Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine. This song has a pretty sophisticated rhythm, that can be quite confusing for most beginners. I can help you to get the hang of it, until you can play it yourself.
Eddie Vedder – Guaranteed. From the movie Into The Wild. Vedder is using a picking style that is very common in Pop and Americana Music. This style may seem a bit difficult, but in fact it is surprisingly easy and effective.
Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper – Shallow. The rhythm of this song can be a little confusing, but I can help you. As soon as you understand this rhythm well, you can also try playing this intro, finger style.
Guitar lessons in Amsterdam
Do you want to play pop songs on guitar?
Then you’ve found the right place to learn how. Let me teach you everything about, keeping rhythm, strumming chords, and finger picking.
Unfortunately, I had to close the Gitaarclub permanently from Sept 15 2021. I can no longer give any guitar lessons, so opting for a lesson is no longer possible.
Neil Young – Needle and the Damage Done. Young’s guitar style is characterized by very subtle hammer-on and half-muted strokes. This will always be a real challenge for any guitarstudent.
Kacey Musgraves – Slow Burn. This song may seem simple, but that is not true. This only works if you can change chords effortless without loosing the beat. Musgraves is singing perfect pitch while keeping a tight rhythm.
Eric Clapton – Nobody Knows You. This song by Jimmy Cox 1923, soon became a true ‘unplugged’ classic and it is fun to play. Learn to play the basic rhythm version first. After that, we can make it a bit more complicated step by step.
Who am I
My name is Vincent Francois. Over 40 students take private guitar lessons with me. I enjoy working with beginners, but I also work with performers who are familiar with small and large stages, such as Paradiso and Ziggo Dome.
Many years of experience make it easy for me to sense what you want to learn and how I can convey that to you as well as possible. So give it a try. Bring some motivation and a good mood with you. Then you are most welcome..
Playing a song
My approach is simple and well proven. Playing guitar begins with an easy song and a few basic chords. Step by step I will show you how beautiful and sophisticated pop-music can be.
Don’t worry. You don’t need to reed music notation. Most guitar players prefer working with Chords or Tab’s.
How often a lesson
> WEEKLY
> EVERY TWO WEEKS (most popular)
> ONCE A MONTH
Guitar lesson, 50 minutes
Norah Jones with Bob Dylan’s – I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight. Her guitar player is picking a slow shuffle that works really well. Not as hard as you may think, and without any bar chords.
Paul McCartney – Blackbird. A true classic for any guitar player. McCartney is strumming with his thumb and index finger. It is typical for his technique. As soon as you know these chords by heart, the strumming rhythm begins to work.
Paul Weller – You Do Something To Me. An impressive solo performance, I think. As soon as you understand the structure of this song, it is not too difficult to play it yourself.
Leave your guitar at home
If you want, you can bring your own guitar, but you really don’t need to. Leave your instrument safely at home and play on one of my guitars. (also for the left-handed player)
Contact
Unfortunately, I had to close the Gitaarclub definitively from Sept 15 2021. I can no longer give guitar lessons, so it is no longer possible to request lessons.
Gift Voucher
With a gift voucher, someone can find out for themselves how much fun guitar lessons can be. You decide how many lessons you want to give. Just a trial lesson or a couple of real lessons. You can pick-up the voucher yourself, or I can send it to you by snail-mail.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old do I have to be for guitar lessons?
Guitar playing is for all ages, but most of my students are older than 16 years and younger than 60. I don’t provide guitar lessons for small children, because that requires a specialized approach.
Should I be able to read musical notation?
Reading musical notation can be useful for piano players, but most guitar players prefer using chords or tabs, instead of classical notation.
If I don’t have a guitar?
Never mind. Feel free to drop by for a trial lesson, and let me show you which guitars are popular among beginners. Guitars are not expensive and if you want, you can start using my ‘spare guitar’.
Is playing guitar very difficult?
Because I have been teaching guitar for many years, I know that it can take a beginner several months to play a few basic chords in time. That may seem like a poor result, but in fact that is a very important skill. It is what you need to play a simple song that everyone can recognize, and soon you will be ready to add more details to the music. Watch it; The joy of guitar playing can soon become addictive.
Do I have to have musical talent?
Don’t worry about that. Most people have average talent for music, and still enjoy playing guitar. That is possible, as long as you play songs that fit your level well. An experienced guitar teacher knows which songs are perfect for you.
Do I have to practice an hour every day?
Many people think that beginners have to practice for hours, but that is not necessary. A guitar is actually a very accessible instrument. If you like your guitar, you will pick it up now and then to play it fifteen minutes. That way you will learn the basics. With some help from a guitar teacher, you will learn much more, and a lot faster.
Can I learn all musical styles here?
My students want to play pop songs on a Steel String Guitar. They learn everything about keeping rhythm, playing chords, strumming patterns, finger-picking and singing. I don’t offer lessons on Spanish-, or Electric guitar.