Guitar Studio
Our guitar studies focus on dexterity (for good tone and time feel), fretboard knowledge, repertoire, vocabulary, and literacy (music reading skills). We use a variety of techniques to work on these. Our goal is for you to understand your instrument well enough to (a) execute your ideas, and (b) function as a good supporting player in any situation.
Audition for Guitar
The guitar audition is a way for us to measure how hard you’ve worked so far with the tools available to you – and how hard you’re likely to work once at StFX. It’s also a way of assessing your skill development needs.
Prepare at least two jazz standards, to be played with accompanying tracks (i.e., Aebersold or Band-in-a-box). These need not be difficult tunes, but they must be jazz standards.
- Play the melody
- Comp through the chord changes
- Play a jazz solo with the accompaniment.
Under some circumstances, guitar auditions can be done live on a video call. Please contact Kevin Brunkhorst for details.
Submissions will be judged on musicality (good tone and time) and basic guitar knowledge ('chops' or technical skill, demonstrated knowledge of chord voicings or voice leading).
You will be asked about your overall knowledge and familiarity with jazz. You should know the major figures and major recordings in jazz and jazz guitar.
If you have questions or wish to set up an audition, please contact us at music@StFX.ca.
