What do lessons cost?
Online lessons are £20 for 40mins. Home visit lessons start from £22 for 40mins.
Do you teach young children?
Yes! I will accept students as young as 7. I have taught in schools and privately with children ranging from 5-16 years old. Parents are welcome to stay and watch lessons. I have a current Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau Check, Child Protection Training, and Health and Safety training. I will happily provide references if you require.
When are Lessons available?
At present, I have very few Saturday slots remaining. I have a few weekday after school slots open Monday through Friday. Please call or email to check.
How many lessons do I need?
I recommend arranging for one lesson where we can talk about what you want to learn, and how often you would like to take lessons. Lessons can be tailored to fit you and what you want to learn. You don't have to read music unless you want to. We will discuss as little or as much music theory as you like. It is my wish that everyone should enjoy their lessons, and enjoy playing guitar and making music!
What do I need?
If you are a beginner and do not yet have your own guitar, I have guitars that you may borrow in lessons. If you have never played a guitar, I recommend trying one of mine before you buy your own.
Which Guitar should I buy?
If you are thinking about buying a guitar, here is a little friendly advice. (My advice is impartial, I am in no way affiliated with any of the guitar makers or sellers mentioned.)
When buying a guitar, perhaps the first question is what type of music do you want to play?
Acoustic Guitars: steel string acoustic guitars are a good place to start learning. All styles of music (pop/rock/blues/slide/folk/jazz) use acoustic steel string guitars. They are not too loud, they are not too heavy. They stay in tune if you are careful with them. It is easy to transfer skills learned playing acoustic guitar on to electric guitar later on. Yamaha, Aria, Tanglewood and Takamine all make good beginner acoustic guitar models. Expect to pay around £80-120 for a good starter model.
Classical / Spanish Guitars: these are acoustic guitars with nylon strings. You can play most styles on them, but they are best for classical music, flamenco, jazz, or gypsy music. Expect to pay around £60-100 for a good starter model. Yamaha and Ibanez make good models.
Electric Guitars: there are lots of types of electric guitar. All styles of music (pop/rock/blues/slide/folk/jazz) use electric guitars. You will need an amplifier to hear the guitar properly. You will also need a cable to connect the guitar to the amp. Expect to pay around £100 for a good starter model electric guitar. Yamaha, Squirer, Epiphone and Ibanez make good beginner models.
Electric Bass Guitars: there are lots of types of electric bass guitar. All styles of music (pop/rock/blues/slide/folk/jazz) use electric bass guitars. You will need an amplifier to hear the guitar properly. You will also need a cable to connect the guitar to the amp. Expect to pay at least £130 for a good starter model. Yamaha, Washburn, Squirer and Ibanez make good beginner models.
Cases/Gig Bags: I recommend buying a gig bag for your guitar. This is a soft padded case that you can zip your guitar up in, and carry like a rucksack. The padded ones are best, and you can expect to pay between £15-30. A hard case will protect your guitar better, but it is only necessary if you expect to be traveling a lot. Hard cases start from around £45.
Guitar Amplifiers:
If you play electric guitar, you will need an amplifier to hear it properly. There are a great number of different amplifiers. Combo amps have the amplifier and the speaker or speakers in one cabinet. There are also amplifiers that come as a 'head' (just an amplifier), this head needs to be connected to a separate speaker or speakers.
Practice amplifiers: for beginners, I recommend buying a small 20Watt or 30Watt transistor amp. This will be enough for home practice, it will usually have a headphone output for 'silent' practice (you will sill hear the sound of the guitar strings, but they are not so loud). A 30Watt practice amp will cost between £100-£150.
Transistor amps are cheaper, easier to maintain. The sound may not be as impressive, but even most smaller amps have good tonal possibilities. A 20Watt transistor amp will be good for practice and playing with smaller groups. A 100Watt transistor amp will be loud enough for playing with a band and most smaller gigs.
The next step up is a valve amp. Valve amps are expensive, and require more maintenance. They are also heavy. The advantage is that they have a superior sound, and are much louder. A 10Watt valve amp will be loud enough for practice and rehearsing with small groups. A 40Watt valve amp will be loud enough for playing with a band and for playing most smaller gigs.
Bass Amplifiers:
If you play electric bass guitar, you will need an amplifier to hear it properly. There are a great number of different amplifiers. Combo amps have the amplifier and the speaker or speakers in one cabinet. There are also amplifiers that come as a 'head' (just an amplifier), this head needs to be connected to a separate speaker or speakers.
