Justin Sandercoe

Internet video lessons are great but private lessons are by far the fastest way to progress.

I can advise you on exactly what you need to know. The lessons are tailored just for you. I will find out exactly where you want to go and then get you there in the best way possible.

I will correct every hand position and technique and guide you through the learning process, saving you from practicing bad habits or developing new ones.

Complete beginners are always amazed at how quickly they can play songs (preferably of their choosing) if they follow my advice and put in the practice time.


My approach to teaching is to develop a well rounded practice routine. You will play things well. We will work on a song until it is right. Then you will polish it and then we look at it again. I encourage every student to learn some basic music theory, develop a solid basic technique, to learn to play songs all the way through and understand all the basic musical concepts like rhythm and harmony.

I guess my specialty area is the practical application of music theory, but I also focus a lot on old skool ideas like transcribing and working out songs by ear. I think it is better to know only one scale and know how to use it than know many and have no idea what they are for! I also think that every student should have their own aims and aspirations and my job is to get them there.

Lessons are available on guitar, songwriting and music technology. Songwriters should bring in a song or two to work on in the lessons, and Music Technology (Logic Pro based studio) lessons can be incorporated into lessons, even recording your demos and I can help produce them.

All ages, levels and styles taught (incl. music theory), from complete beginners to working professionals. For a beginner the lessons might not be cheap but you will make seriously fast progress if you put in the practice time! Some of my private students go from complete beginner to playing in bands after only 12 months, but of course everyone is different and it takes much longer for some people.

How fast you progress depends on how much work you put in. If you can't do a minimum of 15 minutes a day practice, I am probably not the right teacher for you. I would expect most of my students to put in about 30 minutes a day, with many putting in over an hour. People aiming to be pro should be doing 4-8 hours a day!

I also offer a teaching masterclasses, teaching my approach to teaching as well as how to start yourself up as a teacher. This can be a private lesson (usually two hours) or I sometimes do a seminar at The Guitar Institute. Join the mailing list to find out about the seminars.

Costs

Lessons cost £50 for 55 minutes (it's an hour slot but it takes a minute to get up to my room and stuff, so I say it's 55 minutes!) and can be booked as a regular weekly or fortnightly time or as one off lessons when you need one. 48 hours notice is required for cancellations or lesson fee will be forfeited. A one lesson deposit must be paid on booking your second lesson.

But the bad news....

I have a waiting list, and it is getting quite long... well over 100 people on it now!

I only teach a few hours a week now - so places are very rare, sorry, but I just don't have the time I used to to dedicate to private lessons. And I don't do private lessons when I am touring or have a heavy recording schedule...

Rather than just having a big list that just keeps getting bigger... if you are really keen, then please send me an email telling me why I should accept you as one of my private students :)

If you convince me you will move up the list! but it still may be quite a wait. Sorry.

I will be offering some short courses during 2008 - please join the mailing list for more information as it becomes available. Spaces will be very limited.

I will also be doing limited private lessons in some countries that I visit on my travels. See the forum for more info.

**NEW** I will be recommending some teachers that use my methods very soon - will announce it by mailing list - so please join up if you are interested!

Please read the F.A.Q before contacting me please, please pretty please :)

Student Testimonials are here if you are interested (last updated June 2007)