Certification Levels: We have material to test students in each level, but honestly, most musicians who like this kind of examination are probably paying to do one of the university programs because they think if it’s expensive, it must be good. Should you want to work your way through these certification levels either as a student or teacher, here it is:
- Level 1 One Chord Songs: This is the most important level by far. You will learn proper posture and tuning. You’ll learn to strum and pluck chords, read tablature, and begin composing. Everything worth knowing about (almost) in guitar is in Level 1.
- Level 2 Two-ish Chord Songs: You will work on changing chords, and advance your ability to play “fingerstyle” or chord-melody arrangements. Once you’ve completed Level 2 you will be able to play most anything with practice.
- Level 3 Multi-Chord Public Domain Songs: You will build your complete toolbox using a wide array of delightful and aggravating old-school music. We’ll round out your skills including more complex chording, percussive elements, arpeggios, practice skills, performance preparation, basslines, artistic choices, and musical decision-making. This is where you go from playing the guitar to becoming a musician.
- Level 4 Iconic Songs (Probably) Worth Mastering: Memorization, mastery, and storytelling enter your life. At this level, it’s about playing well, rather than surviving a song. It’s also a chance for you to start your permanent repertoire with your favorite songs from high school, or your favorite songs from 1556.
- Beyond Level Four: We have certification levels for:
- Ensembles
- Classical Guitar
- Holidays
- Composing
- Teacher Preparation
