Can you believe it?

Where did this year go?  So, before you know it, we’ll all be hearing 

the usual holiday and Christmas songs.  Truth be told, I used to really 

hate Christmas songs.  But, I have to admit that they’ve grown on me

over the past few years.  Since I teach Guitar Lesson For Kids in Ventura

I’ve learned lots of Christmas songs and there are some really beautiful ones.

What are my faves?  I like Adam Sandlers Chanukah Song,

Jingle Bell Rock, Rockin Around the Christmas Tree, 

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas.  

I guess I like the non-traditional ones.  

The in my kids guitar lessons

love Rudolph the red nosed reindeer the best.

So, get your Grinch off – and get ready for the Christmas songs

Too early for you?  Nah, it’s just about here whether you like it or not.

So, I hope you have a great holiday season and enjoy those Christmas songs.

Harmony Music Center offers

guitar lessons for kids and adults

Holiday Gift Certificates and Great Holiday Discounts

Contact Us Today for All the Info

The post Holiday Songs on Guitar appeared first on Harmony Music Center.

Guitars can be one of the best presents for the holidays
Nothing is more exciting than getting a new guitar
If your child is interested, it’s an awesome present!

Kids can begin learning guitar at age 7

Here are some important details on
how to buy a guitar, what to get, etc…

Electric Vs. Acoustic Guitars?
Either one is fine
If they are into AC/DC, Nirvana, etc.. Go with electric
If they’re into pop, softer rock or country – go with acoustic
If you get an acoustic get a steel string guitar – NOT nylon!

A great electric guitar is a Fender Squier Bullet Strat
it is a classic style guitar, has several color choices and plays and sounds great.
The cost between $120-150 – shop around

An important consideration is size:
Guitars come in a wide range of sizes
If your child is between 7-11,
a 3/4 size guitar like
the Yamaha JR1 or JR2 or
Ibanez 3/4 size will work best
If they are older, get a full sized,
but small bodied acoustic guitar such as a Yamaha FS800
(highly recommended and just under $200)

The brands I would recommend are:
Acoustics:  Yamaha and Ibanez
Electrics:  Fender/Squier, Epiphone
There are many cheap brands out there that
are lower quality.
The above brands will work best!

Once they have the guitar
Guitar Instruction is Essential
Typical 1:1 guitar lessons don’t work
for today’s kids!!!
(Contact Me and I’ll Explain Why)

Harmony Music Center
Has an Awesome, Innovative
Kids Guitar Program

Guitar Lesson Gift Certificates 
Suitable for Holiday Gifts
Contact Me Today
For All the Details!

The post How To Buy A Kids Guitar For Christmas appeared first on Harmony Music Center.

Well, now’s your chance to find out for FREE.  No need to have a guitar.  Just come to Harmony Music Center this coming Sat afternoon from 1:30-2:30.  

Kids and Teens will learn basic chords and fun songs that they know and love.  I have plenty of guitars on hand so if you don’t have one – no problem.  This is a FREE afternoon.  To join us simply respond with your name and email address and I’ll add you to the list.  Cant make it this weekend? No problem, we’ll do it again soon – respond with name and email so I can let you know the next date and time.

Harmony Music Center is located in Midtown Ventura 

I believe that learning guitar should be one part learning guitar and three parts fun!

The post FREE Kids Guitar Intro Class appeared first on Harmony Music Center.

They play guitar well, they are patient, kind and want to teach kids how to play guitar.  

But, sadly, they don’t understand how to inspire todays kids  

Did you know that most kids that take guitar lessons don’t practice much at home?  

They go to their lessons, learn a few things and then they get busy with school, sports, friends, and all their tech devices and they don’t put in much time practicing.  

It’s not their fault.  That’s just the world we live in today.  

Then what happens is that the parents get frustrated – what’s the point of paying for all these lessons if my child isn’t practicing?  “I guess they just aren’t into it that much.”  Then the child goes in to their lesson after not practicing much and feels guilty and bad.  

This situation goes on for a while and then they quit

In My View – This is a Minor Tragedy

Because, when kids love their guitar lessons, They learn a skill

that provides them, creativity, stress relief, a powerful way to feel great about themselves and a lifelong passion that is absolutely priceless.  

DO NOT LET YOUR KIDS MISS OUT ON THIS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PART OF LIFE!!!

Now, this unfortunate situation is not

because kids don’t love music or kids don’t love guitar!  

It is because the teacher doesn’t have a program that inspires kids, gets them playing the music they love and provides a teaching environment that kids are totally jazzed about.  Kids should leave guitar lessons with a huge smile on their face.  If your child is not jubilant after their lesson, then the teacher, as nice and well meaning as they are, doesn’t know how to teach guitar to todays kids.

When kids guitar lessons fail, it’s not the kids fault, it’s not the parents fault and it isn’t even the poor, untrained teachers fault.  Most of these nice teachers just simply don’t have the training to teach kids guitar.  They might have a music degree and have played and performed in all sorts of venues and have an impressive history.  But, sadly, they don’t have training on how to effectively teach guitar!!!

The good news is that there is a guitar program in Ventura

Harmony Music Center

has an amazing kids guitar program!

Want to learn More?

Discover Your Child’s Next Favorite Thing

Call Today; Space Is Limited

(805) 208-4428

www.harmonymusiccenter.com

The post Why Kids Guitar Lessons Usually Fail appeared first on Harmony Music Center.

