Welcome To Brooklyn Guitar Lessons!
The home of Brooklyn-based guitar teacher Chris Kuklis.
Welcome To Brooklyn Guitar Lessons!
The Home Of Brooklyn Based Guitar Teacher Chris Kuklis
Whether you're a beginner looking to start your six-string adventures, a parent whose child wants to rock, or a more advanced player who wants to improve your guitar skills, Brooklyn Guitar Lessons is ready to help you reach your goals!
A NOTE FROM THE INSTRUCTOR
For more than a decade I've had the privilege of teaching guitar lessons to students of all ages and backgrounds.
From kids in Park Slope who want to rock, to adults in Chelsea looking for a fun hobby, to aspiring professionals in Crown Heights who want to improve their technique & fine tune their approach, it's an honor to share my passion for guitar & music-making with Brooklynites & Manhattanites on a daily basis.
My teaching philosophy is twofold:
1. "One Size" Doesn't Fit All - Rather than relying on dry method books & a stock approach, I create an individualized lesson path based on each student's interests, abilities, and learning style. This tailored approach yields great gains for students of all ages.
2. Forging Lasting Bonds Between Teacher & Student - A strong interpersonal connection between student & teacher is crucial to the learning process, and I take pride in fostering rich musical relationships that last for many years. It's amazing to watch students' abilities expand as they grow from child to teenager, and to see students making the transition from independent adult to husband/wife to parent. Along the way, I'm always overjoyed to share in these moments, and to help students weave a love for guitar & music into their daily lives.
Take a look around the site for more information about my background & rates, and when you're ready drop me a line via the contact page to get things rolling!
GUITAR LESSONS For Beginners
Many of my students are picking up a guitar for the first time and it's fun to share in their early explorations of the instrument!
Beginner lessons involve simple exercises to build strength and dexterity, learning songs which emphasize various rhythm guitar techniques (e.g. chords, strumming, picking, fingerstyle) and, depending on the student's interests, lead guitar techniques (e.g. alternate picking, bends, slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs).
Together, we'll work to build a solid foundation which will get you playing guitar comfortably in many different styles.
Ready to start your six-string journey?
Head over to the contact page to get started!
GUITAR LESSONS For Intermediate/Advanced Players
For more experienced students, I have a variety of specialty subject areas which can be covered individually or in combination.
Some of these subject areas are:
- Applied Theory: Have you ever wondered how your favorite player builds that awesome solo you love to listen to on repeat? Or why you can't seem to get a particular chord progression out of your head? With an understanding of music theory, you can answer those questions and many more. Starting from the ground up, we'll examine the building blocks of sound, learn how music works from the inside out, and how it all applies to the guitar.
This subject area is especially broad, and contains: scales, modes, arpeggios, chord construction, harmonic progressions and more.
- Fretboard Navigation: Over the years I've developed a unique approach to fretboard navigation & have a particular strategy to help students unlock the mysteries of the guitar neck. Through various exercises we explore different ways of looking at and thinking about chord voicings, scales and how they inhabit the fretboard, leading to greater fluidity and better knowledge of the guitar as a whole.
- Technique Analysis & Redirection: I've always had a knack for observing and analyzing the things around me, noticing how the minute details comprise the whole. As a result I am able to effectively assess technical obstacles in a student's playing and offer immediate solutions to help them grow and improve. If you've ever wondered why your vibrato doesn't sound like your favorite guitarist, why your wrist never feels comfortable, or why you can't ever seem to get that picking pattern right, I can help you find the solution.
- Rhythmic Approach: Rhythm is the foundation of all popular music, from indie rock to salsa, and a solid understanding of rhythm will help your playing and writing grow. Starting from the most basic rhythmic units, we'll explore the way rhythms are constructed, how they apply to strumming patterns and riffs, and how they can be manipulated for particular effects. Emphases include rhythmic grids in common time signatures (4/4, 3/4), odd meter playing and subdivisions, and polyrhythms as they relate to African and contemporary musics.
