How much are lessons?

Lessons are currently 30€ per hour for one-to-one lessons. The lesson rate includes learning material which I produce. I accept payment by cash or cheque.

What is a good age to start?

I have found that students can start as young as 7 or 8, but if you are in doubt we can discuss this further at the free consultation that I offer.

Do I need my own guitar?

Yes! It is essential to practise in order to learn any instrument. Time spent playing between lessons is key to mastering the instrument.

Do you teach classical guitar?

Unfortunately, I do not offer lessons in the classical style, characterised by the fingerstyle technique and nylon strings. I do though currently have students that are learning on nylon string guitars and I would gladly welcome students that have previously studied the classical style and are looking to discover new genres and techniques.

What is best to start on: the electric or acoustic guitar?

For most beginners an electric guitar is a better starter instrument, mainly because they are easier to play and so you will see results faster and it will inspire you to play more!

A few rules of thumb:

1. If you want to play rock – buy an electric.

2. If you want to play folk – buy a steel string acoustic.

3. If you want to play all styles, then electric is the way to go and get an acoustic later.

4. If you only have a very small budget, don’t buy an acoustic.

Can you recommend any good guitar brands?

Electric guitars: Yamaha Pacifica, Squier, Ibanez.

Acoustic guitars: Yamaha, Lâg, Art & Lutherie, Takemine, and Taylor.

Where do you teach your lessons?

At the moment, I only offer lessons from my home (see Contact Me for details).

What do I need for lessons?

Your guitar (obviously!) with a strap and cable;

Guitar picks (I recommend Dunlop USA Nylon, 0.46mm or 0.60mm, buy a few);

Guitar tuner (‘accordeur’ in French), (I recommend the Korg GA-40);

Metronome (I recommend the Korg MA-30); and

Display folder to hold worksheets/music.

Not essential but highly recommended is a capo. I recommend the Kyser capos.

If I want to learn a specific piece of music, can I bring it to class?

Of course. I am more than happy to go over music brought to me by my students, provided that it is within the student’s capabilities at that time.

I have never played an instrument before and can’t read music. Is that a problem?

It’s not a problem at all if you have not played an instrument before and can’t yet read music. My approach is very practical initially, and the theory follows when the student is ready for it. The level of theory taught is entirely dependent on the student’s desires, although there are some essentials! I will teach you how to read music, but the first thing I will teach is tablature.

What is tablature?

Tablature (or TAB), is a musical notation specifically for guitarists. It’s much easier to follow than standard musical notation. Whereas a standard musical stave has five lines, TAB has six lines – one for each string and the fingering is shown by numbers instead of musical symbols.

I don’t speak any French. Is that a problem?

No. All my lessons and teaching materials are in English.

How much do I need to practise?

Little and often is the best advice I can give. 15-20 minutes every day is much better than 2 hours once a week.

How long until I can play fully?

In terms of a timescale to learn the guitar it would depend entirely on what your goals were and how much often you practised. Being able to play songs using simple chords could be achieved after a few hours of lessons. Being able to do other things can take significantly longer.