Kickstart Your Guitar Playing in 2014

Have you always wanted to be better at guitar? 

Do you have a dusty guitar under your bed all alone with strings rusting away?

Have you been playing for years & years but now have gotten in a rut, stuck & stagnant?

Why let your musical dreams fade away? Let 2014 be the beginning of something exciting!

"I have owned a guitar for 10 years before I finally decided to do something with it, and I picked the right teacher. Az seems to have a knack for mind-reading as he is able to dissect and explain the music to me even before I know what questions to ask. His emphasis on learning the basics well has helped me build a sound foundation to progress much faster."

Carolyn Hong, Beginner Guitar Student, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Introducing guitar programs designed to make YOU a better player

"Az has an amazing ability to teach in a way that makes it so easy to learn, I managed to learn so much in just a short span of time."

Mei Chern, Singer-songwriter, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Now, you might say to yourself... I could just learn all this on my own. I could just go on YouTube and find tons of free lessons. Yes, you could.

In fact, this is what Lai Ze Ren did before he studied with me:

"Before I join Az's class I had already learn and play for 4 years but all the while, my overall playing still quite stiff especially the percussive techniques that I learnt from Youtube. After getting his lessons, my previous weaknesses such as playing with no emotions, stiff techniques have removed!"

Lai Ze Ren, Fingerstyle Guitar Course Student, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

There is an abundance of free lessons online. BUT, you would need to spend time going through the mass number of hack guitar teachers and wanna-be instructors who do not know what YOUR problems are. 

• Cookie cutter solutions gets you cookie cutter results. 
• Study with ordinary materials and become ordinary. 

If you love being ordinary, then these courses are NOT FOR YOU.

My students are very busy people. From CEOs to teachers to law students to music college students & retired professionals, they have packed schedules & VERY limited time.

"...my goal is not to sit for exams or to add stress to the learning experience. So indeed we managed to work on a plan for lessons to be managed with a balance of my work schedule of which I appreciate the most." 

Samantha Lee, Beginner Guitar Student, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

"I have been a guitarist for almost 10 years and thought I could just get by with chords and melody. Learning from Az has been an amazing experience, every lesson has multiplied my knowledge of music and just went I thought I learned enough about a particular thing, he amazes me with his depth of knowledge and wisdom."
 

Benjamin Khong, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Completed The Jazz Guitar Masterclass Course in Oct 2013) 

Ready to learn more? Here are the class details:

NOTE: All the classes are private lessons, one-on-one classes. There are no group classes at the moment.  

Guitar Lessons

http://www.azsamad.com/guitar-lessons 

• Choose From 3 Programs: 
  • Singer-Songwriter Guitar
  • Jazz Guitar
  • Beginner 
• Single Lesson & 4, 8 or 12 Lesson Packages Available
• Study in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia OR worldwide via Skype

Click Here To Learn More About the Guitar Lessons:
http://www.azsamad.com/guitar-lessons  

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Music Lessons

http://www.azsamad.com/music-lessons 

• Choose From 3 Programs: 
  • Composition
  • Improvisation
  • Jazz & Contemporary Harmony/Theory
• Single Lesson & 4, 8 or 12 Lesson Packages Available
• Study in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia OR worldwide via Skype

Click Here To Learn More About the Music Lessons:
http://www.azsamad.com/music-lessons   

** To register, message me here to book your slot: http://www.azsamad.com/contact **

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[Busy Schedule? Take A Short Course.]

NOTE: All the classes are private lessons, one-on-one classes. There are no group classes at the moment.  

Intro to Fingerstyle Ukulele Course

http://www.azsamad.com/ukulele 

• 2-Month Course 
• Limited Enrollment - only 3 Students Max

Click Here To Learn More About The Intro to Fingerstyle Ukulele Course:
http://www.azsamad.com/ukulele

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Intro to Jazz Blues Guitar Course

http://www.azsamad.com/jazzblues 

• 2-Month Course 
• Limited Enrollment - only 3 Students Max

Click Here To Learn More About The Intro to Jazz Blues Guitar Course:
http://www.azsamad.com/jazzblues

** To register, message me here to book your slot:http://www.azsamad.com/contact **

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Percussive Fingerstyle Guitar Course

http://www.azsamad.com/fingerstyle-course

• 3-Month course 
• Limited Enrollment - only 3 Students Max

Click Here To Learn More About The Percussive Fingerstyle Guitar Course:

http://www.azsamad.com/fingerstyle-course 

** To register, message me here to book your slot:http://www.azsamad.com/contact **

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Jazz Guitar Masterclass
http://www.azsamad.com/jazz 

• 2-Month Course 
• Limited Enrollment - only 3 Students Max

Click Here To Learn More About The Jazz Guitar Masterclass:
http://www.azsamad.com/jazz 

REMEMBER: Register by 11:59pm Tuesday, December 31, 2013 to lock into current class rates. NEW 2014 Rates begin on January 1, 2014.

