Learn the styles of the electric guitar greats Rock Guitar Lessons

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Study Rock and Blues Guitar online with one of the UK’s most in-demand guitar instructors with over 30 years professional teaching experience 

Why Study Rock and Blues Guitar Online? - My Teaching Philosophy

If you’ve arrived at this website, then you are very likely seeking to improve your guitar playing. My lessons are primarily designed for guitarists who may have already been playing for a while (possibly for several years) and are now seeking to move onto a higher level of musicianship.

My first job therefore is to try and explain to you (in as few words as possible!) why I think my particular lessons will help you become a better guitar player. What follows is (in part) what drives me to teach every day and why I still enjoy every lesson even after 30+ years!

I teach a lot of students these days who have struggled with learning solely from the internet (or from method books) and many have spent a small fortune in the process. By contrast, I believe that the best educational experience in music is with a supportive teacher (it certainly has been the case for me over the years with several wonderful tutors)

So, in short, here’s what I offer my online students and how I approach teaching guitar, whether it be Rock, Blues or Jazz.

If any of what follows resonates with your own musical experiences or aspirations, then please get in touch as I think we’d work well together!

If you are serious about becoming a better guitarist, then you have to know your instrument and know it well. I emphasise a thorough understanding of scales, arpeggios and chords on the fingerboard in all keys. Hard work?….of course, but the results are well worth the effort believe me!

Play and practice real music, not just exercises or patterns. This is crucial to my teaching methodology. Music is all about emotion and therefore I emphasise playing the music that you really love even when you practice.

Plan your musical development carefully. I address this all the time with my students as I do within my own practice. You have to know where you are currently as a musician and where you want to be in the future to progress.

Listen, listen and listen again! Study the real masters of the guitar and of other instruments. I do this with all my students and regularly work on recommended listening with all of them.

Develop your ears (ear training) and rhythmic awareness. Probably the two most important areas I work on with most students.

Work hard but have fun too. Being dedicated to becoming a better guitarist is great but it mustn’t become a chore. I always emphasise finding creative and fun ways to practice something so that you look forward to working on it.

Oh, one final point: Teaching online means you can stay home to study and learn from anywhere in the world!

Online Guitar Lessons

"…I've learned more in a month from your guitar lessons than I have in years of watching online videos..."

Learn rock and blues guitar from the comfort of your own home. Lessons are now available worldwide and you only require a broadband internet connection and some form of video call software such as Zoom Google Meet or Microsoft Teams (which is replacing Skype)

All rock and blues guitar lessons are one hour long, accompanied by high quality PDF/Guitar Pro lesson notes, MP3 backing tracks and with software like Zoom you can record the entire lesson on video to keep forever.

(n.b. This is a brand new website and I’ll be adding much more information in the next few weeks!)

Pete Sklaroff - Background

My musical career began in Edinburgh, Scotland playing in blues and rock bands and then years later I was heavily involved in teaching Jazz and Popular music at Higher Education level principally at Leeds College of Music (now Leeds Conservatoire) I was Head of Jazz Studies and Assistant Head of Music at Leeds and also coordinated the Guitar and Bass Department.

I have studied Jazz Improvisation and Harmony with Charlie Banacos, Jeff Andrews and Garry Dial in the US and many fine teachers in the UK including Adrian Ingram and Neil Munro. I have taught hundreds of guitar students since the 1980s and many have gone on to have highly successful careers in music. I began offering online guitar tuition in 2010 and to date have taught students from over 20 different countries worldwide.

Guitar Video Samples

Rock and Blues Guitar Lessons - Overview

My rock and blues guitar lessons are designed to help you develop quickly and within a proven and effective program of musical study. It is however very important that you practice the lesson material on a daily basis for at least an hour and preferably more. We can of course discuss a practice routine and also how to prioritise your most important musical goals.

All online rock and blues guitar lessons are of one hour’s duration and are fully supported by clearly notated PDF notes and MP3 backing tracks. I also offer email support (between lessons) if you have any questions relating directly to the lesson material we’ve discussed.

All my guitar lessons can also now be recorded and delivered to you within a few seconds after the lesson has finished as an MP4 video file for future reference.

Unfortunately, I don’t teach complete beginners currently, so some prior knowledge of at least basic chord forms, scales and arpeggios would certainly be advisable for you to gain the maximum benefit from these lessons.

