Play the music you love in 2017!

Happy New Year!  If you’re interested in guitar lessons email me, because I’m looking at taking on 1 or 2 new students.   I live in central Salisbury but can come to you if that suits, and I’ll get you playing the music you want to play.

Guitar Lessons in Salisbury

I’ve been teaching the guitar in and around Salisbury since 2011, and before that I taught in London for about 8 years.   I teach classical guitar and rock / pop / folk on both acoustic and electric, as well as bass, ukulele, and related areas like singing, music reading, music theory and basic keyboards.

I try to get everyone playing the music they like, right away, so I cover quite a varied range of musical styles every week.  Here are some of the things I’ve been helping people master of late:

Writing’s on the Wall by Sam Smith

Sounds of Silence by Disturbed

Take the Box by Amy Winehouse

Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin

Cavatina by Stanley Myers

Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes

Starman by David Bowie

If there is something you’d like to play I’ll work it out for you and we can work on it.  But I also often recommend people work on a grade syllabus for classical guitar, or acoustic pop and folk, or electric rock, and I have an excellent record of passes with merit and distinction among my students.

I have public liability insurance and enhanced DBS clearance, and have taken child protection training.  I am a member of the Registry of Guitar Tutors and a Wiltshire Music Connect associate provider of instrumental education.  I passed all of the ABRSM guitar exams back in the 80s, and have since performed in bands, orchestras in musical theatre, and as a soloist.

Do email me if there is anything you’re wondering about and I’ll be happy to help!

 

Pavane

I have a really nice duet arrangement of Faure’s Pavane, and I’ve put a recording of the guitar 2 part up here so you can practice guitar 1 along with it.  Enjoy!

The link is to MySpace where you will probably need to find a small triangular play icon to click.

Silent Night

My excellent Year 6 guitar student and I worked out a few festive tunes at the weekend and I did some nice little lo-fi recordings on my phone.  Here’s our Silent Night (via MySpace).

Merry Christmas!

Wiltshire Music Connect Associate Provider

I’m now an official Associate Provider of instrumental tuition with Wiltshire Music Connect, the music education hub for Wiltshire.

That means I’ve demonstrated the skills and experience the hub is looking for in the county’s instrumental tutors, as well as having an up to date DBS check and child protection training.

I had to apply and be interviewed for Associate status as you would for any other job.  The interview included giving a demonstration of an aspect of my teaching, so I showed the panel a few things that school children have been asking to learn in lessons recently: songs by Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and The Vamps.

I’m really chuffed to join the WMC team!

You can see my profile on their site here.

Guitar lessons in Wiltshire and Hampshire: FAQs

I am a guitar teacher based in Salisbury, Wiltshire, and I’m looking to take on a few more pupils at the moment, so I thought it might be a good idea to answer some of the questions I often get asked about lessons. So here goes!:

Where do you teach?

It depends what suits you, you could either come to my house which is quite near to Salisbury town centre, or I can come to you if you are looking for guitar lessons in the Salisbury area or beyond in to Wiltshire, Hampshire, perhaps Berkshire and Dorset even.

How much do lessons cost?

I charge less during the day than in the evening because I’d rather be working during school hours. And I might need to add a little to cover travel time and expenses if I’m coming to you and you are not in Salisbury. But broadly speaking I charge around £26 to £32 per hour. 45 minute lessons can work for some people too, particularly younger students. And although a lesson every week is ideal, adults often find that every other week works better for them.

What styles of music do you cover?

I try to get people playing the music they love, so a real mixture. Its good to play some music you know! And you are more likely to practice if you like what you’re playing. At the moment I’m teaching some classical guitar, a variety of broadly rock and pop stuff, some quite folky fingerpicking type guitar, plus I’m helping one student master bass playing in a kind of acoustic roots music style, and one student has kind of jazz pop leanings so its a lot of jazzy chords etc. I think its good to try a mixture of styles, and personally I’m into quite a broad range of music. When I’m thinking of music that the guitarist might want to try I’ll suggest varied things that have worked well in the past, and I put together Spotify playlists of things that have gone down well with students or that I think might be fun to try.

Can you put me in for grade exams?

Yes and I have an excellent record for exam success. Most of the people I’ve put in for exams have passed with distinction. That’s with the RGT exam syllabus in electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and classical guitar.

Does it matter that I’m a total beginner?

No, not at all. You don’t need to be able to read music or have any prior musical knowledge or playing experience. If you are already playing and would just like some help with refining aspects of your playing or branching into new styles or techniques that’s fine too!

Does it matter that I’m perhaps no longer as supple and flexible as I once was?

No, I’ve taught several mature guitarists and, like a good footballer, when you’re older your brain makes up for the physical speed of movement you may have lost. You’ll get your fingers stretching in time.

What do I need to get started?

Not much really, if you don’t have a guitar you can try one of mine and I’ll help you choose what sort to buy. So really just a notebook we can jot information and songs in.

If you have any other questions you would like me to answer please do get in touch: I’m on 01722 501 673 or email simonsheffield@googlemail.com

I can also provide gift vouchers if you would like to give lessons as a Christmas gift.

Salisbury Guitar Lessons update

I have a little availability for more students at the moment, so if you are looking to learn the guitar in Salisbury, of if you play already and would like some help moving forward or moving into new styles, do contact me.

Salisbury Guitar Lessons

I’ve started teaching guitar at a local primary school, which is going brilliantly, lots of younger kids all taking their first steps, learning a bit of music reading and classical technique plus how to bang out a bit of White Stripes or AC/DC or whatever they are in to.  A lovely way to spend an afternoon!

School children discount on guitar lessons in Salisbury

If you’re under 18 and in education and looking for guitar lessons in the Salisbury, Wiltshire area I’m offering a discount at the moment as I have some availability on weekday early evenings or Saturday lunchtimes. I could come to you or you to me.  So email me to discuss.

Bass Oddyssey

There’s a good article about the bass guitar in the Feb 2012 issue of The Word magazine, in which they talk to various great bass players like Peter Hook and point out that while guitarists often have lessons, bass players tend to have to work it out for themselves. Which hadn’t occurred to me but I guess is true.