** To register, message me here to book your slot:http://www.azsamad.com/contact **
 

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Gifts For YOU! #azbday

It's my birthday & I have gifts for you! =)

Here they are:

Gift #1: The Birthday EP ---> STILL AVAILABLE! =)
These are 7 songs released together for the first time. You'll hear songs on solo guitar (steel string, nylon string, electric) and 1 solo tenor ukulele song too! =)
 

Enjoy! 

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Gift #2: Beginner Guitar Starter Pack

Beginner Guitar Starter Pack: THIS OFFER IS NOW CLOSED.

You can still purchase this guitar pack directly for USD$7 USD$5 (Promo Price)
Click here to order: http://azsamad.com/lessonpacks

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Gift #3: Jazz Guitar Geek Super Pack!

Jazz Guitar Geek Super Pack: THIS OFFER IS NOW CLOSED.

You can still purchase this guitar pack directly for USD$17 USD$12 (Promo Price)
Click here to order: http://azsamad.com/lessonpacks
 

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Beats & Bytes Column in The Star by Az Samad

I'm a columnist for The Star Online's technology section. These are links to the articles for my column called Beats & Bytes. If you're interested to discover how technology and music influence each other, this is for you.

Enjoy!

#1 Beats & Bytes: When tech and music collide

• An introduction to my column in The Star!

#2 8 Great Ways To Learn Music From A YouTube Video

• Optimize your time on YouTube! A guide to hack your learning & get better, faster.

#3 How to release a CD on your own

• How I released an album - without a record label, on my own & how you can do it too.

#4 Fund through your fans

• Crowdfunding is quickly becoming the alternative path to making records for musicians.

#5 Your guide to getting your music on iTunes (and more!)

• Find out how you can get your music heard across the globe.

#6 Catch a live concert in your pyjamas!

• Performer Az Samad experiences video streaming technology first-hand and shares his experience.

#7 Learning music via Skype!

• Music educator Az Samad takes a music lesson that inspires him to teach guitar via Skype.

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Wrecking Ball (Miley Cyrus) - Fingerstyle Guitar Cover

I didn't have a wrecking ball for the video.

I think what I really dig about the song is the suspended 4th on the I chord on the chorus. If you take that as a suspension (melodically) and take the visual imagery of the suspended wrecking ball, that would be kind of a fun way to look at it.

Yup. Watch!

As an independent artist, every view and share really helps to spread my music to more people. You make a huge difference to my work. Thank you!

[Guitar Info]

Tuning: Standard Tuning EADGBE
Capo: 5th fret
Key: Played in A minor, sounds as D minor

[Gear details]

ACOUSTIC GUITAR: I perform on a Maestro Guitars Raffles PH Maestro Select Shop Model with a solid adirondack spruce top, solid purple heart back & sides and mahogany neck with carbon rod. More info here: http://www.azsamad.com/maestro

STRINGS: Elixir Strings make my acoustic steel string guitars & Proteus electric guitar sound epic!

PICKUP: I'm using the awesome K&K Sound Systems Quantum Trinity System which includes their award-winning Pure Mini pickup, the Trinity Microphone and the Quantum Blender Preamp

CAPOS: I use G7th Capos including the G7th Performance capo for 6-string acoustic & classical guitar.

BAGS: I use Junkmonkey messenger bags and custom ampbag made by Patrick Lim of Greenroom136.

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3 New Solo Jazz Ukulele Videos!

These are the first three videos in a new series of solo jazz ukulele arrangements that I'm doing after being deeply inspired by a lesson I took with jazz uke virtuoso Abe Lagrimas, Jr. recently.

Video #1: Autumn Leaves | Jazz Ukulele by Az Samad 

Autumn Leaves is a beautiful classic jazz song that has been covered by so many artists over the years. I've chosen to start of my version of this piece with a slow ballad atmosphere before going to a jazzier swing feel.

Video #2: You Don't Know What Love Is | Jazz Ukulele by Az Samad 

I've been playing this song for years on guitar and it's definitely one of my favorite jazz ballads to play. After arranging this piece on the ukulele, I can see how there's a charm to the sparseness in the uke. 

Video #3: You Don't Know What Love Is | Jazz Ukulele by Az Samad

This is a great piece from the Miles Davis album, Kind of Blue. I've transposed it to the key of C so that it would fit better in the range for a tenor ukulele. I hope to play this piece more and come up with more extended solos in the future. 

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If you like the video, please subscribe to my YouTube channel for more videos!

Wanna learn to play like this? Go to: http://www.azsamad.com/ukulele

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