3 Levels of Study - Rock and Blues Guitar Lessons

Level One Skype rock and blues guitar lessons topics may include:

Easy Rock and Blues Standards
The I IV V progression
Common chord forms
Pentatonic and Blues scales
Rhythm guitar approaches
Blues and Rock guitar essentials
Learning songs
Learning the fingerboard
Blues progressions
Chord extensions and alterations
Understanding chord symbols
Using arpeggios
Basics of chord substitution
Basic Chord/Scale theory

Level two Skype rock and blues guitar lessons topics may include:

More Rock and Blues Standards
Turnarounds and Cycles
More extended and altered chords
Time-feel, swing and groove
Symmetrical scales
Approach notes and chromatics
Rock language and vocabulary
Using modes correctly
Hybrid scales
Pentatonic scales extended
Fixed note groupings
Solo guitar studies 
Chord substitutions
Quartal Harmony

Level Three Skype rock and blues guitar lessons topics may include:

Advanced Repertoire
Modal Compositions
Modern rock chord voicings
Triads over Bass Notes
Advanced rhythmic concepts
Alternative scales for improvisation
Transcription analysis
Using motifs in soloing
Advanced rhythm guitar playing
Using clusters and small intervals
Advanced chord substitution
Triad pairs and hexatonics
Transcription analysis/projects

Testimonials

"...I've been working with Pete [and I live in the Western United States] since before the new year: he's one of the most focused, talented, enthusiastic, and organized educators you will ever find! Each lesson gives weeks' (if not months') worth of material that will help you get where you want to go! HIGHLY recommended!!..."
Marc Y.
Marc Y.Online Student USA
"…Pete Sklaroff is rightly regarded as a living legend in my part of the world. Pete very quickly spotted that I was trying to play B# Demented with a flattened 14th, before I really knew where C Major was. Without crushing my enthusiasm, he gently pointed me in the right direction…”
Jamie Taylor
Jamie TaylorJazz Guitarist/Teacher UK
“…If you want top class guitar tuition then look no further than Pete Sklaroff. What’s even better is that he can play everything he teaches. Pete has unbelievable playing skills and can switch from jazz to rock like no one I’ve come across before. Highly recommended…!!
Johnny Hall
Johnny HallOnline Student UK
“…‘Just wanted to say thank you for the lesson yesterday, it really felt like the start of an epic journey for me. Can’t wait for the next one. Some people just have that little extra when it comes to making you feel comfortable and getting information across. You’re one of those…”
Online Guitar Lessons
Stefan L.Online Guitar Student EU
“…Pete has what seems to be several lifetimes of musical knowledge, and is very generous with passing it along. A gift for teaching doesn’t always go hand-in-hand with being a great musician, but in Pete’s case, it does…”
Joshua Gordis
Joshua GordisOnline Guitar Studnt USA
“…I’ve known Pete for around 20 years. He was a professor when I took my degree in Jazz in Leeds in the mid 90’s. Besides being extremely personable and approachable, he has a wonderful way of presenting material in a fashion that is meaningful to each specific student. Pete makes music accessible, fun and engaging, and can help you get your head around the most mind bending of musical concepts….”
David Highley
David HighleyLife Coach and Musician
“…I’ve been working with Pete for nearly two years as a Jazz guitar student and I cannot recommend him enough. The world of Jazz is gargantuan and it can feel intimidating to attempt to penetrate it, but Pete has a way of simplifying the core concepts and the fundamentals that are necessary to understand whatever you are struggling with musically…”
Steven S.
Steven S.Online Guitar Student USA
“…Pete is a superb tutor and exemplary musician with decades of experience. I have known Pete for over 30 years and believe he has intuitive empathy for learners at all levels. I know this as a teacher myself (of other subjects) Very few tutors are quite as gifted, patient and likely to inspire as him…”
Graeme Murray
Graeme MurrayMusician and Teacher
"...Pete has a wealth of knowledge and experience in bringing guitar players like me onto to achieving their full potential. Lessons are recorded and supported with backing tracks and pdfs, ensuring you can revisit and practice everything covered in the lessons. He is very approachable and patient, the lessons are always enjoyable, packed with lots of information and sounds bites to keep.you engaged. Pete demonstrates everything covered in the lesson which helps make the learning easy. To sum up... Pete is a brilliant tutor .... highly recommended..."
Martyn H.
Martyn H.Online Guitar Student
"...Pete is a great teacher I would recommend him without hesitation. He tailored my lessons to both what I wanted to learn and what techniques I needed to get there..."
Bob S.
Bob S.1-1 Guitar Student
"...Pete is an incredible tutor and musician, if I become half the guitarist he is I will be a happy man. Thoroughly enjoyed my lessons with him..."
Simon
Simon 1-1 Guitar Student

Frequently Asked Questions

Unfortunately I don’t currently teach complete beginners, however I welcome students who have a basic knowledge of common chords, some scales and have facility playing with a pick. If you are unsure of your current playing standard please do get in touch for an informal chat.

I prefer to teach in a single one hour online lesson, however if you’d like a longer or a shorter session I would be happy to accommodate either for you. 

No, although I use both tablature and regular music notation in my lessons, there is no requirement for you to be able to read music before starting the lessons. 

You are very welcome to email me in between lessons if you have questions regarding the material we have been studying.

I teach classic rock and electric blues guitar styles right through to more modern styles including fusion and jazz-rock..  

Have Additional Questions?

If you have any further questions about studying electric guitar online or would simply like to know more about what I can offer, then please feel free to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you!

pete@onlineguitartuition.com

0774 223 9312 (UK)