Kareem Eltantawi
About
Hello I'm Kay!
I've been plucking a guitar since the 3rd. grade. I suppose I didn't want to stop plucking when having to get serious as an early adult. As a result I pursued a degree in music. In 2002 I graduated from Berklee college of music with a Bachelors in Arts in Professional Music. A concentration that allowed me to combine my love of jazz composition with the solo guitar. Upon graduating, I would experience a host of enriching opportunities both in terms of music and life. Who would of thought that plucking can be so thoroughly beneficial?
Teaching Style
I enjoy teaching guitar to such a degree it’s perhaps matched with my love of playing. I’m guessing when a person is pursuing a career in music performance the teaching side may take a back seat to the performing/writing/recording/collaborating pursuit. Not for me apparently. Strangely, I got the bug for teaching guitar prior to receiving a degree. By the same token, even being considered a good guitar player.... Nonetheless, it was then that I realized how rewarding this experience was. Perhaps more important, could be.
When teaching as a young credentialed instructor, I quickly understood that because no two students are alike I would have to create a unique blend of teaching techniques in capturing a students attention and interest. A blend that combines formal education, subjective learning, discovery and inspiration. I soon came up with a few key ingredients in accomplishing this:
commonality, versatility, compassion, genuine interest, theoretical knowledge of music and a working knowledge of the guitar
Perhaps most important - lots of fun - silliness being especially important. After all, these would be the same qualities in which my former prized instructors embodied.
My prior teaching experience has been rich to say the least. I have attended my former students birthday parties, been given home cooked meals and big holidays can only be described as warm and cozy. When teaching a student (albeit after awhile), their lessons almost become part of who they are. This is especially true with my younger students (K-12). In the event the guitar (moreover music) becomes an integral part of a young student’s life, our lessons become profoundly deep and meaningful. Certainly for the both of us! When this occurs, I simply can't envision a higher tier of achievement. Certainly for the both of us!
Curriculum
Beginning Guitar Students
When receiving a beginner, it is very important that I understand the circumstances of that student. The first few lessons allow me to understand the students: interest in genre, personality, physical limitations, weekly obligations, expectation of lessons, understanding their notion of “practicing”, inspect the playability of their instrument, ensure they possess appropriate accessories, etc.... Gaining this understanding is essential in ultimately determining a suitable and reasonable lesson plan. In essence, my method of teaching begins with - getting a good idea of each student in order to provide effective lessons.
I have typically relied on two method books for all of my beginning students. The Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method Grade 1 book (ISBN 978-087-166-354-2) and the Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 (ISBN 978-0-7935-3392-3). Both method books are excellent resources when accounting for ease of use (due its clarity and measured difficulty) and genre content.
When teaching a beginner, the objective is to have your student advance to an intermediate standard. I’ve determined the following 10 points to be that standard:
1. A student has completed one of the two beginner method books mentioned
2. Understands and is able to perform varied educational material (i.e. classical pieces/etudes, jazz, rock and blues theoretical concepts and technical exercises)
3. Can play six rhythms (chords & single notes) as they apply to the tempo of a metronome (80bpm)
4. Has knowledge of beginning/intermediate notation and music fundamentals (common meters and time signatures, common dynamic markings and accent symbols, guitar fingering notation, can identify the key signature of all 12 major keys and their minor counterparts)
5. Can play 15 major and minor first position chords
6. Can play 17 notes belonging to the first position by use of alternate picking (plectrum) or classical technique (free stroke or rest stroke)
7. Can demonstrate proper (efficient) economy of motion and posture
8. Is able to play 5 different shaped bar chords
9. Can play 4 linear box scales/modes (pentatonic, major, minor, blues)
10. Understands the importance of guitar maintenance. Is able to tune a guitar with a tuner. Is able to adjust pitch by ear when detecting moderately flat or sharp strings.
Intermediate Guitar Students
When receiving a “between beginner/intermediate” student, I review or instead introduce the “10 points” referred to. This is done to ensure that no fundamental inconsistencies exist within their present and future musical growth. For example, if a student is technically talented yet lacks knowledge in basic music theory, that lack of knowledge is prioritized by incorporating (in this case) music theory to a technical study. Once inconsistencies are overcome, I typically ask the student to help me guide them. What does this mean?
