As a tutor of many years and having studied various activities over the years, I feel it is of paramount importance that the teacher you select is the right one for you. There are many guitar teachers available and as the student it is vital for your success that you feel comfortable that your teacher is providing you with the education that you seek in an effective way and with the right empathy for your own learning capacity.

I started playing the guitar around the age of 15. This was during the punk era where an attitude of get up and give it go was prevalent. In a punk style RnB band I immediately began gigging in recently established music pubs and clubs around London. Hearing authentic blues and inspired by early Stones recordings and current bands at the time such as Dr Feelgood, I established a lifelong passion for guitar music. After a short time an instrumental band was formed with local musicians. Playing Memphis inspired tunes this brought us to the attention of older local musicians who mentored us and connected us with promoters and clubs that soon saw us supporting the likes of Jnr Walker and Tina Turner.

A succession of bands then ensued over the next 25 years which included every type of gig imaginable from one man and his dog to large scale festivals. Thousands of miles were travelled, and I was lucky enough to meet and work with some of the most talented musicians playing music at the highest level, so many of whom were gracious and generous enough to impart their knowledge and share their skills with me.

A sabbatical in the early 90’s led me to joining a bar band with Louisianan musicians in the Mexican Caribbean, where playing for at least 4 hours a night 7 nights a week I learnt invaluable lessons regarding musical feel, versatility and stamina. Returning from this 2 year stint I went to study for my bachelor of music degree at Goldsmiths University London, concentrating on performance and composition. I also subsequently qualified as a secondary school teacher to give me a sound foundation in teaching skills.

My playing life continued with many live TV and radio appearances with a variety of pop acts and at the same time my work as a freelance composer began.

As I gradually wound down the touring life and concentrated on studio based musical activities my musical education as well as exploration of the guitar deepened. The more I learnt the more inspired I became to delve deeper and broaden my knowledge of both.
From around ’94 until now I have written and performed music for all media types, having been the musical director of a theatre company, worked for performance artists, dance companies and then TV, radio and corporate advertising as well as feature length documentaries and films.

Alongside all of my musical activities for the last 20 years I have taught guitar, digital music making and composition. Having been the beneficiary of more experienced musicians’ knowledge I have always enjoyed following this example inspiring others to learn and enjoy music making. I have taught in schools and private educational colleges as well as guiding private students towards achieving their desired goals.
I still play the guitar daily and occasionally play live as well as still writing and recording composition commissions. I now focus my own guitar education and skills on acoustic playing, finger style arrangements and the challenging genre of Django Rheinhardt’s gypsy jazz music. The learning and the joy never stop.

Having started out as a self taught guitarist and not studying the instrument formally until after many years of playing later, I came to appreciate the strength of having a good foundation in proper technique. Undoing my bad habits and aspects of my technique that were not helpful was far harder than if I had had proper guidance in the first place. There are many ways of playing a guitar and it is one of the most versatile and ubiquitous instruments that is common to a very wide range of musical styles. From early lute music to almost everything we hear today the guitar must surely rank alongside the voice and drums as the instrument most able to accommodate playing any music anywhere and at anytime. It has made its way into many cultures worldwide. It is very sociable, portable, and an acoustic guitar doesn’t require electricity or batteries.  It is also very easy to get started on.

My teaching style is relaxed yet focused and has been honed from the years of experience in teaching a wide variety of students from very young beginners to adults beyond retirement age.

Whatever the reasons that inspire you to pick up a guitar in the first place, taking lessons will prove invaluable in building your skills and technique. Learning good habits for your practicing sessions and employing the learnt mechanical skills to be able to play the music you love is such a rewarding activity. Alongside this there is always the opportunity to learn the theoretical nuts and bolts of music that give meaning and context to the music you are playing. This can be as simple or complex as you want it to be.
Whether you are just starting out or wishing to expand your guitar playing skills I take an organic approach to teaching that focuses on your own particular goals. We will develop your overall musicality and understanding of the instrument and the music you are playing – rhythmically, melodically and harmonically. Always in small and simple steps, at a pace that is suitable and relevant to you.

In the case of complete beginners this is a case of learning basic physical and mechanical movements involving posture and hand positioning. Simple chords and melodies are easily attainable for complete beginners making it quite possible to start playing music on the guitar within a very short space of time.

For players with little or some experience any playing habits that are not helpful can be identified and corrected easily so as to enable progress to be accelerated in the right direction. The necessary techniques for any particular style can be identified for you to be able to play the music that motivated you to pick up the guitar in the first place.

If you have already gained some skills and knowledge playing the guitar but feel that your playing has hit a brick wall, plateau or simply reached the limit for your current level then your guitar lessons will show you a direction in which to focus your attention and develop your skills further.

For all levels the emphasis is on correct and effective practice. This is how we all improve at whatever skills we are trying to accumulate. Learning how to do this is all that is required, and you can dedicate as much time and effort to this as you want, whether that is a few minutes a day or hours. There is no pressure or deadline and the motivation to learn and improve  comes from your enjoyment of making music on your chosen instrument.