Practice amplifiers: for beginners, I recommend buying a small 30Watt or 50Watt transistor amp. This will be enough for home practice, it will usually have a headphone output for 'silent' practice (you will sill hear the sound of the bass strings, but they are not so loud). A 30Watt practice amp will cost between £100-£150.
Transistor amps are cheaper, and easier to maintain. The sound may not be as impressive, but even most smaller amps have good tonal possibilities. A 50Watt transistor amp will be good for practice and playing with smaller groups. A 300Watt transistor amp will be loud enough for playing with a band and most smaller gigs. Bass amps generally need to be more powerful than guitar amps, and they tend to have bigger speakers. The low end sound that the bass produces needs more power and space to be pushed out.
The next step up is a valve amp. Bass valve amps are expensive, and require more maintenance. They are also very heavy. The advantage is that they have a superior sound, and are much louder and more powerful. A 50Watt bass valve amp will be loud enough for practice and rehearsing with small groups. A 150Watt bass valve amp will be loud enough for playing with a band and for playing most smaller gigs.
Leads: It is important to spend a little money on guitar leads. You need a 1/4" mono jack lead to connect your guitar or bass to your amp. The lead needs to be shielded, so that you do not get interference from radio waves and mains hum. A decent shielded 5metre guitar lead will cost around £8.
Strings: You don't need to change your strings often, unless you want to. It is important to leave enough wind on the tuning peg when you change a string. This helps the guitar stay in tune. It is a good idea to keep a set of spare stings, and some extra top strings, as these are more likely to snap.
Strap: Electric guitars and basses need a strap, some acoustic steel string guitars need a strap if you want to play standing up. You don't need to spend more than £10 on a cloth or nylon one. Leather ones are more expensive, but only really for show.
Capo: A capo is an important piece of equipment to have as your playing advances. A well made one should cost around £5.
Slide: A glass or metal slide is a nice addition to your setup as your playing progresses if you play steel string or electric guitar. Slides do not work well with bass guitars, and they will not work on classical guitars. A slide should only cost £4 or so. Glass and metal slides sound the same. It is a personal choice as to which you prefer the feel of.
Which size guitar should I buy?
I recommend buying a full-size guitar. In the cheaper end of the market, 1/2 and 3/4 size guitars don't hold their tuning as well. Most children from 7 or 8 years old (and even grown ups with small hands) can play a full size acoustic guitar after a little practice. Although price is not always the best guide, I would recommend spending around £100 on your first guitar. You can buy guitars for £50, but they will not usually stay in tune, and you will need to upgrade as you get better on the instrument.
Types of Guitar
There are many variations in body shape, type of wood, colour, and hardware. Some examples might be a 'dreadnought', which is a full size guitar, like an old cowboy might play. There are 'cutaway' guitars, which leave more space for your fingers to reach the top of the fretboard. There are 'parlour' guitars, which usually have a smaller body and skinnier neck, but a full scale length. Wood type and finish make little difference in the beginner price range. Colour makes no difference. In the £80-£100 price range, hardware and parts (such as tuners, the nut, and the bridge) should be adequate.
Here are some examples to consider:
Online lessons are £20 for 40mins. Home visit lessons start from £22 for 40mins.
Do you teach young children?
Yes! I will accept students as young as 7. I have taught in schools and privately with children ranging from 5-16 years old. Parents are welcome to stay and watch lessons. I have a current Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau Check, Child Protection Training, and Health and Safety training. I will happily provide references if you require.
When are Lessons available?
At present, I have very few Saturday slots remaining. I have a few weekday after school slots open Monday through Friday. Please call or email to check.
How many lessons do I need?
I recommend arranging for one lesson where we can talk about what you want to learn, and how often you would like to take lessons. Lessons can be tailored to fit you and what you want to learn. You don't have to read music unless you want to. We will discuss as little or as much music theory as you like. It is my wish that everyone should enjoy their lessons, and enjoy playing guitar and making music!
What do I need?
If you are a beginner and do not yet have your own guitar, I have guitars that you may borrow in lessons. If you have never played a guitar, I recommend trying one of mine before you buy your own.
Which Guitar should I buy?
If you are thinking about buying a guitar, here is a little friendly advice. (My advice is impartial, I am in no way affiliated with any of the guitar makers or sellers mentioned.)