I encourage all intermediate students to select an area of interest as it pertains to genre and its associated technique. Routinely, a song/study book, a technique book, and a theory book are used concurrently during lessons. I select material from my own collection of music education resources (over 300 books/resources). I request all students to purchase learning materials online. I provide the title, the author, and, the ISBN number (a maximum of three books will be requested for purchase at one time). Below illustrates some of my past intermediate guitar educational resource selections:
Blues Guitar
Hal Leonard Guitar Method - Blues Guitar ISBN 0634033891, The Real Blues Book ISBN 9781423404514, Blues Guitar Technique ISBN 9780876391143, The Stevie Ray Vaughan Guitar Collection ISBN 9780793560363, John Lee Hooker A Step-by-Step Breakdown of His Guitar Styles and Techniques ISBN 9780634076763, Gary Moore Guitar Play-Along Volume 139 ISBN 9781458404190, 29 Songs From The Legendary Bluesman ISBN 9780793589197
Rock Guitar
Rock Guitar Fake Book 200 songs ISBN 978-0-634-01176-4, The Ultimate Pop Rock Fake Book ISBN 0-7935-7000-X, A Modern Method For Guitar (Berklee Press) ISBN 9780876391198, Essential Rock Guitar Techniques: 24 Skills Every Serious Player Should Master ISBN 145840823X, Hal Leonard Jimi Hendrix - Signature Licks Guitar Tab ISBN 0793536596, Jeff Beck - Wired ISBN 142349444X, The Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time ISBN 0793593093
Metal Guitar
Guitar Grimorie - Scales & Modes ISBN 9780825821714, Guitar Aerobics: A 52-Week, One-lick-per-day Workout Program for Developing, Improving and Maintaining Guitar Technique ISBN 9781423414353, Advanced Guitar Theory and Technique Applied to the Metal and Shred Genres ISBN 1478387378
Jazz Guitar
The Real Book Sixth Edition ISBN 100634060384, The Berklee Book Of Jazz Harmony ISBN 9781480360853, Berklee Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary ISBN 9780876390795, Hal Leonard Guitar Method Jazz Guitar ISBN 0634001442, Charlie Christian - The Definitive Collection ISBN 9780634047329, Joe Pass Guitar Method ISBN 9781476856582, Charlie Parker Omnibook - Volume 1: C Instruments ISBN 9780769260532
Classical Guitar
The Complete Carcassi Guitar Method ISBN 9781609747336, Classical Guitar Technique & Musicianship - Taught by Frederic Hand ASIN 6304696086, 120 Studies For Right Hand Development - ISBN 0898981905, Pumping Nylon The Classical Guitarist’s Technique Handbook ISBN 9781470631383, The Francisco Terrega Collection ISBN 0793560527, Solo Guitar Playing Book 1 Frederick Noad ISBN 0825636795
Soul Funk & R&B Guitar
100 Ultimate Soul, Funk and R&B Grooves for Guitar Book ISBN 1934163694, R&B Fake Book: 375 Rhythm & Blues Songs ISBN 0793578313, Funk/R&B Guitar Creative Solos Grooves and Sounds ISBN 9780876390917
Country Guitar
The Real Country Book: C Instruments ISBM 1480382876, Hal Leonard Country Guitar Method ISBN 0634039490, The Complete Country Guitar Method Compilation ISBN 1911267728, Complete Chet Atkins Guitar Method ISBN 1610654218
Misc. Guitar
Fingerpicking Guitar Bible ISBN 9781480365025, The Easy Sixties Fake Book ISBN 0634090291, The Easy Classic Rock Fake Book (Songbook): Melody, Lyrics & Simplified Chords in the Key of C ISBN 9781458430373, Hal Leonard Folk Guitar Method : Learn to Play Rhythm and Lead Folk Guitar with Step-By-Step Lessons and 20 Great Songs ISBN 145840241X, Hal Leonard Flamenco Guitar Method ISBN 0634088157, Flamenco Guitar Method: Volume 1 ISBN 3795755816, The Ultimate Fake Book - 5th Edition C Edition ISBN 9780793529391, A Modern Method for Guitar - Volumes 1, 2, 3 Complete ISBN 0876390114, Advancing Guitarist: Applying Guitar Concepts and Techniques Advancing Guitarist ASIN B01NH04BP7, The Guitar Player Repair Guide 0879309210, The Guitarist's Guide To Fingernails ISBN 0786673958
Advanced Guitar Students
I consider most advanced guitarists to be specialized. What do I mean by this? Commonly, when guitar players become proficient they tend to increase their musicianship within the margins of one genre. This is not to be taken as criticism for those that choose to follow such a path. In fact, this is what makes a player really good! Rather, the purpose of this assertion is to welcome advanced students who seek to expand their musical reach. When unable to offer advancement for a genre specific advanced student, I typically recommend them to a known group of specialized instructors.
