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PO
Box 942, Fourways, 2055, South Africa
Tel: +27(11) 465 9088 Fax: +27(11) 465 0994 E-mail:
hughsfineguitars@iafrica.com |
| Guitar
Tuition
If
you are looking for a really good guitar teacher, John
Van Nierop is the person to get in touch with.
His
30 years’ experience in playing and teaching the
guitar means he brings a huge accumulation of in depth
knowledge of the guitar, guitar music and the theory of
music to his students. His knowledge includes both practical
and theoretical experience in many styles amongst which
are classical, rock, folk, finger-style, bluegrass and
blues.
John
teaches all levels from beginners to advanced and for
those who are into it makes use of up to date software
in his tuition
His
relaxed, understated manner makes him easy to relate to
and you will find yourself enjoying a great learning experience.
He
teaches from a studio at home in Bloubosrand near Fourways
in Johannesburg.
You
can reach him at home: (011) 462 6535
Cell: 073 335 6365
Or email: vannierop@lantic.net
READ SOME OF THE REFERENCES BELOW |
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Left:
John picking his beloved beat-up old D28. |
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Left:
John and the pioneer 'pickin' group', Mike, Esther,
Jeff and Joe. Good luck guys and happy picking!" |
SOME
REFERENCES FROM HAPPY PICKERS! |
Martin
Jorgensen
I have been trying to play guitar for more than
fifteen years, not really getting anywhere and playing
a few simple songs badly. I decided to start lessons
and found John Van Nierop through Andy Mc Gibbons
Guitar World. (John will be referred to as “TEACH”
from now on in this testimonial). I have been going
to lessons with teach for about 2 years now. In
the beginning it was quite difficult for me to convince
teach that I didn’t want to learn to read
music but rather just take the easy “Castle
Lager route”. By that I mean that I wanted
the bare minimum to get me on the right track, play
songs that people want to listen to, more importantly
that they would enjoy listening to. Once Teach realised
that I was a bit of a hopeless case, he has helped
me with many simple techniques that make my MARTIN
GUITAR more palatable to the listeners ear. He has
taught me tons of songs that I have perfected and
filed away in the file. Recently I have played in
a few pub gigs and four pub evenings at SA Breweries
(+/- 100 people at each gig). I would never have
been able to do this before my lessons with teach.
I can’t believe that they keep asking me to
come back. They haven’t offered to start paying
me, perhaps that’s coz I work there. All the
same I have managed to pull it off with all credit
to teach.
I
would recommend anyone (of any playing level) to
go to Teach for his reasonably priced lessons and
I would strongly recommend that they do not take
the Castle Lager route, but do things properly.
Listen to the bleddie teacher.
Forgot
to mention, these lessons are great fun too and
that I purchased my Martin Guitar from Hugh’s
fine guitars.
Cheers
Martin Jorgensen & Martin Guitar |
John
Sternberg
I have been taking guitar lessons with JohnVon Nierop
for the past 3 years and have opened up a whole
range of new opportunities and challenges that I
never knew existed. I am mainly an acoustic guitar
(Martin D18GE) player and John has taught me a variety
of songs ranging from Dylan to Clapton. I have also
ventured into playing classical guitar and electric
guitar (you can’t get more adventurous than
Hendrix!). My next trick is to learn to sing (…nog
n storie!).
John is a fantastic teacher and musician, has huge
patience (thank G..) and is a great guy to learn
(and jam) with.
Regards
John |
Geof
Harris
John is a holistic music teacher, not just a guitar
teacher. By that, I mean he covers Music in a contextual
sense: it is of very limited use to just learn pieces/songs
in isolation, because then all you've got is a few
songs but no idea how to progress musically out
of that 'box' - those pieces will exist by themselves
but not be linked together as part of the Greater
Database of Music. A lot like learning to say a
sentence in a foreign language but not having the
faintest idea of what you are saying.
Ultimately it goes nowhere, adding to the frustrations
of the players... and the listeners too, don't forget
them! Whereas with his profound understanding and
intelligent teaching approach, John shows the pupil
(at the same time as learning to play the guitar
- it is fun too) the 'relationships', or more specifically
how to learn to identify the relationships, of the
parts that together make up the whole: the 'why's
& wherefore's...'. Sometimes we can't see the
scenery to the side of us because we are so busy
looking to the front. Understanding the relationships
is key to the future manipulation of the 'tools'
in The Music Toolbox.
The importance of this is that the students will
develop a comprehension of how the Building Blocks
of Music fit together, and why, and in the long
run the learning curve is straightened making it
sooner it will be for them to rise to a higher level
of performance and creativity. Knowledge is power.
This sounds like a very good deal to me. John is
the best music teacher I have ever had!
Geoffrey Walter Harris : ex pupil, now living
and playing in the UK |
Hugh
Cumming
John van Nierop has been my guitar teacher from
1989 to the present. He has helped me in all styles
including: Bluegrass flatpicking, the Blues, and
various folk styles. John has a tremendous knowledge
of the guitar, and has a great way of teaching,
never intimidating the pupil, and is always very
patient and understanding. I have no hesitation
in recommending John as your teacher, and am confident
that you will grow from strength to strength in
your guitar playing. - Hugh Cumming.
Regards
Hugh |
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