Marc Galea is a qualified guitar tutor from the RGT, with twelve years teaching experience. He achieved an LLCM TD in guitar teaching and FLCM diploma in performance. He just published his first guitar method book titled A Step by Step approach for a Modern Guitar Player.

The RGT holds among its patrons Sir Paul McCartney, David Gilmour, Ron Wood, John Etheridge and Hank Marvin. In 2008 and 2009 Marc was chosen among other four finalist for the internationally-acclaimed RGT  Guitar Tutor of the Year Award . The award was presented to Marc by Neville Marten, editor of Guitar Techniques magazine.

Being chosen from hundreds of RGT guitarists wordlwide  reflects his  consistently high standard of teaching as demonstrated repeatedly by the results of his students in their RGT exams.

Tech Music School (TMS) in London is proud to be a partner of Marc Galea. As a partner, Marc will help prepare students to further their education and networking at Tech Music School. Marc is trained to hold assessments in Malta on behalf of TMS.

With 30 years’ experience in popular music education, Tech Music School prides itself on its high quality teaching which supports the development of technically accomplished and versatile graduates who are equipped for a sustainable career in an ever changing industry.

Marc’s way of teaching is based on logic thinking and the art of improvisation utilizing the right side of the brain which is largely ignored in the western culture. Every lesson is planned in a way that the student is working towards achieving a certain target within the syllabus and hand-outs are given. Every lesson is one hour long in a class of 8 students and each term consists of 12 lessons. Although students will be in a class Marc gives individual attention and twice a year students are given the opportunity to perform in a realistic venue. Past concerts have been held at Rolling Stone, Strings, Signals, BJs and MFCC. Although sitting for exams is optional, once a year an examiner from RGT comes to Malta to assess those students who wish to get qualified.

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • When is it the right age to start ?
    Whenever you’re inclined to. It’s never too late to start. Besides being entertaining, learning an instrument is highly therapeutic, letting you express your creativity and emotions. One of the most important things to help you learn the guitar faster is to be able to understand the concept of movable chords and scales and to achieve the right position.
  • Do I need to be able to read music ?
    No notes are written in tabs and diagrams and hand-outs will be given.
  • Will I’ll be able to play the guitar after 12 lessons ?
    This only depends on your input and aim towards the instrument. Within a couple of lessons you would be able to play the chords to your favourite song. If you want to take guitar playing professionally achieving a Grade 8 level in 4 yrs is possible.
  • Do I need to get my amp ?
    No I will provide an amplifier during the lesson. I also have a spare guitar for students who can’t get theirs.
  • Do I have to sit for examinations ?
    No you don’t have to sit for exams but if you would like to get qualifications it is possible. Once a year an RGT examiner comes to Malta to examine the students.
  • Do I have to learn classical guitar before switching to electric guitar?
    No because classical guitar requires different techniques and different positioning.

Below you can find the guitar syllabus from beginners to advanced level and the approximate duration of each course. Students have to keep in mind that the key to the success is practice. Marc can also guide you and give you a practicing schedule.

Specialized course are also available in blues, jazz and modern theory. Marc also teaches bass guitar. The bass syllabus will be available soon.

Level: Beginner 1

Duration: One to Two terms – 15 min practice daily

  1. Right hand picking exercises with string skipping.
  2. Fingerboard Knowledge on all 6 strings up till 3rd fret
  3. Open position major and minor chords.
  4. Open position dominant chords
  5. 4/4 rhythm playing
  6. Basic open position chord progressions
  7. Open position scales
  8. Left hand chromatic exercises
  9. Introduction to soloing in open position
  10. Aural training
minor pentatonic

Level: Beginner 2

Duration: Two to Three terms – 20 min practice daily

  1. Knowledge of the fingerboard horizontal on E and A string
  2. Left hand chromatic exercise 2nd set
  3. Major and minor 7ths open position
  4. Power chords root E & A
  5. Major and minor bar chords root on E and A
  6. Dominant bar chords
  7. Progressions with bar chords
  8. Progressions using two chords in a bar 4/4
  9. songs and riffs
  10. Pentatonic scale minor and major root on E and A
  11. major + natural minor 2 octaves
  12. Technique – slides , hammer and pull offs
  13. Bues scale Root E and A
  14. 12 bar blues
  15. Open position power chords
  16. Reading tabs
  17. Muting
  18. Alternate picking exercises
  19. Sequences on pentatonic scales
  20. Soloing in Am and 12 bar blues
  21. Left hand chromatic exercises 1st set
  22. Rhythm playing ¾
  23. Aural training
  24. Diatonic intervals
Lesson 22

Level: Intermediate 1

Duration: Two to Three terms – 30 min practice daily

  1. Major + natural minor scales 2 different position on the fingerboard – two octaves
  2. Knowledge of the fingerboard up till 12 fret on all strings
  3. Triads arpeggios
  4. Sequences on all pentatonic
  5. Sequences on major and natural minor scales
  6. Intervals on major and natural minor scales
  7. Technique – bending , vibrato
  8. Blues licks
  9. Head to blues
  10. Stretching exercises
  11. Extended major and minor bar chords
  12. Progressions using extended bar chords
  13. Soloing in C major , G major , D major , + relatives
  14. Chromatic exercises set 1 and 2
  15. Chart reading
  16. Rhythm playing 6/8
  17. Arpeggios root E major , minor , dominant
  18. Tuning guitar
  19. Aural training
  20. Minor intervals
grade 5 chords
Lesson 19 15 blues
tunning guitar