- Soloing & Improvisation: Focus on specific techniques and strategies for developing effective solos that capture people's attention. We can work on building your technical facility (left hand dexterity, vibrato, bends & articulations, picking speed & accuracy, right/left synchronization) while simultaneously developing your ear for melodic creation and motivic development. For those seeking a departure from the norm, I also have an extensive background in free-improvised music and can help you to see the path and learn new ways to explore it.
- Introduction To World Musics: Over the years, I've been fortunate enough to study & perform all kinds of music from around the world. Taking a look at musical systems from other cultures has greatly informed my own playing, and I love sharing this information with students. Special areas include: Afro-Cuban rhythms, montunos, and harmonic/melodic approach, Middle Eastern rhythms & theory, Balinese gamelan/hocketing, and the basics of India's classical music system.
- Effects & Electronics: Much of the music I make involves intelligent use of effects and electronics to create and manipulate sounds and textures. My approach to this subject involves treating each pedal as a distinct instrument whose techniques and vocabulary require practice and understanding.
Specific sub-topics include: looping, building a personal timbral palette, and strategies for exploration/development.
Want to take your guitar skills to the next level?
Head over to the contact page and get started today!
WORDS FROM STUDENTS & PARENTS
“In just a few lessons with Chris I made more progress than I did after taking a group class, twice, which lasted 16 weeks. He’s very good.”
“Over the last eight years his steady and inspired support has brought out the bluesman in our son who is leaving for college.
Never heavy-handed, always spirited, Chris showed our son the technical and nuanced aspects of playing electric guitar. From understanding the instrument, tuning, choosing amps, strings and effects Chris’ knowledge of and passion for playing is ever present. Over the years I’ve heard blues, rock, reggae, and hints of jazz coming from their lessons as well as thoughtful conversation and laughing. It’s been excellent to see the results and great to have Chris guiding our son’s musical explorations.
As any parent knows exceptional teachers are not easy to find. Chris has done us the favor of putting up a website and I am pleased to offer my heartfelt endorsement. Schedule a lesson, you’ll see what I mean.
Thanks for everything Chris. ”
“Over the six years that I’ve been taught by Chris, I’ve gone from struggling to play a couple guitar chords to fully understanding how to play countless genres, along with an in-depth knowledge of music theory. He helped me realize my abilities as a musician, which I now plan to pursue in college and as a career.
Thanks Chris!”
“Chris doesn’t just teach me how to play music. He teaches me how to feel sound and paint with it, inviting melodies and rhythms to flow from some mysterious source. His approach unleashes a raw creative impulse and shows me I really can play what I hear. That is healing and in every way enlivening! ”
BLOG POSTS
GUITAR LOOPS (& Nature Pics) via INSTAGRAM!
![{pūśhpułł't.}
telemaster [& jbass]
-->
jhs artificial blonde
@midfielectronics #fullfrequencyoverdrive
@ehx #frequencyanalyzer
@midfielectronics #forpartsorrepair
@fairfieldcircuitry #meetmaude
surfybear classic
---->
1940's RCA tube amp](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55909f13e4b01cfd84ee7b6f/1683941047608-7XCDYBY1EESWY7XL7G6V/image-asset.jpeg)
Guitarist, educator, and composer Chris Kuklis holds a BFA in Jazz & Contemporary Music Performance, and has been teaching guitar lessons in Brooklyn & Manhattan for more than a decade. His individually-tailored lesson plans and kind, patient disposition have made his lessons a favorite among beginning guitarists and advanced students alike.
Welcome to the first installment of Brooklyn Guitar Lessons' Extended Techniques For Electric Guitar mini-series!
"Extended technique" is defined as unconventional, unorthodox, or non-traditional methods of singing or of playing musical instruments employed to obtain unusual sounds or timbres.
My aim with this series is to introduce some easy electric-guitar-specific extended techniques that will help you explore new and creative ways to use your instrument.
For today's post, let's start with a quick backstory....