Greek Music & Beyond
Online Greek Guitar Lessons
Greek guitar lessons online — learn the guitar in its Mediterranean context: rebetiko accompaniment, modal harmony, and the folk styles of Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean.
The guitar has played a vital but often overlooked role in Greek music since the early twentieth century. In rebetiko it provides harmonic and rhythmic support to the bouzouki and voice. In Greek folk music it adapts to the modal scales and regional rhythms of the mainland and islands. In contemporary Greek music it carries both melody and harmony in a distinctly Mediterranean voice.
These lessons are designed for guitarists who want to take their playing into Greek and Eastern Mediterranean music. We work on the specific chord voicings, right-hand patterns, and modal scales that define the Greek guitar sound — and on understanding how harmony works differently in a modal context, where the dromi and makams replace the major-minor system most guitarists know.
This is not a standard guitar course. It is a focused study of rebetiko guitar accompaniment, Greek folk styles, and the modal theory that connects them. Whether you already play guitar and want to enter new musical territory, or you are a complete beginner drawn to Greek music, this is where to start.
What these guitar lessons cover
- Chord voicings and progressions specific to rebetiko and Greek folk music
- Right-hand rhythmic patterns — the feel of zeibekiko, chasapiko, tsifteteli, and syrtos on guitar
- Modal harmony — how to accompany the dromi and makams on guitar, and how modal harmony differs from Western tonal harmony
- Melodic playing — single-note lines, bass runs, and ornaments in Greek modal scales
- The guitar in rebetiko ensemble — its dialogue with bouzouki, baglamas, and voice
- Introduction to taximi-style improvisation on guitar
Who this is for
These lessons are for guitarists of any level who want to explore Greek and Eastern Mediterranean music on their instrument. If you already play — whether classical, acoustic, or electric — you will find familiar technique applied to an unfamiliar and rewarding modal world. Complete beginners are also welcome: we cover all fundamentals from the start, always within the context of Greek music.
Bouzouki and oud players who want to understand the guitar’s role in the ensemble will also benefit, as will singers who want to accompany themselves in rebetiko and folk repertoire.
How the lessons work
- Live one-to-one sessions via Google Meet, from anywhere in the world
- Each session lasts approximately 45 minutes — longer if we need to finish a topic
- Every lesson recorded and sent to you in full, with PDFs and audio tracks for home practice
- Flexible scheduling across multiple time zones — we find a time that works for you
- Fully personalized progression — no fixed syllabus, built around your goals and pace
- Available in English, Italian, Spanish, and Greek
FAQs about Greek guitar lessons
What kind of guitar do I need for Greek music?
Any acoustic or classical guitar works well for Greek music. Most rebetiko guitarists use a steel-string acoustic. Electric guitars can work for certain styles but are not typical. If you are unsure about your instrument, we can discuss it in the free trial lesson — you do not need to buy anything new to get started.
Is this about “Greek modes” in Western music theory?
No. The Greek modes familiar from Western theory — Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, and so on — are named after ancient Greek concepts but belong to a different system. These lessons focus on the living modal tradition of Greece: the dromi and makams used in rebetiko and folk music. The dromi include scales like Rast, Ousak, Nikriz, Chitzaz, and Kiourdi, many of which have no equivalent in the Western major-minor system. If you are a guitarist interested in the actual music of Greece, this is the right place.
I already play guitar well — will I still learn something new?
Almost certainly. Experienced guitarists often find that Greek music challenges their habits in unexpected ways. The modal harmony is different from Western tonal harmony: chord progressions follow different logic, bass lines carry melodic and rhythmic functions, and the right hand needs to produce rhythmic patterns — zeibekiko, chasapiko, tsifteteli — that most guitarists have never encountered. Even advanced players tend to discover entirely new musical territory.
What role does the guitar play in rebetiko?
In a rebetiko ensemble, the guitar provides harmonic accompaniment and rhythmic drive. It supports the bouzouki (which carries the melody) through chord voicings and bass lines that outline the dromos. A good rebetiko guitarist does not simply strum chords — the bass line is melodic, the rhythm is precise and style-specific, and the voicings are chosen to suit the modal character of each piece. Some guitarists also play solo melodies and can perform taximi (modal improvisation).
What are the dromi, and how do they work on guitar?
The dromi (singular: dromos) are the modal scales of Greek music, rooted in Ottoman and Byzantine tradition. Each dromos has its own scale, characteristic phrases, ornaments, and emotional color. On guitar, you learn to accompany each dromos with the right chord voicings and bass patterns, and to play melodic lines within it. The main dromi covered in these lessons include Rast, Ousak, Nikriz, Chitzaz, and Kiourdi, among others.
Can I combine guitar lessons with bouzouki or oud lessons?
Yes, and several students do. Understanding the guitar’s accompaniment role deepens when you also study the instruments it supports. Equally, bouzouki and oud players who study guitar gain a stronger sense of harmony and ensemble awareness. We can structure your lessons to cover more than one instrument if you wish.
Ready to start Greek guitar lessons?
Your first lesson is free and comes with no obligation. We meet online, I hear you play, and together we map out a learning path — whether that means starting with basic chords in rebetiko style or diving into modal harmony and taximi.
Deepen your understanding
My books on Greek modal theory, folk music, and rebetiko complement these lessons directly. Many students use them as reference material between sessions.
