Fall Session Starts Sunday, September 8
School is back in session and so are we! Six-week classes run Sept. 8 – Oct. 13. Tuition is $180.00. Please contact us at (818) 903-7763 or by email at girlsguitarschool@gmail.com for more details or to register for classes.
Guitar 101 Sundays, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. The perfect class for absolute beginners. Girls will learn simple chords, strumming and melody playing songs they know and songs they create together. No prior experience necessary.
Guitar 102 Sundays, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. This class picks up where Guitar 101 left off, with more complex strumming, simple leads and introduction to reading music. Some prior experience with chords and strumming required.
GGS Girls Guitar Ensemble (Photo: Frank Guttler)
Our classroom and private studio are located in Sherman Oaks, CA at 14534 Ventura Blvd. Limited private, Skype and semi-private lessons on guitar and ukulele also available year-round.
Did you know that practicing a musical instrument increases brain function and enhances learning? According to the Children’s Music Workshop, “Recent studies have clearly indicated that musical training physically develops the part of the left side of the brain known to be involved with processing language, and can actually wire the brain’s circuits in specific ways. Linking familiar songs to new information can also help imprint information on young minds.” Click link to read more from the PBS article: The Benefits of Music Education .
Happy playing, we’ll see you at the studio!
Upcoming Events:
Fall Session, September 8 – October 13 (see schedule above)
Free Intro Guitar Class
Sunday, October 20, 12:30 p.m. All ages welcome.
Sherman Oaks Street Fair – Strum Along and Performance
Sunday, October 20, 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Join us for an afternoon of outdoor student performance and strum-along. We’ll be outside of Baxter Northup Music playing our favorite female-created music and answering your questions about the GGS program. Come meet our students and make some music (or just learn more about what we do and how you can become involved).
Resolve to play more guitar.
2013 Registration for Guitar 101 for Teens extended to January 13!
Theresa, Jenny, Stella, and Emily of Warpaint
Absolute beginners:
Guitar 101 for Teens, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
We have a limited amount of seats available for this class. Please contact us at 818-903-7763 to register or hold a seat.
NEW! (By student request) Guitar 102 for Women starts Sunday, January 27 from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
This is the perfect class for women with some experience with open chords and basic strumming. Class runs for six weeks.
Tuition for all courses $180.00 Due in full by first class of the session. Please contact us to hold your seat. Students must provide their own instruments.
What are your playing goals for this year? Follow us on Twitter at @girlsgtrschool and join the conversation. One big one for us is to reach and support more girls and women ready to play guitar in Los Angeles. Sign up for our email list to receive updates on our programming, practice tips and inspiration.
Did you see Karen Packer’s recent article on GGS for Patch.com? Take a peek: Local Musician Changes the Face of Music One Girl at a Time.
Have more questions? Please contact us by phone at 818-903-7763 or by email at girlsguitarschool@gmail.com.
Please note: All Rights Reserved (c) 2013 October Crifasi/Girls Guitar School except where noted.
Fall Session Starts this Sunday, November 4
GGS students rocking at the Sherman Oaks Street Fair (Photo: October Crifasi/Girls Guitar School)
Guitar 101 starts this Sunday. Session runs Nov. 4 – Dec. 2 (no class 11/25).
Limited spots available for both levels, please call 818-903-7763 to register before Sunday, Nov. 4. Classes located at 14534 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA.
Tuition is $120.00 and is due in full by Sunday, November 4.
Schedule:
Guitar 101 for Teens at 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Guitar 101 for Ages 10 – 11 at 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
We’ll see you in class!
Fall Events, Classes, and Open House
Highlights:
Free Intro to Guitar Class – Sunday, October 28 11:00 – 11:45 a.m., Open House 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
It’s time again for our free intro class for girls and women of all ages. This is open to the public and will include a brief overview of the instrument and chords. This is the perfect opportunity to get a taste of our group classes without the commitment of a full session. Instructor will be free for questions afterward or to register students for the November session. Please join us – all you need is a guitar! This day will also feature performances by faculty and students of both Baxter Northup Music School and GGS. Always a great time! No prior registration needed.
