Music lessons

I offer private 'one to one' and 'one to a few' music lessons in the Brighton and Hove, Sussex area. These are based around guitars and can venture off into various areas such as music theory, song writing and computer based recording. I teach all ages, abilities, styles and techniques.

Electric guitar	Acoustic guitar	Bass guitar

5269 private music lessons since records began! (Feb 2003 - Aug 2011)

Songs

Most students like to request songs that they want to learn and through these requests I have a large archive of lessons that we regularly add to. I'm happy to prepare lesson sheets and transcriptions at no extra charge for regular students, given a bit of notice. It's also cool to work on tracks on the spot - have your Ipod ready!

"Most of my lessons start with me asking Andy if we can have a go at a new song I have heard, so on goes the song and amazingly Andy writes down the chords as its playing maybe with a replay or two if the song has some unusual tuning or chords."

Chris Nicholls
Student
November 2005

Latest transcriptions (show all)

Last updated 20/02/2012

Structure

Each individuals lesson will tend to vary depending upon what they want to achieve and I'm open to a lesson being from a question / answer style session or to where we work on a set plan from myself.

Scenarios could include:

• Beginner guitarist looking to knock out some chords.
• Hobby for child.....or adult reliving childhood.
• Advanced guitarist needing to tidy up skills to get into a music school.
• Singer wanting to accompany themselves.
• Coffee and jamming buddy.
• Songwriter needing a new writing tool.
• Band member wanting to tighten up playing and improve group.

To support the lessons, I carry various prepared sheets covering the following categories and we can work on these as the subjects arise, be it through a specific question or a song being learnt:

• Exercises and warmups.
• Chords.
• Scales.
• Techniques.
• Theory.
• Ear training and working out songs from their recordings.
• Reading music - TAB / traditional notation.
• Band skills.
• Recording techniques.

We can learn songs in a parrot fashion for quick results and enjoyment or go into more depth to understand the theory and techniques that make a song sound like it does. A more in depth approach can speed up learning, help to memorise parts and assist in the understanding of further songs.

Qualifications

• Professional Development Certificate in modern music - Distinction.
• BSc in Computing with Mathematics.
• Played guitar since I could hold one (~1984) - over 25 years of playing experience on electric / acoustic guitar and bass.
• Regularly performing, recording and song writing with live bands and artists (see gigs).
• Author of Xtreme Electric Guitar and Xtreme Acoustic Guitar tuition books/CD's- available in all good book shops.
• Writer of articles for Total Guitar magazine.
• Contributer of online lesson videos for ShowMeHowToPlay.com
• Head of part-time courses at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music 2003/2004/2006, along with teaching group classes in guitar, live performance and running house bands.
• Private guitar teaching since ~1996 (full-time musician since 2002).
• Member of the Registry of Guitar Tutors.

"Without your input my son would not have developed the passion for guitar that he has and it has done wonders for his confidence. We feel very grateful to you for your fantastic support and the quality of your teaching. Now there's a testimonial for you!"

Deborah Clow
Parent of 2 students
May 2011

For a collection of references please click the scrapbook and give the student pages a visit below.

Bookings

• Rates 1 hour - £30, 45 minutes - £25, 30 minutes - £20.
• Flexible hours. Day / Night. Weekday / Weekend.
• Regular bookings welcomed e.g. once / twice a week / once a fortnight or I am happy to be called upon when the need arises*.
• Home visits in the Brighton and Hove area or come to my home studio near the lagoon on Hove seafront. Visits further afield can be arranged at an extra travel charge.
• Option to meet up for a free chat / strum to see if I can help.

* I always aim to keep bookings flexible but it is very much appreciated if I am given at least 24 hours notice of a cancellation and that late cancellations are paid for in full.

Contact

For more information and to exchange telephone numbers just send me an email:

Andy Ellis
andy@AREmusic.co.uk

Congratulations / Good lucks 2011

• Kaz - Grade 3 Acoustic guitar Distinction...........100% !
• Tom - 6 years of Bass / Guitar / Theory lessons and leaving for Leeds University to study a BA in Popular music.
• Olly - 5 Years of guitar lessons and now off to City College Brighton to study a BTEC in Music (Performing / Composing).
• Alex - 3 years of Acoustic / Electric guitar and moving on to BIMM Brighton to study a Foundation Degree in Professional Musicianship.
• Ade - Grade 8 Electric guitar Merit.
• Joe - Grade 7 Electric guitar Merit.
• Joel - Grade 4 Electric guitar Pass.

Student pages

Check out what some of my students past and present have been up to:

Chris	Owen	Tamsyn	Alice
Lloyd	Geoff	Rachel (& Frieda)	Darragh
Tom	Mike	Vernon	Josh
Beno	Nicky	Ryan	Jake W
Kevan	Jenny	Jake B	Oliver

No strings

I can also recommend teachers of other instruments.

Piano / Keyboard / Hammond	Vocals	Drums