Instructor: Malcolm McKinley

Time: Tuesdays 7:15-8:15 pm beginning Oct. 6th

Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. Park in back of store off the alley in the Meeker lot and wait for the 6:00 class to let out at 7:00 and enter as others are leaving before the door closes and locks. If arriving after 7:00 and the door is shut, please ring the doorbell - if you ring it before 7:00 you will disturb the previous class.

Description: This class will focus on advanced fingerstyle techniques, musical expression, finger placement, muting, harmonics, and alternative tunings.

Areas Covered:

• Developing a more personal and expressive playing style

• Identifying and changing inefficient playing habits

• Using the entire soundboard through intentional finger placement and muting

• Introduction to alternate tunings, including DADGAD and Open G

• Natural, artificial, and slapped harmonics

• Two-string pull-offs and left-hand techniques

• Left-hand and right-hand independence

• Creative percussive and rhythmic techniques

• Finding musical inspiration and developing your own voice

By the end of the course, students should have a broader technical vocabulary and a deeper understanding of how to use the guitar as a complete musical instrument, rather than relying solely on traditional chord shapes and patterns.

Prerequisites: Beginning Fingerstyle Guitar or equivalent

What to Bring: Your own instrument, music stand, and tuner