Self-taught for 50 years, so I know exactly where people get stuck — and the mistakes worth dodging early. Whatever level you're at, every plan starts from a song you actually want to play.
Who I teach
First guitar and still in single digits? Brilliant. Playful and pressure-free, with capos and easy shapes so little hands aren't fighting it — and a fuss made of every win, so they want to pick it up again.
Always meant to learn but never started, or reckon you've left it too late? You haven't. The first lesson's more cuppa than shredding, one small step at a time, no rush.
Played years ago, or still on the same three chords from 1998? We'll knock the rust off, sort the habits that crept in, and start from a song you actually want to play.
Play a bit but plateaued? The classic Mummified player — and my favourite to set free. Let's break it open.
What we cover
Both — whatever you own or want to play. We work with your guitar and your goals.
Real songs from day one, and the ear to work them out yourself — not endless dry drills.
Chords, keys, scales and how music fits together — with colour-coded diagrams that make it click.
Learn to read tab and, if you'd like, standard notation — so you can teach yourself too.
Thirty years in training taught me that how you teach matters as much as what you teach. My lessons lean on what actually helps people learn — and keep going.
My signature approach: rhythm taught the way you learned to speak — from the "toddler years" up to a confident "adult voice", so timing finally feels natural.
Strumming and chord changes are two separate jobs. We get each solid on its own before combining them — the fast route past the usual frustration.
I praise the effort, not just the result. Progress isn't linear — some weeks fly, some crawl, and both are completely normal.
This is where the science-based side really earns its keep. We go past "just learn the shapes" into how the fretboard actually works — so you're not memorising, you're understanding, and you can start making your own choices on the neck.
Chords, keys and how they fit together — explained with colour-coded diagrams and real songs, not a dry textbook. The "why" behind what your fingers are already doing.
The shapes that unlock the whole neck — and, more to the point, when and why to use them, so they turn into music instead of finger exercises.
Soloing that actually says something. We build the ear and the vocabulary to play over a progression with intent, rather than noodling around one box.
It's all backed by my own practice tools — the Chord Explorer, the slow-down looping player and song sheets — so what we crack in a lesson keeps working through the week. Have a play; they're free.
Try the practice tools 🎸
In-person sessions to get the feel right, online check-ins and tools between times to keep momentum. That mix is where people make the fastest progress.
For beginners there's a lot to talk through and take in — so it's more chat than shredding, and that's on purpose. No pressure at all. If it feels right, by the end we'll have a couple of easy chords like Em and Am (or Asus2) under your fingers — your first real building blocks. And this one's free.
The wrong guitar causes needless pain and frustration — it's the most overlooked reason beginners quit. So I can supply a suitable starter instrument, properly set up by hand so it plays easy from the very first lesson. No rushing out to spend a fortune before you even know you'll love it.
I have a dedicated recording setup, and I teach the quiet superpower behind every good musician: honest self-reflection. We'll record you — audio or video — so you learn to listen back, spot what to polish, and celebrate how far you've come. Keep every recording as a growing record of your journey, and one for posterity too.
No big commitment and no pressure. We start with a free chat and a free first lesson, then build up slowly — so you only carry on once you know it's right for you.
About 30 minutes to get to know you — your experience, your goals and the songs you'd love to play. No obligation.
Lots to discuss, a little playing. A proper feel for how we work together — still no pressure.
An easy-does-it introductory rate as you settle in and the playing really begins.
Or £25 per hour. The standard going rate once you're up and running.
In person around Consett, Co. Durham, or online anywhere. Not sure how often to come? We'll work that out together.
Your first chat and first lesson are free — a friendly, no-pressure hello.
Book your free first lesson 🎸