Matthew Smith's Guitar Studio has been the popular place for private guitar lessons in the Columbia/Irmo area for nearly 20 years.
Here you will find all the announcements regarding lesson schedules, upcoming concert performances, guitar related events, and anything else that would be of interest to those taking guitar lessons... even those who are not students at MSGS! Many of our events (like performance parties, masterclasses, etc.) are open to guitar students from other studios and teachers. This site will be updated frequently so that students can now easily stay connected to what's going on at the studio and in our local Columbia guitar world.
My mission is to motivate students with enthusiasm and positive reinforcement, while at the same time instilling the practice discipline required for any player to achieve their goals and reach their potential. I am a cheerful teacher that strives to make each fun and productive.
I encourage and teach many styles of guitar - steel string acoustic/electric guitar styles like blues, jazz, rock, country and bluegrass and I am also a professional performer and recording artist on all types of guitar and I have a degree in classical guitar performance.
Students can take lessons on either steel or nylon string (classic) guitar. All of my students learn to read music and to play both finger-style and pick-style guitar. Time-tested and well-established method books are used to keep student's practice efforts structured, but players are also encouraged to choose pieces and songs that they wish to learn and bring them into the lessons. I also love to sing and use the guitar as accompaniment for singing, and can teach students those skills as well.
I also work closely with many other guitar instructors in the area, and we host many events that allow players of all styles and levels the option to get out and perform. At the end of May, all MSGS students are "required" to perform in a Spring Concert, which gives them a goal to work towards all year! Lessons are offered year-round. Summer programs and special attendance options are offered to those who wish to keep their guitar studies going through the summer.
My ultimate goal is to spread the joy that music and guitar playing has given me throughout my life to as many people as possible. There are so many talented people playing guitar, but only using short cut methods of learning or exclusively playing by ear. These players inevitably hit a wall or a limit to their progress, not having been armed with the skills and knowledge that would free their development. My students not only learn to PLAY music, but they learn to understand and analyze it as well, so that they may never be restricted or limited in their ability to continually move forward and learn as they grow with the guitar.