FALL GROUP CLASSES (Special Four-Week Format) November 4 – December 2 (no class 11/25) Tuition $120.00
Guitar 2b for Girls Ages 8-9. 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Picks up where Guitar 2 left off. This special mini-session will focus on ensemble arrangement of 2 songs using skill sets and technique learned in Guitar 101 – Guitar 2. Prior experience and approval of instructor required to join.
Guitar 101 for Teens. 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Students will learn basic open chords, rhythm and single note melody using songs by female artists and their own compositions. Acoustic and electric guitars welcome. Absolute beginners welcome! (Small/practice amps required of electric guitar students.)
Guitar 101 for Girls Ages 10-11. 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Students will learn basic open chords, rhythm and single note melody using songs by female artists and their own compositions. Acoustic and electric guitars welcome. Absolute beginners welcome! (Small/practice amps required of electric guitar students.)
Private lessons in-person and via Skype available all year. Please contact us for availability.
Special Four-Week Session: November 4 – December 2*
GGS is dedicated to the education and empowerment of girls through music and especially on the guitar. We offer girls of all ages a multi-dimensional guitar program that teaches technical skills, self-expression, creativity and professionalism so that students develop confidence as musicians and young women.
*Special Four-Week Session: November 4 – December 2 (no class November 25)* Schedule to be announced – please sign up for our emails to get the latest news.
For more detailed information and tuition please click here: Classes & Private Instruction
We are located at 14534 Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks, CA. We also offer private and semi-private lessons on guitar and ukelele year-round.
Have more questions or would like to schedule a lesson? Please call us at 818-903-7763 or email at girlsguitarschool@gmail.com.
You can also find us on YouTube for interviews, artist playlists and instruction: GGS Channel
We look forward to hearing from you.
Summer Session Starts July 8!
Guitar 101 for Women on Sundays 2:00 – 3:00 (see Classes page for description)
What’s Cookin’:
Guitar 102 for Girls 8 & 9 (prior experience required) Sundays 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Guitar 101 for Women Sundays 2:00 -3:00 p.m.
Girls with Guitars Level 1 (open to new students with advanced beginner/intermediate skills) Day and time TBA soon
Please see Classes page for more detailed information and tuition. Reserve your spot by calling 818-903-7763 or email at girlsguitarschool@gmail.com.
Please help us spread the word about our program – share this with your friends and family. We are also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/GirlsGuitarSchool and Twitter @girlsgtrschool .
More exciting news coming soon! See you in class.
Spring Open House on Sunday, March 4
Wild Flag Live (photo by Kyle Gustafson/FTWP)
Spring is on its way and what better way to celebrate its arrival?
Our first open house/free introductory guitar class of 2012 will take place on Sunday, March 4 at 11:30 a.m. This free 45-minute class is a friendly guitar how-do-you-do for girls (ages 7+) and women of all ages.
Class is taught in our group class space nestled in the heart of our favorite Valley music store, Baxter Northup Music, 14534 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA.
Come on by and say hello to your inner guitar player! There will also be live performance at 1:00 p.m. featuring GGS adult students as well as a mini-set by rock cellist (and GGS collaborator), Helen Money with her students.
This event is in conjunction with the Baxter Northup Music open house and will feature other live performances of both students and teachers alike. Always a fun day and a great way to support local music. We hope you will join us.
In other news…
We are in the midst of putting together a new group curriculum to provide ensemble experience for those students already studying the guitar. If this is something of interest to you or your favorite female player, please drop us a line and let us know. We will be putting groups together based on experience and age of students. We hope to have the details nailed down and ready for roll out in March. This will include group programming for classes beyond guitar 101. We will be in touch via email with 101 students this week with days and times of 102 programming.
As always, please contact us with your questions, ideas, and suggestions for our YouTube channel, Links page or like-minded organizations to partner with. Thank you for your continued support of women in music, especially instrumentalists. We are changing the face of music one girl at a time. See you in class.