Level: Intermediate 1

Duration: 10 Weeks

  1. Key signatures Major Keys + Minor with Keys Cycle of  5ths
  2. Note Values, Rhythm, Chord tones,  Time sig
  3. Extended Chords Spelling,  Chord Harmony  ( Major )
  4. Chord Harmony Minor, Diminished & Augmented, Intervals
  5. 12 Bar Blues , Minor Blues,  Turnarounds,  Minor Intervals
  6. Modes ,Transposition
  7. Finding a Key Center
  8. II-V-I Progressions and  Substitutions
  9. Chord Inversions & Tensions using  Altered Chords
  10. Assessment
time signatures

Level: Intermediate 2

Duration: Three Terms 45 min practice daily

  1. Natural minor and major scales all 5 positions
  2. Minor + major pentatonic scales 5 different positions.
  3. Blues scale 5 different position
  4. CAGED system
  5. Chromatic scales
  6. Chord harmony
  7. Extended dominant chords 9th
  8. Major 9th and minor 9th chords
  9. Sequences 1-3 , 2-4 etc on all 5 positions
  10. Arpeggios root A and sweep picking
  11. Slash chords and inversions
  12. Harmonic minor scale
  13. Dominant 7th arpeggios 3 positions
  14. Finger picking
  15. Left hand chromatic exercises set 3 and 4 + horizontal
  16. Spider exercises
  17. Hammer and pull offs exercises using 4 fingers
  18. Advanced blues licks
  19. Sight reading notes on the stave open position
  20. Blues soloing using major and minor pentatonic
  21. Rhythm playing 12/8
  22. Tuning guitar with harmonics
  23. Cadences
  24. Soloing in A major , E major , F major , Bb major
  25. Aural training
Lesson 41

Level: Intermediate 3

Duration: Two Terms 1 hr practice daily

  1. Arpeggios major, minor , dominant on all positions.
  2. Diminished arpeggios
  3. Arpeggios using chord harmony
  4. Diminished and Augmented theory + chords
  5. Sus chords
  6. Add 9th chords
  7. Octaves
  8. Scales in 3rds and 5ths
  9. Harmonics
  10. Tremolo picking
  11. String skipping arpeggios with tapping
  12. Pentatonic 3 notes per string
  13. Legato playing using scales 3 note per string
  14. Modes , Dorian , Lydian , mixolydian 2 positions
  15. Advanced rock licks
  16. Sight reading notes above the stave + sharps and flats
  17. Diatonic substitution
  18. Soloing in Eb major , Ab major , B major
  19. Two hand tapping
  20. Dominant 11, 13 chords
  21. Tapping
  22. Compound intervals
diminished harmony
Lesson 44

Level: Advanced 1

Duration: Two to Three terms 1 hr 30 min practice daily

  1. Alternate Tunings
  2. Slash chords
  3. Whole tone scale
  4. 3 octaves scales
  5. Cycle of 4ths and 5ths patterns
  6. Dominant chords voicing
  7. Altered chords
  8. Octave scales ( Wes Montgomery )
  9. Dominant 11, 13 chords
  10. Rhythm playing 5/4
  11. Modes : phrigian , locrain
  12. Major modes on all positions
  13. Enharmonic substitution
  14. Soloing in all 12 keys
  15. Understanding Jazz standards Forms
  16. Pentatonic inversions
  17. Modes with pentatonic scales
  18. Extended arpeggios major , minor , dominant
  19. Sight reading rhythms with chords
  20. String skipping arpeggios with tapping
Lesson 56

Level: Advanced 2

Duration: Three Terms 2 hrs Practice daily

  1. Melodic minor scale
  2. Melodic minor modes and harmony
  3. Harmonies in 4th and 5ths
  4. Symmetrical scales (diminished scales )
  5. Sight reading part 3
  6. Sight reading rhythms
  7. Bebop scales
  8. Finger style playing
  9. Jazz standards
  10. Altered arpeggios
  11. 1st and 2nd stage chord voicing
  12. Soloing using more than one scale
  13. II-V-I progression
  14. I-VI-II-V progression
  15. 12 bar in f and Bb
  16. 12 bar jazz changes
  17. Tritione substitution
  18. Playing out side
Whole tone scale

Level: Jazz Level 1

Duration: 12 weeks

  1. II-V-I progressions ( major and minor)
  2. Bossa nova rhythm
  3. Jazz Chords
  4. 12 bar Jazz
  5. Turnaround’s
  6. Analyzing Jazz Standards
  7. Altered scale and Lydian dominant scale aplication
  8. Solo guitar finger style (Darn that dream)
  9. Rhythm changes
  10. Natural tensions with arpeggios
  11. Tri tone substitution
Darn
Lesson 81