Rock Academy
Shapes! Is a new series of gigs and workshops for teens (13 to 17 year-olds).
Intro to guitar with rock academy
Unleash Your Inner Guitar Hero: Rock Academy’s Ultimate Beginner Guitar Course for 13-17 year olds! Tired of dreaming about shredding solos and rocking out with your favorite songs? Now's your chance to turn those dreams into reality! Our comprehensive beginner guitar course will take you from complete novice to confident player, laying a rock-solid foundation for your musical journey.
Imagine:
- Effortlessly tuning your guitar and navigating the fretboard with ease.
- Mastering open chords and strumming patterns that instantly bring your favorite songs to life.
- Unleashing electrifying melodies using the power of the Major & Minor Pentatonic scales.
- Developing lightning-fast finger dexterity with targeted technique exercises.
- Conquering the mighty Barre Chord and unlocking a whole new world of sonic possibilities.
- Composing your own original songs by understanding common chord progressions.
We're talking interactive, engaging learning that's designed to keep you motivated every step of the way.
Maximum of 10 students per group.
Why this course
- Printable & Digital Resources: Get physical and digital PDF printouts of every example, plus interactive guides giving you the tools you need to revise and master each lesson at your own pace.
- Real-World Examples: We don't just teach you theory; we show you how it's used in the songs you love! Each lesson is packed with examples of techniques and concepts present in popular tracks.
- Comprehensive Curriculum: From the absolute basics of tuning and rhythm to mastering barre chords and composing your own progressions, we've got you covered.
- Technique Focused: Build a foundation of good playing habits with posture guidance and exercises to reduce fatigue and prevent injury.
- Practice Makes Perfect: Learn how to build a personalised practice plan and maximise your learning potential. We'll arm you with the best tools to accelerate your progress.
- Beyond Beginner: Get a sneak peek into the world of advanced playing with an introduction to playing fast, understanding keys, and exploring the Modes of the Major Scale!
Stop just dreaming about playing guitar and start doing it! This course is your launchpad to a lifetime of musical exploration and expression. Sign up now and unlock your inner guitar hero!
course outline
Session One
Basics of guitar - tuning, notes on the fretboard, understanding rhythm.
Session Two
Chords - in the open position and common strumming patterns.
Session Three
Single note melodies - working on our most important scales (Major & Minor Pentatonic), creating ideas in those shapes and discussing how to find the right scale.
Session Four
Strengthening technique - good habits for posture, how to reduce fatigue in hands and fingers.
Session Five
Barre Chords - how they relate to open chords, importance of playing chord and scale in one position.
Session Six
Common chord progressions - analysis of common songs and how to create your own.
Session Seven
Importance or practice, how to build a plan for yourself, what results are you looking for. Great tools to help you along your journey.
Session Eight
Introduction into advanced player’s workshop. How to physically play fast (slow is smooth and smooth is fast). Learn about Keys and Modes of the major scale.
Students will also have access to physical and digital PDF printouts as well as an interactive guide.
Instruments
Participants will need to provide their own acoustic guitar. If purchasing a guitar is a barrier to participating, or if you need assistance sourcing one, please contact visualarts@kingston.vic.gov.au to discuss support options.
Instructor
Our instructor will be an original Rock Academy alumni - Damian Dixon. Damien is a Bassist/Guitarist, Composer and Educator from Melbourne, Australia.
In recent years he has had the privilege of playing across Melbourne, Australia and Internationally most notably in the Metal scene with his Progressive Metal Band ‘Wallet Inspector’. After obtaining his Bachelors of Music Degree in Composition and Performance he spent many years playing as an ‘on call’ musician playing for weddings, private functions and corporate events.
In 2024 Damien directed focus on his Album Release with Wallet Inspector ‘Ephemeris’ which contains music that pushes the envelope and utilises unique and novel concepts, taking inspiration from the likes of Metal, Jazz Fusion, Classical, Math Rock, Bluegrass and many more.
Rock Academy
Rock Academy is a music initiative developed specifically for teenagers, providing a supportive and inspiring environment where young musicians can learn, grow, and express themselves through the power of music.
Upcoming Shapes! gigs
The Belair Lip Bombs, Lotte Gallagher, Sunday 27 April 2025
Betty Taylor, Gnome - Sunday 29 June 2025
The Pretty Littles, Canisha - Sunday 24 August 2025
About Shapes!
Kingston Arts are embarking on an exciting initiative to empower young people in our community to cultivate the next groundbreaking band. Shapes! is tailored to 13 to 17 year-olds who want to experience live music in a local and safe environment. There will be live gigs throughout the year and music workshops.
Other music industry workshops
But that's just the beginning! Later in the year, we're diving deep into the music world with:
- Music Industry 101: Decipher the intricacies of the music industry, from securing gigs to releasing chart-topping records with soul singer Maddy from Velvet Bloom.
- Studio Time: Step into the recording studio and unlock the magic of capturing your unique sound.
- Radio Ready: Meet the presenters at SYN Radio and get an understanding of how to interview and maybe even go live on radio with one our artists.
