3:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Classical and acoustic guitar lessons
Refugio Moncada
A guitar school in Fountain Hills
Guitar lessons from the first chord to playing with others
Capo teaches acoustic, electric, classical and bass guitar to teens and adults. Five teachers, lessons one to one or in small groups, and a teacher who will help you choose a guitar before you buy one.
- Ages 11 and up
- Acoustic, electric, classical and bass
- Spanish and English
Four ways to play
Pick the guitar you want to play
Ansley, Landry and Refugio
Acoustic
A good place to begin: open chords, strumming and songs you can sing along with. Fingerpicking when you are ready for it.
Chords and strumming from the first lesson
Songs you know, or songs of your own
Fingerpicking and songwriting
Jasper
Electric
Riffs, power chords and solos, with an amp in the room. A lighter touch on the strings, and a louder sound.
Chords, riffs and the first solo
Playing through an amp, with earplugs on the shelf
Rock, blues and pop
Refugio
Classical
Nylon strings, fingerstyle and reading music, from a first piece to a longer one. A gentle sound and a patient pace.
Nylon strings and fingerstyle
Reading notation
Pieces from many cultures
Sabra
Bass
The low end of every band. Single notes, a steady pulse and a bass line you can hum. Electric and upright.
Single notes and a steady pulse
Bass lines of songs you know
Playing along with a recording
Levels
From the first chord to playing with others
Five steps, taken at your own pace. Your teacher places you at the placement visit.
- 01
First chords
Ages 11 and upSkillsHolding the guitar and tuning it
A handful of open chords
A steady strum
A first song you know
Moving upWhen your teacher hears the chords change cleanly
- 02
Chords and rhythm
SkillsChanging chords in time
Strumming and picking patterns
Reading a chord chart
Playing along with a recording
Moving upWhen you can play a whole song through with a steady beat
- 03
Notes and scales
SkillsSingle notes along the neck
Major and minor scales
Reading tab and notation
Short melodies, riffs or fingerstyle pieces
Moving upWhen you and your teacher agree you are ready
- 04
Your own sound
SkillsSolos and fills, or arrangements
Learning a song by ear
Playing a bass line or a melody over chords
Writing a short piece of your own
Moving upWhen you and your teacher agree you are ready
- 05
Playing with others
SkillsKeeping time with a bass line and a beat
Listening and following a lead
Sitting in at band lab
Playing a set at a showcase, if you choose to
Where to startBook a placement visit
Sample levels.
The week
Five teachers, six days
Open times take new students. A waitlist spot holds your place for the next opening.
Fall term
Showing 21 of 21
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
3:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Acoustic guitar lessons
Ansley Bowles
4:00 pm – 6:15 pm
Electric guitar lessons
Jasper Leake
Ages 11 and upAll levelsFull6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Teen band lab, up to 6
Jasper Leake
4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Bass lessons
Sabra Coachman
Friday
Saturday
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Classical and acoustic guitar lessons
Refugio Moncada
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Acoustic guitar lessons
Ansley Bowles
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Acoustic guitar and mandolin lessons
Landry Eckert
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
Adult band lab, up to 6
Landry Eckert
Nothing matches that filter.
Sample classes.
Times change a little each term.
Before you buy
Before you buy a guitar, talk to a teacher
Many first guitars end up in a closet because they were too big, too hard to press or the wrong kind for the music the student wanted to play. A conversation with a teacher first avoids most of that.
Come to a placement visit with your questions, or with a guitar you are thinking of buying, and your teacher will look it over before you pay for it.
Acoustic, electric, classical or bass
The right size for your hands
New, used or borrowed: bring it in
Our teachers
Five teachers, and the days each one teaches
Refugio and Landry speak Spanish with students and families.
Refugio Moncada
Director · Classical and acoustic guitar · Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
Ansley Bowles
Acoustic guitar and songwriting · Tue, Thu, Sat
Jasper Leake
Electric guitar · Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri
Sabra Coachman
Bass, electric and upright · Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
Landry Eckert
Acoustic guitar and mandolin · Mon, Wed, Sat
Questions
What students and parents ask
Is there an age to start?
Lessons are for ages eleven and up. A younger student with small hands can come to a placement visit, and the teacher will tell you honestly whether to start now or wait a little.
Do I need my own guitar?
Not for the placement visit. Before you buy or rent one, ask your teacher.
Which style should I choose?
Start with the music you want to play. Acoustic suits songs you can sing along with, electric suits rock and blues, classical suits reading and fingerstyle, and bass suits anyone who loves the low end. A teacher will help you decide.
What is a placement visit?
A short visit with a teacher. You play or talk about what you want to play, nobody is tested, and we match you with a teacher and a weekly time.
Can adults start?
Yes. Most of our students are teens and adults, and we have evening times and an adult beginner group.
Find your teacher at a placement visit
Bring a guitar if you have one, or come without. A teacher listens, we talk about what you want to play, and we match you with a teacher and a weekly time.