Are you a Frustrated Guitar Player?

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Are you a beginner guitarist looking to take your first step to realising your playing goals?

Have you had guitar lessons before but are frustrated with your current level of playing?

Tried to learn guitar from books and the internet but feeling overwhelmed by all the information?

Not sure where to find the best guitar lessons for your child?

Want to learn guitar the easy way?

If you want to start playing guitar, or simply improve your current level of playing, and live in the Croydon, Purley, Wallington and Caterham, Surrey area, you have come to the right place. I have spent many years learning guitar from numerous teachers, friends, books and online tabs and have faced many of the same frustrations as you! I found out the hard way that the only way of dramatically improving your guitar playing skills is under the guidance of a great guitar teacher.

My name is Vicki and I am a guitar teacher offering guitar lessons in Croydon, Purley and the surrounding areas of Wallington, Caterham and Surrey. I specialise in teaching beginners and intermediates and have helped many people, just like you, realise their guitar playing ambitions. Have a look at my testimonials page to read about just some of the successes my students have had.

Check out the video below to see what some of my students can do:

Here are just a few things you could benefit from:

• You will learn the right things, in the right order, at the right time
• You will learn how to practice the guitar effectively to gain maximum results
• You will get opportunities to meet with other like-minded guitarists
• You will play with other musicians, which will greatly improve your playing
• You will work on your rhythm and timing as well as simply learning chords and tabs
• You will learn to play like your guitar heroes
• You will learn to play your favourite songs
• You will have fun while making music
• You will have the chance to perform in student showcases
• You willl get opportunities to record yourself playing guitar so that you can hear your progress
• You will get an outline and summary of each lesson emailed to you each week

If you live in the Croydon, Purley, Wallington or Caterham areas and are serious about learning to play guitar, then tell me more about your goals and aspirations. I will then contact you to arrange your free trial session. This is a chance for you to meet me in person and find out whether I’m the right teacher for you. It will also give me the chance to get to know you better, hear you play and decide the best ways we can move forward with your playing, to ensure you get the results you require from your guitar lessons.

Book your free lesson

Would you like to learn to play the guitar but don’t know how to get started?

There are many reasons why you or your child may be interested in taking guitar lessons. Here are just some of them:

• You love music and going to gigs – you often hear great songs and guitar riffs and think “That sounds cool… I wish I could play that”
• You want to express yourself through playing an instrument, maybe with a view to writing your own songs or music one day
• You want a hobby that’s rewarding, enjoyable and satisfying, not to mention cool!
• You want to learn to play songs by some of your favourite bands or artists

Have you already started learning the guitar but would like someone to point you in the right direction?

Here are just some of the issues you may be facing:

• Perhaps you’ve had lessons before but didn’t feel they were relevant to the kind of music you listen to and are looking for a more personalised learning strategy
• You’ve been teaching yourself from resources such as Youtube, tab sites, guitar magazines and DVDs, but are feeling confused and de-motivated by conflicting advice and unclear guidance
• You’ve watched your friends seem to pick things up easily and are worried that you’re just not a ‘natural’
• You’ve worked hard at your playing but sometimes get frustrated and feel that you’re not practising the right material to achieve your goals
• You used to play the guitar but have got rusty and are finding it hard to know how to resume your studies

Becoming the guitar player and musician that you want to be really is achievable; I can help you to set realistic goals and give you the structure you will need to reach them. I will give you opportunities to enhance your musical development by participating in group activities and student events designed to encourage and motivate students to become even better at what they love doing.

Each student of mine is undergoing a personalised learning programme, based around their individual playing goals and aspirations. I’m proud to say that as a result, they stick with their studies and make real progress.

Check out some of my students playing at a recent Student Showcase gig:

Without a doubt, the most constructive thing you can do as a guitarist or a budding guitarist is to start working with a teacher. A great guitar teacher will ensure that you:

Learn the right things in the right way

Whilst there are some genuinely good online resources available, with no real accreditation or evidence available it may be hard for the beginner guitarist to identify the valuable material from the misleading. As an experienced guitar teacher I will be able to help you learn in the right way, answering your questions as you progress and demonstrating the correct playing techniques where necessary. This means that any problems will be ironed out there and then, making sure that what you’re learning is appropriate to your skill set and preventing you from becoming frustrated and wondering where you’re going wrong.

