Guitar is one of the most versatile instruments in the world, and as teachers we recommend it for many musicians of all ages, children, kids, teens, and adults.  We think it is best that a student plays the music they love, and classical music is awesome music.  Any kind of guitarist has the ability to play 3 different ways, as a rhythminstrument, leadplaying, and “complete” pieces - doing the entire piece alone.  Obviously the majority of classical guitar playing is focused on solo playing and classical players are usually soloists.  There are also 3 normal ways of playing solo pieces: finger-style (fingerstyle), chord-melody, and classical.  Most classical soloists play classical style pieces (the method of playing, not just the genre or time period of the piece), but they have the ability to also play chord-melody (jazz) and finger-style (fingerstyle - essentially modern pieces played with classical technique) pieces.

Most of our classical guitar students take private, one-on-one lessons; we also offer group classes (when comparing studios online over the internet, be sure to clarify whether you are talking about private or group lessons.  Semi-private lessons are group lessons).  We offer consultations (one session without obligation to continue) and coaching sessions (multiple sessions without obligation to continue).  We also offer elessons, which are online lessons conducted through the internet.  We have gift certificates for all of these musical experiences.  And twice a year we have exciting music seminars (master classes, workshops) for all students that allow them to hear big ideas about music and their instrument.  These increase their knowledge and abilities to play.  In these music seminars (again, like workshops or master classes, in-depth teaching on your instrument) we might talk about improvisation, or ear-training, or specific skills for the instrumentalist or how to play impressionist period pieces – but all to give you, the performer and player, teaching you can use right now. And they’re fun!  About 40% of our students are adults and 60% are children, kids, and teens.

As teachers, we know it is essential musical coaching be enjoyable.  This is a key for all students, not just children.  That’s one of the reasons we have students play exciting, enjoyable pieces and why, along with playing awesomely by note and reading music, we work with students to develop their ear and rhythm abilities.  And with many of our classical students we work to restore the tradition of classical improvisation: many classical composers throughout history were excellent improvisers, Bach and Liszt are outstanding examples.  We don’t want to be a stuffy academy or music conservatory; we want our school of music to be filled with happy, amazing performers having a blast.  Whether reading music, playing by note, or developing powerful technique, our students steadily learn things that interest them, coached by their instructor.  We believe lessons should be exciting.

Our teachers take your goals seriously, so, as the wise mentors they are, they look ahead to teach you all you'll need to get where you want to be.  It’s vital that musical educators coach each learner on how to grow as much as possible, whether that person just wants to learn Greensleeves, goof off at home, teach at a music conservatory, or be a concert soloist.  So, coming from Addison, Allen, Carrollton, North Dallas, Farmer’s Branch, Frisco, Garland, Lewisville, McKinney, Park Cities, Plano, Richardson, Rowlett, Wylie or anywhere within 50 miles of here in Texas (or worldwide over the internet online through elessons) we are committed to your personal success.

We have classical guitar teachers at Promethean Studios for beginning, intermediate, advanced, and professional guitar students.  Our instructors customize our teaching to the music each player loves, with personalized instruction going on right now in classical and finger-style.  Each lesson includes learning technique (to make the learner’s fingers work for them), instruction in music theory (to use the learner’s brain to help make music easy), and half of each lesson is devoted to the student’s songs.

While we never require anyone to play in public, we believe performing is one of the most important factors in producing someone who can actually play instead of someone who just takes lessons, and so we provide two opportunities a year to be in a recital or concert.  Dedicated students of all styles may also be eligible for our performance clubs, in which students perform for their fellow learners with a master musician to critique, advise, and mentor on improving abilities.  We also encourage all our musicians to participate in any musical competitions, concerts, contests, festivals, improvisations, master classes, and performances we can find – BUT we never force anyone to perform.  Performing is great to improve your skill level, but we encourage you to do it, not demand you do it.

Our goal for classical guitarists is to allow students to use their ear and read well by note.  This is a well-rounded instrumentalist.  A school of music should enable instrumentalists to be the soloist – but at our “academy” we base everything on what you want to do and how to best get you there.  Therefore, the technique exercises players do in our courses are directed towards making you a skilled and comfortable performer.

Music theory (brain work) is one of the most misunderstood and undervalued short cuts in the world of learning.  Usually educators ignore it entirely, treat it as a necessary nuisance, or act like it’s the entire purpose of music.  Basically it’s one of the three easy tools you can use to make your kind of music as quickly as possible (the other two tools are your ear [ear-training] and your fingers [technique].  And this isn’t just for beginning guitarists, but intermediate, advanced, and professionals as well.

Though slow starting at first, in a few months students with an understanding of music theory will begin to surpass their peers and continue to progress more and more over students who don’t actually comprehend what they’re doing - and oddly enough many classical players don't really know what they're playing, they're sort of an animated ipod, just reproducing what they see on the page.  Knowledge actually makes even performanceby ear or improvising easy, explaining what to do and what to listen for.  The parts of theory we commonly work on in lessons are ear-training, sight-reading, rhythm counting, and music knowledge.  Reading music is just the foundation; we’re talking about knowing what chords are normal in each key, or how to use scale patterns– that is, taking a little info and making it go a long way, for playing.

To the student who says “teach me classical guitar", we would say this is the best school of music in the Metroplex.  Our educators have made your success and enjoyment their goal.  We are trying to cross the attitude of a music conservatory or guitar academy, even a university, with just learning at your pace in your room – getting better and having fun.  Coming to lessons, impressing yourself and your friends, attending cool workshops and music seminars, learning great songs, cutting albums - we want to produce students who learn and enjoy, all across Texas.

For more information about classes and our teaching philosophy, click the buttons on the left.  All the pictures on this website are of our students and teachers.