FAQ

The right guitar depends on the player’s age and musical interests. For young beginners, a nylon-string classical guitar is usually a good choice. Nylon strings are softer on the fingers than steel strings, which makes them more comfortable when starting out.

Here’s what I'd typically recommend for young beginners:

• Yr 1 - Yr 2 pupils: 1/2 size classical guitar
• Yr 3 - Yr 7 pupils: 3/4 size classical guitar

For older children or adults, I recommend a full-size guitar. A steel-string acoustic guitar is a great choice. It offers a bright sound and is versatile for various music styles. If you prefer electric guitar, I can help you choose a suitable model if you're unsure what to buy.

We'll start with the key fundamentals, including:

• Finger independence exercises
• Major and Minor chords (open position)
• Strumming patterns
• Minor Pentatonic scale
• Picking technique
• A selection of classic riffs and popular songs suitable for beginners

All of the above is covered in my beginner lessons to get you off to a strong start!

I specialise in Rock, Metal, Blues and Pop, as well as acoustic fingerstyle guitar. I also teach music theory, ear training, improvisation and fretboard knowledge — including chords, scales, modes, intervals and more.

It depends on your goals, the style of music you want to play and your personal preferences. Many guitarists start by learning to play by ear or using tablature, which doesn't require reading standard notation.

However, learning to read music can be beneficial, especially if you want to play classical guitar, work with other musicians, or deepen your understanding of music theory.

A balanced approach works well: learn songs you love by ear while gradually building your music reading skills.

Grades can help to gauge your progress and add structure to your learning but they’re not essential. Many successful guitarists never take grades and instead develop their skills through personal practice, learning songs and playing with others.

For students preparing for higher education, grades 6–8 can be especially useful, as they carry UCAS points that support college and university applications.

I cover all major exam boards, including Rockschool, Trinity and LCME (formerly RGT). UCAS points are consistent across all syllabuses.

Here’s a general guideline:

• Beginners: 15-20 minutes a day
• Intermediate: 30-45 minutes a day
• Advanced: 45-60+ minutes a day

Consistency is key! Short, focused practice sessions are more effective than long, infrequent ones. It's better to practice a little each day than to cram everything into one or two long sessions a week.

I offer lesson slots of 30 minutes, 45 minutes and 1 hour. Get in touch for pricing info, including discounts for block bookings.

Yes, you should bring your own guitar to each lesson. This helps you get comfortable playing your own instrument and allows us to work on things like posture and technique using the guitar you’ll be practicing on at home.

If you can’t attend a lesson, I’ll do my best to reschedule it within the same week. However, due to a busy teaching schedule, this may not always be possible.

Last-minute cancellations: To avoid forfeiting any fees, I kindly ask that students provide at least 48 hours notice.

Many of my students choose to learn online and continue to progress at the same pace as those learning face-to-face, including those studying for their graded exams.

Over Zoom, I can demonstrate techniques up close, observe your playing and give detailed feedback, just like in a face-to-face lesson.

I teach Monday to Saturday. You can view my full teaching hours on the Contact page.

Due to a busy teaching schedule, I'm currently unable to offer home visits. However, if you’re local, lessons can be arranged at my home studio or online.