GGS proudly presents our first workshop:
The Power of 4 Strings: Bass Basics for Guitarists & Beginners
Sunday, November 13; 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
$35.00 | Seats available 6
Our classroom space in Baxter Northup Music, 14534 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA
Terry de Castro, bass player extraordinaire for British Indie bands The Wedding Present and Goya Dress, leads this 90-minute introduction to the world and power of the bass. Explore simple bass lines and rhythm. Learn about female players rockin’ the bass universe. Bring your bass or acoustic guitar and be ready to have a heckuva lot of fun!
Students are required to provide their own instruments, small practice amps are encouraged.
Contact us today to reserve your spot. Space is limited and will fill quickly.
The Reckless Pretties with Terry de Castro and October, Los Angeles, July 2011 (Photo by: Brett Stranaire)
For more in the exciting news column…GGS students were featured on Everett True’s blog, Collapse Board! Our deepest thanks to Joyce Raskin for including our work in her article. Check out the Reckless Pretties doing their thing at the Stories Cafe event in July right here.
As always, feel free to drop us a line with questions or referrals. Information on our next session of group classes soon on the way. Next up this month is a four-week Ukelele class! Sundays- 2:00 – 2:45 p.m., starting 11/27. Be sure to sign up for our email updates so you don’t miss it.
See you at the workshop!
Free introductory class this Sunday!
It is that time again! GGS is happy to announce we will be offering a free introductory Guitar 101 class for girls and women of all ages at Baxter Northup Music on Sunday, September 11 at noon. If you’ve been wondering if the group or guitar thing is for you or your favorite female player, this is the perfect opportunity to test the waters without any sort of commitment to full session. All students need to bring with them is a guitar, we’ll take care of the rest.
Our Fall session is scheduled to begin Sunday, September 18.
All classes are taught at Baxter Northup Music, 14534 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA (just West of the Van Nuys Blvd. and Ventura Blvd. intersection).
Tuition for any of our eight-week courses is $250.00 and is due in full by September 18 (September 11 is free!).
Thinking private lessons might be more your thing? We encourage you to contact us soon as our weekly schedule is almost fully booked.
Please sign up on our email list to get the latest GGS updates. Exciting news coming soon about a new class and instructor…look out!
Happy fall everyone – we’ll see you in class.
Have guitar, will travel.
Emma Ruth Rundle from the red sparowes
This Sunday we will be sponsoring our first free introductory group guitar class for girls and women of all ages! Class starts 12 p.m. and goes until 1. All you need to do is show up with a guitar. We’ll walk you through the rest.
Next official session starts Sunday, July 3 and runs for eight weeks (no class 7/24). Can’t make the first class? No problem! We know it’s a holiday weekend. You can sub one 30-minute private lesson in its place at some point over the session. All classes are taught at Baxter Northup Music, located at 14534 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Tuition for the eight-week session is $250.00 (class on Sunday is FREE!).This is in conjunction with the music school at Baxter’s open house.
How are you keeping yourself inspired for the summer? These are a few of the ways to keep the inspiration fires burning:
Read!
Here are a few of the books in our stack fo
r July.
My Misadventures as a Teenage Rockstar by Joyce Raskin
Rock ’n’ roll isn’t just about sex and drugs. It’s about self-expression, lasting friendships, and self-empowerment. That’s what Alex learns after she starts playing bass for a rock band in this almost true story. Joyce Raskin, author and musician, culls from her memories to create this funny, touching, and honest look at what it’s like to be a teenager, a girl, and a rock star all at the same time.
Also included are a note from the author, instructions on how to play basic guitar chords, advice on songwriting, and more!
Joyce (and Scarce) will be joining forces with GGS for book signing and performances at Stories LA in Echo Park on July 24 at 4 pm w/Cool Moms and other special guests. More details to follow! More info on Joyce can be found right here info about the West Coast tour here.
The Girls’ Guide to Rocking by Jessica Hopper.