When buying a guitar, perhaps the first question is what type of music do you want to play?
Acoustic Guitars: steel string acoustic guitars are a good place to start learning. All styles of music (pop/rock/blues/slide/folk/jazz) use acoustic steel string guitars. They are not too loud, they are not too heavy. They stay in tune if you are careful with them. It is easy to transfer skills learned playing acoustic guitar on to electric guitar later on. Yamaha, Aria, Tanglewood and Takamine all make good beginner acoustic guitar models. Expect to pay around £80-120 for a good starter model.
Classical / Spanish Guitars: these are acoustic guitars with nylon strings. You can play most styles on them, but they are best for classical music, flamenco, jazz, or gypsy music. Expect to pay around £60-100 for a good starter model. Yamaha and Ibanez make good models.
Electric Guitars: there are lots of types of electric guitar. All styles of music (pop/rock/blues/slide/folk/jazz) use electric guitars. You will need an amplifier to hear the guitar properly. You will also need a cable to connect the guitar to the amp. Expect to pay around £100 for a good starter model electric guitar. Yamaha, Squirer, Epiphone and Ibanez make good beginner models.
Electric Bass Guitars: there are lots of types of electric bass guitar. All styles of music (pop/rock/blues/slide/folk/jazz) use electric bass guitars. You will need an amplifier to hear the guitar properly. You will also need a cable to connect the guitar to the amp. Expect to pay at least £130 for a good starter model. Yamaha, Washburn, Squirer and Ibanez make good beginner models.
Cases/Gig Bags: I recommend buying a gig bag for your guitar. This is a soft padded case that you can zip your guitar up in, and carry like a rucksack. The padded ones are best, and you can expect to pay between £15-30. A hard case will protect your guitar better, but it is only necessary if you expect to be traveling a lot. Hard cases start from around £45.
Guitar Amplifiers:
If you play electric guitar, you will need an amplifier to hear it properly. There are a great number of different amplifiers. Combo amps have the amplifier and the speaker or speakers in one cabinet. There are also amplifiers that come as a 'head' (just an amplifier), this head needs to be connected to a separate speaker or speakers.
Practice amplifiers: for beginners, I recommend buying a small 20Watt or 30Watt transistor amp. This will be enough for home practice, it will usually have a headphone output for 'silent' practice (you will sill hear the sound of the guitar strings, but they are not so loud). A 30Watt practice amp will cost between £100-£150.
Transistor amps are cheaper, easier to maintain. The sound may not be as impressive, but even most smaller amps have good tonal possibilities. A 20Watt transistor amp will be good for practice and playing with smaller groups. A 100Watt transistor amp will be loud enough for playing with a band and most smaller gigs.
The next step up is a valve amp. Valve amps are expensive, and require more maintenance. They are also heavy. The advantage is that they have a superior sound, and are much louder. A 10Watt valve amp will be loud enough for practice and rehearsing with small groups. A 40Watt valve amp will be loud enough for playing with a band and for playing most smaller gigs.
Bass Amplifiers:
If you play electric bass guitar, you will need an amplifier to hear it properly. There are a great number of different amplifiers. Combo amps have the amplifier and the speaker or speakers in one cabinet. There are also amplifiers that come as a 'head' (just an amplifier), this head needs to be connected to a separate speaker or speakers.
Practice amplifiers: for beginners, I recommend buying a small 30Watt or 50Watt transistor amp. This will be enough for home practice, it will usually have a headphone output for 'silent' practice (you will sill hear the sound of the bass strings, but they are not so loud). A 30Watt practice amp will cost between £100-£150.
Transistor amps are cheaper, and easier to maintain. The sound may not be as impressive, but even most smaller amps have good tonal possibilities. A 50Watt transistor amp will be good for practice and playing with smaller groups. A 300Watt transistor amp will be loud enough for playing with a band and most smaller gigs. Bass amps generally need to be more powerful than guitar amps, and they tend to have bigger speakers. The low end sound that the bass produces needs more power and space to be pushed out.
The next step up is a valve amp. Bass valve amps are expensive, and require more maintenance. They are also very heavy. The advantage is that they have a superior sound, and are much louder and more powerful. A 50Watt bass valve amp will be loud enough for practice and rehearsing with small groups. A 150Watt bass valve amp will be loud enough for playing with a band and for playing most smaller gigs.
