When I was twelve I acquired an old box with strings on it from my uncle and a sweet old lady who taught piano at the school showed me a few chords. After a few weeks she told me to get some music I wanted to play. When I turned up with "Jumpin' Jack Flash" by The Stones our relationship cooled. She disappeared shortly afterwards but that lady, God bless her, gave me the joy of playing music and it's kept me sane ever since.

My aim in teaching is to pass on that joy, the fun of making and sharing music.
That's not to say there isn't lots of work involved, without commitments and perseverence there are no results.

I have played music professionally for the last twenty five years (see the site for more details) and been teaching here in Melton since 1998. I am a member of The Musicians Union, I carry all the relevant insurances and am CRB checked.
So this is what I have to offer.

I teach all styles on acoustic and electric guitar from beginner to intermediate and teach rock, blues, jazz and fingerpicking on to advanced level.
I work with a combination of excellent tutorial books which I have found over the years, arrangements I have written of well known songs by bands such as The Beatles and songs brought to me by the students themselves.

I currently teach at my home in Melton Mowbray on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons from 3.30pm. My teaching room has all the equipment I need, including a computer with internet access, a full library of books and cds, amps, pedals etc. All the student needs to bring is their guitar, their books and a diary. I also have ample room and comfort for parents to sit in on the lessons and parking (except early on Tuesdays) is never a problem. I charge £10.00 per half hour lesson and I charge £7.00 for any lessons not attended. These charges run throughout the year except during the Christmas holiday when we all take a break, and the summer school holiday. I continue to teach over most of the summer but I only charge those who take a lesson. I teach through the school half terms as they vary between the counties.

I also teach at King Edward Upper school on Tuesday mornings. Pupils of the school who wish to take lessons there should contact Ms Batstone in the music department who will arrange for them to meet me after lessons.
I can help those who wish to take the recognised music grades but I do not insist on my students learning through grade exams. My firm reasoning for this is that I have seen too many potential musicians give up because the teacher, with grades and exams, turned what should be a fun learning experience into a chore and a stress. I have never taken a grade exam and I console myself that neither did Jimi Hendrix. Imagine what the examiner would say when Master Hendrix set fire to the guitar!

My ambition is that all my students enjoy learning to play the guitar and eventually come gigging with us. Quite a few already have (you'll see some of them in the Musicians photo gallery) either at regular gigs we play or at charity events we perform for. It's the best experience and the best confidence builder.

So if you have the commitment, the patience and the perseverence, I have the knowledge.