hand positions while playing real music that you choose – no exercises. Elementary school students can learn songs they're already familiar with: from nursery rhyme songs to Disney or Sesame Street. Adolescents and adults can learn easy rock songs by the Beatles, Taylor Swift, Weezer or any other bands.
Intermediate players choose from more complicated pieces they like whether classic rock like Led Zeppelin, grunge, metal, etc. The songs may include higher positions on the guitar neck, barre chords, fingerstyle and solos. Optionally students can play along with CDs or mp3s note for note.
Advanced players will learn more complicated chords, solos and techniques. Examples might be Eric Clapton's solo Crossroads, Van Halen, Hendrix, Hammett, or SRV. Jr. and Sr, high school students can work on reading music for jazz band. Speed and technique exercises, and complete neck visualization, and how to pick things out from CDs using technology are also options.
Flexibility
At all stages the direction and intensity of the lessons are completely flexible based on the student's likes – from the pure fun of learning music by favorite bands and guitar players, to very advanced career-oriented or professional materials. We invite you to explore our teaching philosophy for specifics on the learning process at Stony Brook School of Music.
ADDITIONAL LESSONS AVAILABLE
Bass and piano taught by Richard Rabatin
Woodwind and brass lessons by other qualified instructors
Lessons in music skills including improvisation, song writing, ear training, composition, harmony, picking music out from CDs, and more taught by Richard Rabatin
