The Mandolin Module in the Guitar Excellence Program – Expanding a Guitarist’s Musical Journey Beyond the Guitar After several years of development, we are delighted to introduce the Mandolin Module as a part of the Guitar Excellence Program (GEP) — our structured guitar learning system developed to build well-rounded musicians through a progressive educational journey.… Continue reading Mandolin for Guitarists | Why It Became Part of the Guitar Excellence Program
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Beyond Repertoire: Raga Bhopali on Guitar and the Evolution of Indian Lead Guitar
For many guitarists, learning a raga begins with scales. For others, it begins with a composition. But very few experience a structured journey that gradually develops melody, Alaap, Taans, improvisation and performance as independent yet interconnected skills. That question has shaped much of my work over the last two decades. The result is what eventually became… Continue reading Beyond Repertoire: Raga Bhopali on Guitar and the Evolution of Indian Lead Guitar
Building Indian Lead Guitar Through Ragas: Expanding a Melody Through Alaap
How the transition from Gat → Alaap → Gat transforms a composition into a long-form musical journey For many guitarists, learning a melody is the destination. You learn a composition, memorize the phrases, perfect the technique, and perform it exactly as it was written. Once the melody ends, the performance ends. Indian classical music offers… Continue reading Building Indian Lead Guitar Through Ragas: Expanding a Melody Through Alaap
Can Music Teachers Remain Relevant by Being Average Today?
A student receives one hour. A teacher brings years. Years of practice. Years of mistakes. Years of performances. Years of observing students, solving problems, refining explanations, and discovering what truly helps someone grow. Most people see the lesson. Few see the roots. Recently, I came across an image comparing a music lesson to a tree. The visible… Continue reading Can Music Teachers Remain Relevant by Being Average Today?
Can Your Guitar Course Produce Independent Musicians?
How some guitarists learn to play songs by ear while others remain dependent on tabs, tutorials, and teachers. Every guitar course promises something. Some promise faster learning. Some promise certifications. Some promise hundreds of songs. Some promise mastery of scales, chords, and music theory. But there is one question I rarely see asked: Can the course produce an independent… Continue reading Can Your Guitar Course Produce Independent Musicians?
When People Walk Different Paths – a reflection by Kapil Srivastava
This happens mostly with people you love or care about. You want to keep them alongside you, always. You imagine shared journeys, shared milestones, and shared understanding. Weeks pass. Years pass. There is a constant push and pull. You seek a chemistry that perhaps never was, is not, and may never be. You keep hoping… Continue reading When People Walk Different Paths – a reflection by Kapil Srivastava
From Guitar Lessons To Musical Careers: Building The House of Guitarmonk
Can Guitar Learning Be More Than Classes? For more than three decades, my life has revolved around music. Over 21 years have been spent officially building Guitarmonk, preceded by many years of learning, exploring and growing with music as a student. Through Guitarmonk, I have spent years teaching guitar, developing structured learning systems, exploring Indian… Continue reading From Guitar Lessons To Musical Careers: Building The House of Guitarmonk
Beyond Scales: My Discovery of Alaap on Guitar
For many years, my guitar journey followed a path familiar to countless musicians. Scales. Chords. Songs. Technique. Repertoire. These are important parts of a guitarist’s development. They certainly shaped mine. But somewhere along the way, I became fascinated by a different question: Why do some musicians create a powerful experience with only a few notes?… Continue reading Beyond Scales: My Discovery of Alaap on Guitar
Guitar Excellence Series: Building Indian Lead Guitar Through Ragas, Improvisation and the Pursuit of Excellence
Why Guitar Excellence is More Than a Video Series? There are some questions that stay with us for years. One such question stayed with me for a very long time: What are the natural strengths of the guitar? Like many guitarists interested in Indian music, I spent years listening to and learning from great musicians playing… Continue reading Guitar Excellence Series: Building Indian Lead Guitar Through Ragas, Improvisation and the Pursuit of Excellence