Leads: It is important to spend a little money on guitar leads. You need a 1/4" mono jack lead to connect your guitar or bass to your amp. The lead needs to be shielded, so that you do not get interference from radio waves and mains hum. A decent shielded 5metre guitar lead will cost around £8.
Strings: You don't need to change your strings often, unless you want to. It is important to leave enough wind on the tuning peg when you change a string. This helps the guitar stay in tune. It is a good idea to keep a set of spare stings, and some extra top strings, as these are more likely to snap.
Strap: Electric guitars and basses need a strap, some acoustic steel string guitars need a strap if you want to play standing up. You don't need to spend more than £10 on a cloth or nylon one. Leather ones are more expensive, but only really for show.
Capo: A capo is an important piece of equipment to have as your playing advances. A well made one should cost around £5.
Slide: A glass or metal slide is a nice addition to your setup as your playing progresses if you play steel string or electric guitar. Slides do not work well with bass guitars, and they will not work on classical guitars. A slide should only cost £4 or so. Glass and metal slides sound the same. It is a personal choice as to which you prefer the feel of.
Which size guitar should I buy?
I recommend buying a full-size guitar. In the cheaper end of the market, 1/2 and 3/4 size guitars don't hold their tuning as well. Most children from 7 or 8 years old (and even grown ups with small hands) can play a full size acoustic guitar after a little practice. Although price is not always the best guide, I would recommend spending around £100 on your first guitar. You can buy guitars for £50, but they will not usually stay in tune, and you will need to upgrade as you get better on the instrument.
Types of Guitar
There are many variations in body shape, type of wood, colour, and hardware. Some examples might be a 'dreadnought', which is a full size guitar, like an old cowboy might play. There are 'cutaway' guitars, which leave more space for your fingers to reach the top of the fretboard. There are 'parlour' guitars, which usually have a smaller body and skinnier neck, but a full scale length. Wood type and finish make little difference in the beginner price range. Colour makes no difference. In the £80-£100 price range, hardware and parts (such as tuners, the nut, and the bridge) should be adequate.
Here are some examples to consider:
Yamaha F310 Full Size Acoustic Guitar - Natural Finish:
This is a simple and reliable guitar by Yamaha. It is full size, steel string, with a natural wood finish. The components should be hard wearing, and the guitar should stay in tune. It is listed on Amazon for £100. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
This is a simple and reliable guitar by Yamaha. It is full size, steel string, with a natural wood finish. The components should be hard wearing, and the guitar should stay in tune. It is listed on Amazon for £100. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
Westfield Electro-Acoustic Guitar:
This guitar is listed at £110 on Amazon UK. It is a full size steel string guitar with a dreadnought shape, and a single cutaway. It also has a piezo pickup in it, which is like a tiny microphone. With a guitar cable, this type of Electro Acoustic guitar can be plugged into a PA system, a recording device, or an acoustic guitar amplifier. The pickup usually requires a 9v battery. The batteries last quite a while. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
This guitar is listed at £110 on Amazon UK. It is a full size steel string guitar with a dreadnought shape, and a single cutaway. It also has a piezo pickup in it, which is like a tiny microphone. With a guitar cable, this type of Electro Acoustic guitar can be plugged into a PA system, a recording device, or an acoustic guitar amplifier. The pickup usually requires a 9v battery. The batteries last quite a while. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
Hudson HO-STD Parlour Acoustic Guitar:
This guitar is listed at £180 on Amazon UK. It is a full size steel string guitar with a parlour body shape, which is a little smaller than a dreadnought guitar. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
This guitar is listed at £180 on Amazon UK. It is a full size steel string guitar with a parlour body shape, which is a little smaller than a dreadnought guitar. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
Valencia Full Size Classical Guitar
This is a generic classical guitar with nylon strings. It is full size, and listed on Amazon UK for £55. This would be fine for a beginner to intermediate player. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
This is a generic classical guitar with nylon strings. It is full size, and listed on Amazon UK for £55. This would be fine for a beginner to intermediate player. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
Yamaha Pacifica Full Size Electric Guitar
This 'strat' type electric guitar by Yamaha has good quality components and is very playable. It would suit most beginner to intermediate players. It is listed on Amazon UK for £155. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