Optimise practice and stay motivated

As a guitar teacher, it’s my job to give you the encouragement and inspiration that you just can’t get from a book or on-line resource. I aim to support your learning and will work with you to structure your practicing in the most effective way, ensuring that you stay motivated by regularly reaching your goals and progressing as a guitar player. Unlike less hands-on approaches to guitar tuition, I will provide weekly feedback and guidance on how to take your playing to the next level and support based on your personal goals, and am on hand to answer queries between lessons to enable you to continue to progress before your next session.

Meet and play with other students

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Some students I teach want to form bands and play with other musicians; others are quite happy to strum and sing their favourite songs. Regardless of this, being able to play music with other people is hugely beneficial to your playing, is a great confidence booster and can be a lot of fun. I give my students plenty of opportunities to play with others and put on themed workshops, performance showcases and other group events, intended to enhance their general musical experience.

Much more than just Guitar Lessons

Why my guitar learning programmes are different:

I’ll develop a personalised course of study based around your individual goals and aspirations

I will teach you the things you need to know, while showing you how to play the things you want to learn. Many guitar teachers adopt a one-size-fits-all strategy, which most students find irrelevant to their individual playing goals. I will spend time before and after your lessons working on material I know you will find interesting and inspiring, based on the information you have given me.

I’ll ensure you get the results you desire

The internet is awash with information for the budding guitarist. But this information is useless if you don’t know how to structure and apply it. I’ll work to ensure that what you actually get are results, which, after all, is what you’re ultimately looking for. I will ensure that you are given realistic goals that you don’t find overwhelming and practice material that will inspire you to keep playing.

You’ll get the chance to perform in student showcases

Twice a year you will have the opportunity to take part in a performance showcase at a live music venue in Croydon. This not only enables my students to show each other what they have been learning, but is also a great way for my students and their family and friends to meet up and socialise together. This is a great practice motivator; if you know you are going to be performing something in front of an audience, you really will strive to get it right.

You’ll have opportunities to take part in both private and group sessions

Many guitar teachers offer only private lessons to their students. Although private one-to-one lessons are the conventional way of learning, and are certainly viable in some situations, they can actually be very limiting to a student’s development. Think about it… how are you supposed to learn to play with others if you only ever play with a teacher? Having other players around you will reinforce everything you learn, and will motivate you to learn and play even more! You’ll also establish connections with other students like you.

Guitar teaching is my main job

Many guitar teachers have day jobs and teach in the evenings to supplement their income. Others are working musicians who “fit in” a few hours teaching a week around their other commitments. These teachers don’t have the time or energy to work on building and improving their teaching programmes. Guitar teaching is my full time job and I am able to spend time working on aspects of my teaching and playing which will directly benefit my students. Also, because I do not have another income to ‘fall back on’, it is in my very best interests to keep my students happy, motivated and progressing with their studies at all times. I am 100% committed to the development of my students!

I only teach for a limited amount of hours per week

Unlike some other guitar teachers, I don’t try and fill every available hour in the day with lessons. This either leads to the teacher becoming exhausted, due to the sheer amount of work they have to do before, during and after each lesson, or simply means that other important elements of their teaching, playing and business development get neglected or abandoned. I teach for a set number of hours a day, making sure I give myself plenty of time to work on planning lessons and developing new material which will benefit my students.

I keep a file on each student

I keep a detailed file on each of my students, which includes information about their individual reasons for wanting to learn the guitar, their aspirations, the kinds of music they listen to and would like to be able to play and how far along in their development they are. Every student is different and, while there are some things which all beginning guitarists need to know, I believe that unless the material is kept relevant, it’s easy to become bored or disillusioned. I make sure my students are kept interested in what they are learning by helping them to apply new techniques to the music that interests them.

You’ll get support from me in between lessons

Most guitar students pay for an hour a week with their teachers, and are then forgotten about once the lesson is over. I encourage my students to contact me with any issues or difficulties they may be experiencing in between lessons. My students’ continuing development is very important to me so I make time to ensure they are able to practice efficiently and help them work through any problems they may be having.

You’ll get access to a plethora of articles and carefully chosen online resources

I have built up a wealth of material over my years of teaching, designed to help you in your playing, learning and development.

You’ll benefit from learning with an experienced and well qualified teacher

I have been teaching for 6 years, have a music degree and have taught for numerous organisations and music services. I also have plenty of practical experience, having played in bands, toured, recorded and done session work from a young age. Find out more about my background and credentials.

Book your free lesson

If you are looking for a guitar teacher, are serious about learning to play, and live in Croydon, Purley, Wallington, Caterham or Surrey, then I would love to hear from you!

Sign up here!

I’d like to find out a few things about you so please send me some details. I will then contact you as soon as I can to arrange a free trial session so that I can find out more about your goals and aspirations.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Vicki