Advanced lessons consist of analyzing, practicing and performing individual pieces of music/songs, method books or artist compendiums in developing or enlarging the students performance repertoire. Advanced students enjoy the flexibility in selecting music from a wide range of concentrations and genres. Some past recommendations from my advanced guitar lesson collection include:
Misc. Method Books for the Advanced Guitarist
The Classical Guitar Collection: 48 Great Classical Guitar Solos for Intermediate to Advanced Level Players ISBN 978-0571538799, Mel Bay Chickin' Pickin' Vol. 1 ISBN 0786671459, Linear Expressions - Pat Martino ISBN 1423460898, Hal Leonard Ozzy Osbourne / Randy Rhoads Tribute Guitar Tab Songbook ISBN 0895243474, Guitar Works of Agustín Barrios Mangoré, Vol 3 (Guitar Works of Augustin Barrios Mangore) ISBN 0769212816, Berklee Jazz Standards for Solo Guitar ISBN 9780876391365, Ted Greene - Chord Chemistry ISBN 0898986966, Advanced Rhythmic Concepts for Guitar; Foreword By Alex Machacek ISBN 0615979831, Guitar Solos By Johnny Smith ISBN 9780793577361, Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time ISBN 9781480356979, Villa-Lobos - Collected Works for Solo Guitar ISBN 9781458423764, Scarlatti, D: 4 Sonatas ISBN: 9783795798390, Essential Jazz Lines: In the Style of John Coltrane/Guitar ISBN 9781610658195, Advanced Celtic Fingerstyle Guitar: Twelve Popular Scottish & Irish Folk Songs Arranged For Solo Acoustic Guitar ISBN 1789332117, The Guitar Style of George Benson ISBN 9781476857145
Non Guitar Teaching
In addition to teaching guitar (my primary instrument) I teach songwriting, music theory, ukulele and electric bass. All “non-guitar” above intermediate and advanced students are referred to dedicated teachers of these disciplines. Below lists the method books typically assigned.
Songwriting
Songwriting Strategies A 360-Degree Approach ISBN 9780876391518, Music Theory and Composition: A Practical Approach ISBN 1538101238, Alfred's Teach Yourself Songwriting Everything You Need to Know to Start Writing Songs Now! ISBN 9780739036044, Melody in Songwriting Tools and Techniques for Writing Hit Songs ISBN 9780634006388, Beginning Songwriting Writing Your Own Lyrics, Melodies, and Chords ISBN 9780876391631, Arranging in the Digital World: Techniques for Arranging Popular Music Using Today's Electronic and Digital Instruments (Berklee Guide) ISBN 0634006347, Basic Arranging for the Rhythm Section ISBN 1524930016
Music Theory
Music Theory and Composition: A Practical Approach ISBN 1538101238, Music Theory for Guitarists: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask (Guitar Method) ISBN 063406651X, Berklee Music Theory Book ISBN 9780876391105, All About Music Theory A Fun and Simple Guide to Understanding Music Online Audio Access ISBN 9781423452089, Music Notation (Berklee Guide) ISBN: 0793508479, Music Fundamentals, Methods, and Materials for the Elementary Classroom Teacher ISBM 9780132999403
Ukulele
Hal Leonard Ukulele Method Book 1 ISBN 9780634079863, The Ultimate Ukulele Fake Book: Over 400 Songs to Strum & Sing ISBN 1495070409, The Complete Ukulele Method - Intermediate Ukulele ISBN 9780739095492, The Beatles For Fingerstyle Ukulele ISBN 1480368660
Electric Bass
Hal Leonard Bass Method Book 1 ISBN 9780793563760, Bass Tab White Pages ISBN 061433263, Hal Leonard Bass for Kids: A Beginner's Guide with Step-by-Step Instruction for Bass Guitar ISBN 1423498488,
Electric Bass Composite ISBN 9780793563838, Absolute Beginners - Bass Guitar ISBN 9780825619243, Sixth Edition Bass Fake Book ISBN 0634060759, Berklee Practice Method: Bass ISBN 9780634006500, Bass Lines: Hal Leonard Bass Method 500 Grooves All Styles ISBN 1495028747, EASY POP BASS LINES ISBN 9780634070204