This 'strat' type electric guitar by Yamaha has good quality components and is very playable. It would suit most beginner to intermediate players. It is listed on Amazon UK for £155. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
Squier Telecaster Electric Guitar Maple Fingerboard
The first electric guitar was made by Leo Fender, and the Fender brand is recognised world wide. Squier is the budget branch of Fender, and this 'tele' type electric guitar has good quality components and is very playable. It would suit most beginner to intermediate players. It is listed on Amazon UK for £175. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
The first electric guitar was made by Leo Fender, and the Fender brand is recognised world wide. Squier is the budget branch of Fender, and this 'tele' type electric guitar has good quality components and is very playable. It would suit most beginner to intermediate players. It is listed on Amazon UK for £175. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
Epiphone Les Paul Junior:
The Les Paul series of guitars made by Gibson are famous for having more powerful pickups, and are generally used for rock music. Epiphone is Gibson's budget line, and this Epiphone Les Paul Junior has good quality components and is very playable. It would suit most beginner to intermediate players. It is listed on Amazon UK for £200. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
The Les Paul series of guitars made by Gibson are famous for having more powerful pickups, and are generally used for rock music. Epiphone is Gibson's budget line, and this Epiphone Les Paul Junior has good quality components and is very playable. It would suit most beginner to intermediate players. It is listed on Amazon UK for £200. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
Westfield E7000 Electric Guitar:
This is a semi-acoustic guitar based on a design by Gibson. Semi-acoustic electric guitars are not designed to be played without an amp, although unplugged, they are louder than solid body electric guitars. This is because semi acoustic guitars have hollow chambers that make the guitar resonate to enhance the tone. This type of guitar is good for blues and jazz, as you can find very warm tones. It can be used for heavier music, but they are prone to feedback (squeal) if you turn your amp up too loud. This particular copy would suit most beginner to intermediate players. It is listed on Amazon UK for £220. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
This is a semi-acoustic guitar based on a design by Gibson. Semi-acoustic electric guitars are not designed to be played without an amp, although unplugged, they are louder than solid body electric guitars. This is because semi acoustic guitars have hollow chambers that make the guitar resonate to enhance the tone. This type of guitar is good for blues and jazz, as you can find very warm tones. It can be used for heavier music, but they are prone to feedback (squeal) if you turn your amp up too loud. This particular copy would suit most beginner to intermediate players. It is listed on Amazon UK for £220. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
Washburn T14Q Taurus Series Electric Bass Guitar:
This 4 string electric bass guitar by Washburn is a good model for beginner players. The components are of good quality. The bass is listed on Amazon for £150. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
This 4 string electric bass guitar by Washburn is a good model for beginner players. The components are of good quality. The bass is listed on Amazon for £150. You can click on the picture to link and get more details.
Squier Affinity J-Bass & Rumble 15 Amp:
This starter pack includes a 4 string electric 'P Bass' by Squier and a practice amp. It is listed on Amazon for £250. There are starter packs like this for guitar also.
This starter pack includes a 4 string electric 'P Bass' by Squier and a practice amp. It is listed on Amazon for £250. There are starter packs like this for guitar also.
Behringer BXL900A Ultrabass 90W Bass Amplifier
This example budget bass amplifier by Behringer is loud enough for practice, band practice, and perhaps small gigs. It is listed on Amazon for £135.
This example budget bass amplifier by Behringer is loud enough for practice, band practice, and perhaps small gigs. It is listed on Amazon for £135.
Vox Pathfinder 10Watt Transistor Guitar Practice Amplifier
This example budget guitar amplifier by Vox is loud enough for home practice, and perhaps small band practice. It is listed on Amazon for £49.
This example budget guitar amplifier by Vox is loud enough for home practice, and perhaps small band practice. It is listed on Amazon for £49.
Blackstar HT1R 1 Watt Valve Guitar Combo with Reverb
This example practice valve amplifier by Blackstar is loud enough for practice, and perhaps small band practice. It has great tone. It is listed on Amazon for £199.
This example practice valve amplifier by Blackstar is loud enough for practice, and perhaps small band practice. It has great tone. It is listed on Amazon for £199.
Fender Mustang III v.2 - 100w Guitar Combo
This example transistor amplifier by Fender is loud enough for home practice, band practice, and perhaps small gigs. It is listed on Amazon for £235.
This example transistor amplifier by Fender is loud enough for home practice, band practice, and perhaps small gigs. It is listed on Amazon for £235.