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"I started lessons with Ken at 8 years old, not even knowing how to hold a guitar. At the time, all I could do was strum and pluck randomly. Now I sit in his teaching area at 11 years old and rock the store like a boom-box with him!" - David G.
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"I came to Ken to study guitar and music theory in preparation for attending GIT (Guitar Institute of Technology). I was not only well prepared but was the top in my class!" - Cory H.
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"I have always wanted to learn how to play the guitar. After recommendations from guitar stores around Santa Cruz I finally found my instructor. Ken has increased my ability immensely in only a few weeks. He has a great system of teaching and can really express it in a way that I can understand. He creates an atmosphere that makes guitar playing easy to learn and alot of fun." - Brandon A.
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"Ken is an enthusiastic guitar teacher with tremendous knowledge, teaching everything from the fundamentals of music theory, to soloing in jazz. For the past seven years Ken has been teaching me how to play blues, rock, jazz and latin music. The more I learn, the more I want to learn. I continue to grow because he knows how to stimulate my appetite in guitar, learning different types of music." - Joanne D.
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"I've taken lessons from Ken for a few years now. I was one of those guys that had played guitar since my teens (I'm now 50) but never really advanced past a certain level. I focus on blues, and Ken has brought me to a much higher understanding of rhythm, soloing and most importantly, phrasing. I have learned songs by such artists as Magic Sam, Freddie King, Albert King and Otis Rush. Ken transcribes the solos note for note and then puts individual phrases on an inexpensive digital looper that I own. I use the loops at home to practice - it's like having Ken in my living room all week! Ken is a wonderful teacher and a phenomenal player. I recommend him to anyone at any age - whether you want to begin playing guitar or bring your playing ability to a new level." - Tex H.
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"I remember walking up the steps to Ken's studio as a 3rd grader (I'm in 7th grade now). One of the cool things about Ken is that he's really patient. He isn't one of those teachers that will scold you for doing something wrong. Another thing I like about him is that he teaches music reading. My studies in reading and learning all the different scales have made a positive impact for me in school band. In 6th grade I tried out for beginning band. There were two parts to show how good you could play, freestyle and music reading. I know I wasn't too good in the freestyle area, but boy was I surprised that nobody else knew how to read notes! I was recruited into the school band and very happy!!!" - Wesley C.
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"I've been taking weekly lessons with Ken for many years now and I can say that nearly every achievement I have made in the musical field, guitar or otherwise, can be attributed to Ken's teachings. Not only does he have a broad understanding of music theory, but he has also attained an ear capable of understanding some of the most complex guitar work available. Ken will teach you what you need to know and then how to build upon such knowledge, and in the world of music, there is no greater lesson."
Matthew H.
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"Ken is a great guitar teacher....I found him after trying several other teachers. He was the first one who didn't want to spend most of my first lesson showing me what a great guitar player he is....what a relief. Ken is as knowledgeable about music and theory as he is about the fretboard....so I not only learn how to play, but I also end up knowing what I'm doing....and why. The other thing I could say about Ken as a teacher, which is probably the most important to me, is that even though I suspect he must be totally bored given my beginner level of playing, he is incredibly patient, quietly encouraging, and lets me learn at my own pace. This helps me alot, especially when I get into those times of discouragement about what a challenge it is for me to learn the guitar." - Jonathan T.
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"I have been playing guitar off and on for 35 years, but hadn't had the chance to start formal lessons until a couple of years ago, with Ken. I'd venture to say that I have learned more in the last couple of years than the 33 before. With Ken, I am learning about not just the guitar but music in general, and I am enjoying a very nice synergy between what I am learning on the guitar and what my 9 year old is learning on piano. Having now taken the time to try to really learn about music I very much appreciate Ken's professionalism and his extreme patience." - Brad B.
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Testimonials for Reading and Playing Guitar Melodies: A Step-by-Step Approach
"Before completing Ken Arconti's 'Reading and Playing Guitar Melodies: A Step-by-Step Approach,' reading music notation seemed like a foreign language to me. I had previously tried other music notation books but they never proved to be effective. Ken's music reading book was the first that I had found that presents materials in a logical and thorough order, without ever seeming tedious. The original pieces that Ken wrote for the book are both pleasing to the ear and gratifying to master. After finishing Ken's book I was able to interpret music notation with ease, and am delighted that a new world of music knowledge, previously inaccessible, is now open to me." -Stephen M.
"I highly recommend 'Reading and Playing Guitar Melodies: A Step-by-Step Approach' as a fun and engaging method for learning to read music. With Ken Arconti's book I gained confidence in my ability to read notes AND to understand the written notation for rhythm, and all those other inscrutable abbreviations that indicate how to play a piece of music. After working through Ken’s book, I can now see a piece of music and actually know what to do with it!" - Dana B.
"Ken Arconti's book makes learning guitar easy and fun. I really like playing along with Ken's online recordings of the songs. It's like playing guitar with a friend at home." - Simon S. (12-year-old student)
”I have been using 'Reading and Playing Guitar Melodies: A Step-by-Step Approach' for several months and I highly recommend it. It is written in a clear, concise manner that makes it easy to understand and a lot of fun to use. The book itself is an excellent training and practicing tool and it is nicely complimented by accessing the downloadable play-along tracks for the songs included in the book." – Garth G.
"Ken Arconti's 'Reading and Playing Guitar Melodies: A Step-by-Step Approach' is like a good teacher, thorough and patient, carefully guiding the often confused or impatient beginning student." – Bill D.
"This is a great instructional book. You will be reading music and playing real songs in no time. The mp3 tracks with slow and fast tempos are great to play along with and enhance the learning experience." - Mark H.
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