Rock Overview

Play for fun or for your future career. Network and socialize. Learn about the music industry and session scene!

Come to IGF and live the dream! IGF brings you: the best tutors, state of the art band practice facilities, a stomping house band, lots of guitar people, drum people and wailers so you can make music! Whether you play solo or in a band this is a place for you to work hard have fun and take your playing to the next level. Join IGF on the front line and liberate people with your music!

Come and learn from the best: John Wheatcroft, Martin Goulding, Tolis Zavaliaris, Stephen Lawson, Jonny Scaramanga, Jim Clark and special guests Guthrie Govan, Dave Kilminster and Alex Hutchings.

The IGF summer school is recognized throughout the world as the number one summer school for guitarists!! Come and find out why. For campus and stay details click on the Cheltenham Campus.

More info at....Course Lowdown.

Guthrie Govan and Dave Kilminster masterclass

All students will have an opportunity to observe a unique Guthrie and Dave K workshop.

Please note there are limited places for 20 advanced players to take part in two special masterclass with Guthrie and Dave.

See booking form for details.

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Rock Apprentice

Highway to Hell with Stephen Lawson, Total Guitar

If you’re a beginner or an early learner with less than a year’s playing experience, then our Apprentice course could be just what you’re looking for. Focusing on a thorough grounding in playing basics, this course addresses key areas of learning, providing a solid base upon which to build in the future.

Principal areas covered include:

•Harmony - what chords do you need to know and which is the best order to learn them in?

•Melody - the importance of setting up a good fingering regime for all the basic level scales.

•Rhythm - covering song accompaniment, simple riff playing and correct plectrum technique.

The Rock Apprentice course also looks at essential techniques like string bending and vibrato, how to get the very best from your guitar/amplifier combination, as well as the use of effects. The set list includes music by bands such as Cream, AC/DC, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Queen, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and more.

Join the Editor of Europe’s best-selling guitar magazine on a voyage of discovery down the Highway to Hellishly good rock techniques!

Classic Rock with Tolis Zavaliaris

Rock Level 2

Learn how to build powerful rhythm parts and construct effective sounding solos. During the week we will explore power chords, open position chords and other ‘clever’ chord voicings. Lead guitar technique will focus on pentatonic tricks, blues scale licks, hammer-ons and pull-offs, and tips on improving your improvisation and vibrato. You will also have the opportunity to perform in public at the student showcase on the final evening. The set list includes classic rock artists: AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, Bryan Adams, Cream, Jimi Hendrix and Thin Lizzy.

Alternative rock with Jonny Scaramanga

Rock Level 2/3

This unique course is for students wanting to work purely on rock rhythm skills. This is not about strumming but about ‘rhythmic riffing’ bridging the gap between solo and rhythm work and will appeal to those wanting to take control of both lead and rhythm duties. Techniques studied will include exploring common riff approaches, scales (pentatonics and modes), the flat 5 (interval of doom!), picking techniques and chord families. Students will also learn to maximise speed and control techniques and a range of FX including pinch harmonics, string jumping and slurs. The set list includes music by alternative rock artists: Muse, Audioslave, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Radiohead, Lost Prophets, Linkin Park, White Stripes, Biffy Clyro and Fall Out Boy.

Monsters of Rock with Jim Clark

Rock Level 3

This exciting workshop will focus on a range of techniques to help improve your soloing and rhythm control. Students will explore left and right hand techniques including: picking, bending, legato, vibrato and harmonics. We will also concentrate on improvising with modes, movable scales and arpeggios. Rhythm and tone control will all be studied in detail to help improve tonal clarity and timing. Much of the week will be spent learning material and rehearsing for the student showcase. The set list includes classic rock artists: AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, Bryan Adams, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Thin Lizzy and Queen.

Extreme Rock with Martin Goulding

Rock Level 4

Throughout the week, we will be taking a look at the main technical components that make up the modern rock guitar style. We will be studying the mechanics and musical application of a range of subjects including: alternate picking, legato, sweeping and tapping, along with vibrato, string bending and other related phrasing concepts. The workshops will draw reference to the main modern rock exponents including Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Joe Satriani, Yngwie Malmsteen and Greg Howe.

Rock and Beyond with John Wheatcroft (Head of Guitar Faculty)

Rock Level 5

The Rock and Beyond Masterclass is for advanced students that are looking to take their playing to a new dimension in rock, jazz and blues. If you have already completed Rock level 4, RAB should form the next stage in your development. Expanding your chord and scale vocabulary and exploring complex time signatures will help you to stand out from the crowd. The week will focus on advanced phrasing concepts, intervallic ideas, outside playing, chromatic passing notes, substitution ideas, playing over changes, chord sequences, extended and altered chords and comping. Includes music by: Bireli Lagrene, Larry Carlton, Joe Bonamassa, Django Reinhardt, John Scofield, Allan Holdsworth, Steve Vai, Pat Metheny and Yngwie Malmsteen.