Maybe that sounds like a strange question but it’s actually easy to get disconnected from our hearts.  Life is busy, we’re all running around and the faster you spin, the further from yourself you get!  Society doesn’t encourage us to slow down, tune in and connect with ourselves.  Further, the more emotional wounds we have the easier it is to close off emotionally.

Here are the signs that you are disconnected from your heart:

• Increased Stress
• Feelings of Meaninglessness
• Over Eating
• Over Drinking
• Addictions
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Mid-life Crises
• Boredom with Your Life
• Feeling That Everyday is the Same

So how to reconnect, how to slow down, how to enrich life so that it’s not just going through the motions?  These are important questions because otherwise, life passes us by.  This is it – so don’t put off really connecting with yourself and having the richest life you possibly can!

How much are you living in your head?  How much are you living in your heart? 

One way to gauge this is to look at your experience of music.  While we all like music, how often do you feel really deeply moved by it?  To illustrate what I mean here, consider this.  Everyone can recognize the beauty of a nice sunset.  But recognizing beauty and really being moved and touched by it are two very different things.  One is a head experience, the other a heart or heartfelt experience.   

Here are some things you can do to reconnect with your emotional self which is that pathway to having a richer, more meaningful life.

Take the time to listen to the music you really love – not just in the background while you are working or doing something else, but really listening to the music and allow yourself the feel the emotions that are being expressed in the music and the feelings that it raises for you.

Want to go even deeper?  Learn or play an instrument.  When we play an instrument we are tuning in to the creative part of ourselves, tuning in to our emotions and getting in the flow of the moment.  When we learn to do this it’s an incredible experience that is deeply enriching.  Years ago when I was playing classical guitar, I remember learning some Bach and feeling tingles up and down my spine and tears welling up in my eyes with the incredible beauty of the music.  These kinds of feelings are very nourishing and bring us back to the depth and beauty that our lives can touch into.

Andrew Bassuk is Psychotherapist and Guitar Teacher that teaches guitar to kids, teens and adults at Harmony Music Center.

To Discover How You Can Heal and Enrich Your Life

Get In Touch at

 http://www.harmonymusiccenter.com

The post The Healing Power of Music appeared first on Harmony Music Center.

We are all taught and conditioned to look outward to find happiness in this culture.  Making music is one of the best ways to connect with the creative, spiritual dimension within.

Life is just too busy, crazy and hectic these days.  And regardless of what you think about Trump, Kavanaugh, etc…, there’s no denying that we’re in a very tense, polarized society.  One of the things that I like to do myself and that I encourage my students to do is to take time, sit with a guitar, close your eyes and tune in – tune in to the music, tune in to your emotions, tune into your self and tune out of the madness of everyday life.  There is still a lot of beauty in this world and with each one of us.

So, take the time to tune in and cultivate that peaceful, creative, musical side of yourself.  You don’t have to have the talent of BB King or Eric Clapton.  Learning, playing and enjoying making music is essential to life and happiness.

Visit:    http://www.harmonymusiccenter.com

to learn about how you can get your playing moving and discover the passion and beauty of guitar!

The post Inner Beauty appeared first on Harmony Music Center.

Even my cat likes it when I play guitar; he’s got to get as close as he can, lie down and just purr away.  Ah, life is good.

This weekend, I have it in my mind to take my guitar to the beach, sit, have a glass or wine, watch the sunset and play some Beatles songs

So, get out your guitar and make the stress melt away.

Haven’t played in a while?  Always wanted to learn?  No better time!

Harmony Music Center teaches guitar to kids, teens and adults.

Contact us and discover how you can play the way you’ve always dreamed.

The post Beauty of Acoustic Guitar appeared first on Harmony Music Center.

Soccer, Water Polo, Gymnastics, Friends, Homework and the list goes on.

Parents sometimes feel that they want to expose their kids to lots of positive activities.

This year it’s basketball, last year it was gymnastics, next year it is something else.

This can lead kids to have lots of experiences of course but it may also prevent them from discovering what they really love and sticking with it through the ups and downs while they master a skill that they can appreciate for the rest of their lives.

I teach guitar and I strongly urge parents NOT to see it as just another activity in the rotation of activities.  When kids take the time to learn guitar, they are developing something that can blossom into an incredible and life long wonder.

How do I know?  Well, I started playing guitar when I was 12.  It wasn’t easy for those first couple of years but I stuck with it and over time it has grown into a real passion for me.  It’s something that has served me through my teens, early adulthood and now middle age.  It is a source of expression, meditation, stress reduction, passion, connection with others and so much more.

I had awful lessons and terrible teachers as a kid and teen and that’s part of the reason that I’ve developed such an amazing guitar program for kids and teens that is not boring, is fun, interactive and helps them learn to make the music they love with their peers.

Whether it’s guitar or something else, help your children discover a passion or talent and help them stick with it and develop it so that it has lasting value in their life.

Did you know that very few kids continue their sports interests of childhood past their teen years.  Not true for musical development.  There, that’s my plug for guitar.  Interested?  Contact me and let’s talk about getting your kids involved in the amazing world of guitar!

harmonymusiccenter.com

The post Kids Activity Overload appeared first on Harmony Music Center.