Steven van Betten

All my online courses are now available through schoolofsong.org

Music
Teaching
- Online Courses
- Lessons
Shows
Contact

Music
Teaching
- Online Courses
- Lessons
Shows
Contact

New Note.jpeg — Session Work

Guitarist for the last two seasons of Grace and Frankie

“I’ve been teaching myself guitar for years but Steven’s instruction has helped grow my playing and understanding of the guitar considerably in just a few weeks. He’s patient, clear, and positive, and the lessons are providing a much needed foundation for understanding music theory. I’m excited to continue classes with him when I complete this course! ”

— Chloe F.

“I’ve had a handful of guitar instructors over the years, some better, some worse. And, I’ve been seduced by more than my share of courses and books nearly promising magic. I was dubious when I first met Steven, but after one lesson, I knew I had finally found the right instructor for me, with him patiently taking me back to the basics, explaining things, making a lot of sense, and just being a great guy! Without pause, I can highly recommend his courses.”

— Ed R.

“The class has totally exceeded my expectations. I am enjoying that you have found a way to connect to each of us and hold us accountable during each session…A lot of what we’ve touched on are concepts I have learned many, many times but are only just now clicking for me. The way you explained relative minor keys was particularly helpful. ”

— Jessica A.

“Not only does Steven help students relate to the material he or she is studying, he helps them find fun, practical, and creative ways of applying the material to their playing. In my view, that’s the mark of a masterful instructor.”

— Alex H.

“You’re teaching me things I think I’ve always wanted to learn about but didn’t really have the vocabulary or discipline to explore independently. You’ve totally renewed my sense of curiosity relating to music theory and the guitar. Thank you!”

— Riley F.

“I’m getting more out of the class than I anticipated. I’ve been having a lot of “ahhh” moments and I’ve enjoyed trying to be more intentional about my guitar playing recently. The pacing is perfect. ”

— Daniel H.

“I’m really enjoying the course and I look forward to it every week. The atmosphere you create is warm and welcoming, and your own curiosity and experience as a guitarist really comes through. In general, each class session feels to me like a good balance of review and new content. The pacing feels good for where I am as a guitar player. I enjoy that you keep us on your toes by “cold calling” on people to share their answers. This makes me want to come prepared to class, which is good because I am often pretty undisciplined. I’ve already really enjoyed some of the more recent homework, such as transposing songs, because it feels creative and application-focused. ”

— Julia C.

“The problem with learning theory for me has always been a lack of guidance leading me to question whether what I’m doing is going to be useful or in the right order. The classes give me the reassurance I need. ”

— Graeme H.

“It is all stuff I’ve covered before - but I learnt as a classical musician with theory very much separated and learnt by reading the stave, memorizing facts and learning on paper. It never really sank in with me and I’m embarrassed by how much I didn’t understand or have forgotten. But the model of learning on this course, going with letter names and sounds and working on the actual fretboard means finally all the things that I half-knew but didn’t understand are sort of beginning to make SENSE. ”

— Autumn S.

“It’s nice to have the guitar as a sort of practical resource/anchor when discussing theory as it helps to ground a lot of the concepts in a tangible way. ”

— Cameron M.

“You were so patient & encouraging, and you have a real gift for understanding what people are thinking and very kindly & helpfully guiding us. I can’t imagine how you do it, but your advice always helped me make progress. And it was just so nice to see you on my screen. I’m writing you right now because I was singing an old song to the dogs, wondered about the intervals, and figured them out pretty easily. For some reason it was easier when I whistled the melody! I haven’t tried to work out the chords yet, but one step at a time.”

— Susan B.

“You’ve done a killer job of maintaining the right pace for the class as a whole...I really love how inclusive and question based the course has been rather than more of a lecture style. It’s refreshing to hear from some the other folks in class who may not fully understand certain concepts and thus give me the opportunity to answer out loud to myself (with the blessing of the muted microphone).”

— Jack S.

“A lot of it has been review for me, but as I said at the beginning of the class I was looking to start my music theory study anew with the most basic ideas. So far I feel like this class has helped to confirm what I already knew while also helping me to understand, and make practical, ideas that felt very heady and theoretical when I was trying to figure it all out on my own. The last two classes have been especially exciting and I’ve found myself using triad variations a lot already when I’m arranging new music. ”

— Joel H.

“I had a very basic knowledge of most of the themes we’ve been working on but have never fully understood them...Overall, I find the course challenges me just the right amount and the class feels like a safe space to ask questions.”

— Niamh C.

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