We here at GGS consider this book an essential read for any guitar player. Packed with all sorts of information, this book will be a go-to volume throughout your musical journey – what to look for when buying your first instrument, how to record yourself and your friends, how to book your first tour, be in a band. Also includes a great timeline spanning the history of women in rock, more recommended reading, listening and watching!
Go to camp!
There are several national music camps happening across the country in July. Here are a few of our favorites (click pink link for website).
Rock n Roll Camp for Girls or Girls Rock! These camps are usually a week long and are all about empowering girls through music education. Camps usually culminate with a show at a local venue. Please see website for listing of camps and cities.
Other camps in Los Angeles:
The Grammy Museum – Summer Sessions
Listen!
Friday, June 24, the red sparowes will be playing at the Center for the Arts in Eagle Rock. Tix are $12.00. It is an all ages show. Get your tix here! Tickets
Make a mix of some of your favorite female players and ask a friend to do the same and then exchange them!
We have our own brand spankin’ new YouTube Channel! www.youtube.com/user/girlsgtr
It’s loaded with interviews, instruction and music by a variety of female guitar players and bands. Subscribe today and let us know what other videos we should include. Coming soon to the girlsgtr channel – GGS instructional videos. Woohoo!
Open Mic it, lady!
Pick a song or two and try out playing live at a local open mic or just for your friends at casual summer gathering.
Whatever you do – make it a musical summer. As always, please email or give us a jingle if you have any questions.
We’ll see you class!
Free introductory Guitar 101 class for all age groups!
Los Angeles' Warpaint
We will be offering a free introductory Guitar 101 class for girls and women of all ages at Baxter Northup Music on June 26 at noon. The introductory class is a part of the Baxter Northup Music School’s open house. Come on by and get your guitar groove on!
Summer session is scheduled to begin Sunday, July 3. Students signing up on the day of the open house will also receive a 20% discount on picks, tuners and other accessories needed for class.
All classes are taught at Baxter Northup Music, 14534 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA (just West of the Van Nuys Blvd. and Ventura Blvd. intersection).
Tuition for the eight-week course is $250.00 and is due in full by July 3 (June 26 is free!).
Please sign up on our email list to get the latest GGS updates. We’ll see you in class!
Summer is the time to rock.
It’s almost here and we are ready for it. Next session of group classes for both Girls and Ladies Guitar School will begin in June. We are still in the midst of fine tuning schedules but will posting the start dates soon.
Help us make this girls music revolution a thriving and vibrant thang – do you have any old rock posters, pictures, record jackets, etc of female musician, bands or songwriters that you would be willing to donate to the cause? If so, please email us at girlsguitarschool@gmail.com to sort out pick up/drop off/mail details.
Did you hear the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame has just launched a new exhibit honoring the women of rock n roll? Yes indeed! More information here: http://rockhall.com/exhibits/women-who-rock/
There are a slew of female artists on the road right now. KT Tunstall, Thao and Mirah are but a few of the women you will find hitting the summer tour circuit. Check your local listings and go, go, go!
The Road is My Middle Name
Inspire yourself or the female guitarist in your life. Women on the road and on their way into town over the next two weeks:
Sara Harmer
September 29
Sara Harmer
Spaceland 8:30 p.m.
Tickets here:
http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=2697505
Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth
September 30
Hollywood Bowl
Sonic Youth with Pavement & No Age
Discount tickets just released enter the word “Bowl”
Tickets here: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0B00448CBD1F2DC3?dma_id=324
Aimee Mann
October 3
Aimee Mann
Largo at the Coronet
call box office for tickets: 310-833-0350
Liz Phair
October 8
Liz Phair
The El Rey Theater
Tickets here: http://www.ticketmaster.com/El-Rey-Theatre-tickets-Los-Angeles/venue/360460
Know of other female artists coming through Los Angeles? Let us know! Our goal is to have a current comprehensive list of events throughout the Los Angeles area.
Still pondering whether or not to take a class? Seats are going fast but a few spaces remain for Guitar 101 and Moms Rock. Classes start mid-October. For more information or to sign up, call or drop us a line!
girlsguitarschool.com 
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