AHEAD OF THE CURVE COACHING PROGRAM

Do you need to progress really fast?

Mark is excited to be offering a brand new one-on-one guitar course called Ahead of the Curve. This class is designed to get students on the fast track of guitar mastery. Each class is 1.5 hours long (once a week) and will teach students how to get the maximum amount of results from their effort. As well the course will be customized to the student's current level.

Ahead of the Curve Blues

Ahead of the Curve Jazz

Ahead of the Curve Rock

Ahead of the Curve Theory

Ahead of the Curve Improvisation

This course is open to all levels of playing ability. All potential students must audition before signing up for the classes.

Students who are not willing to commit to a minimum of 1 hour of practice a day for at least five days a week should not apply. This course is extremely goal oriented.

4 week program: $380

8 week program: $720

10 week program: $850

12 week program: $960

These classes are held at one of our school locations.

In home prices:

4 week program: $760

8 week program: $1,440

10 week program: $1,700

12 week program: $1,920

A frequently asked question is "what is the difference between Ahead of the Curve and a regular lesson?" It's certainly not the price, in fact if you sign up for the longer sessions it becomes less expensive than the hourly rate. Ahead of the Curve lessons are more intense than in a regular class and the expectaions are much higher. There is more work involved for the instructor since he prepares custom lesson material for each student away from the lesson.

Call Mark Fitchett for an audition or more information

310-918-0439

 

 

Personal In Home Training

All Levels       All Styles

This training is only recommended for those that want to learn at an accelerated pace.

Imagine having your own personal guitar trainer coming to your home to motivate and teach you.

Just think, how fast would you progress if someone was there everyday to be a coach and practice with you? There would be no wondering if you are doing things right. Learning and practicing would be an extremely efficient process and results would be almost immediately noticeable.

Mark Fitchett will teach all the techniques required to become a competent guitarist in any style.

Monday-Friday

2 hour workouts

$1,000 per week

Alternating Days (3 times per week)

2 hour workouts

$600 per week

Customized Packages Available.

 

 

 

 

Improvisation

What do bands like The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, Phish, Santana, Hendrix, and the Cream, as well as literally every blues and jazz artist have in common?

It is the ability to play together and create incredible original improvised music.

So how do these bands pull off this seemingly amazing feat of coming up with such great sounding music off the top of their heads?

Topics discussed and demonstrated include:

Creating moods

Grooves

The “Space Jam”

Modes
Improvisation

Playing Techniques 

Whether you want to carry on the tradition of the classic jam bands like the Dead, or just be able to put in extended jamming sections in your songs like Hendrix, Cream etc. this workshop will teach you how to create your own original improvised music from as little as one or two chords, a simple scale and some basic rhythmic ideas.

Rhythmic and melodic techniques will be covered as well as specific chord progressions and scales that lend themselves to soloing in jazz, rock and blues styles.

Students will also gain experience performing in an ensemble situation and learn how to “jam” with other musicians.

Some of the topics covered will be:

• Modal Scales
• Chord Progressions for Modes
• Blues Scales
• 12-Bar Blues
• Phrasing
• Basic Soloing Techniques

 

Mark Fitchett on improvisation:

Why I Improvise

I am passionate about improvisation in all styles of music. This is my love, my joy, my high in life. I get the most satisfaction from this aspect of my live performances. The creativity experienced, especially when I’m “on,” is something I don’t experience in normal everyday life.

Why it started

I had been playing the guitar for a couple of years as kid and was just starting to listen to Santana, Johnny Winter, Led Zeppelin and The Allman Brothers when one of my friends mentioned that the guitarists were making their solos up on the spot. That just floored me, I couldn’t believe it! I knew right then and there that I had to be able to do that too; thus starting my lifelong quest to perfect the art of improvisation on the guitar.

How it developed

Beginning with garage/basement bands, my friends and I got together and jammed for hours at a time on modal one chord jams, simple progressions and blues. Later on, as I developed my skills, I moved into progressive rock, fusion and funk, and eventually be-bop influenced jazz. Along the way I also picked up skills in Country, Classical, Latin, African and other various ethnic music and hybrid styles.  

Where it’s heading

Although I am constantly refining my technique and exposing myself to many different types of music and musicians in an effort to find new ways to express myself, something that has been inspiring me for quite some time now is teaching other musicians to improvise. The fact that no two persons interpret an idea the same way has been fascinating to me, and that I, an experienced musician for over 30 years can learn even from a beginning improviser.

The ultimate goal

I want to introduce musicians and listeners alike in the art of improvisation. This part of popular music seems to have disappeared in the last few years, especially in the mainstream. I am on a quest to educate, enlighten and inspire the masses, and believe one of the best ways to accomplish this is through teaching. If I can get a student to experience even a fraction of the passion I had as a beginning musician then I am convinced that they in turn will inspire others and be open to listening to and enjoying great musicians improvise.

-Mark Fitchett

Guitarist/Composer Mark Fitchett has been performing, writing and improvising Blues, Rock and Jazz for over 30 years.

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Watch Mark Fitchett jam on youtube!