Online Video Instruction
Stephen is now teaching online, via Gmail video chat or I-Chat. If you have a camera capable computer and a good internet connection, it is possible to arrange a lesson with Stephen regardless of where you are located in the world. A working knowledge of the English language is helpful also, of course.
Please have a clear idea of what you would like to work on with Stephen during the lesson before you contact him. Vague topics are a bit difficult to handle in this way, so the more specific, the better! For example, if you would like to learn one of Stephen’s tunes, that is probably a workable topic. But “I want to learn to play like Stephen” is more difficult. However, many things are possible and if you have a clear idea of what it is you would like to have Stephen’s help with, then contact him for his thoughts about it.
Lessons are $100 (USD) per hour. An extra 15 minutes are also included for establishing the internet connection, greetings, camera placement, sound levels, etc.
To learn about the possibility of scheduling a video lesson with Stephen, click here.
Instructional Guitar Courses on TrueFire
Fingerstyle Finesse
We can all recall experiences when we’ve been absolutely mesmerized by a particular artist’s solo guitar performance. Those moments live with us forever and for many of us, that’s why we play. And as players we all strive to achieve that same magical quality in our own performances. Fingerstyle Finesse focuses on the technique, performance and composition skills you’ll need to make that same magic happen with your music.
There’s no one more qualified to serve as your Fingerstyle Finesse mentor than Stephen Bennett. Bennett’s “magic” is powerful stuff. Prolific composer, performer, recording artist and award-winning finger-picker, Bennett has amazing chops but its his sense of melody and presentation that casts such a profound spell on his audiences worldwide.
While Fingerstyle Finesse includes breakdowns of five of his original tunes, the course goes way beyond just adding a few tunes to your repertoire.
Throughout the course, Bennett will emphasize and demonstrate key concepts such as the importance of melody in all aspects of your playing and composition, integrating harmonics, leveraging the backbeat, working with a capo, composing original material along with a variety of other techniques and concepts that will “finesse” your playing and compositional skills.