About me:
 
With nearly 30 years of experience as a music tutor in both private and school settings, mostly teaching Bass Guitar and Double Bass, I have had the privilege of helping countless students achieve their goals and develop their skills. My professional musical career has been diverse, providing me with a wealth of knowledge and experience that I am always eager to share with others.
My academic qualifications include a BA (Hons) Degree in Music and Jazz Performance from the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma Degree in Music and Jazz Performance from the Universidade de Évora, each respectively in Lisbon and Evora, Portugal. Additionally, I hold an MA in Music from the London College of Music/University of West London in London, UK.
I am passionate about teaching and take pride in adapting my approach to suit the individual needs of each student. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced musician, I am dedicated to helping you achieve your goals and develop your skills.
 
Location and Lesson Schedule:
 
I provide my lessons at my home in Gildersome, Morley, Leeds. If needed, I can also travel to a student's location, although this may incur an additional cost based on the distance and/or time required to reach the student’s location.
To make things easier, students are welcome to bring their own instruments or use one of mine during the lesson. Despite my busy gigging schedule, I am usually able to arrange lesson times that fit the student's schedule. Please feel free to contact me to check my availability.
Parents or carers are welcome to sit in on lessons, as I believe that open communication is key to a successful learning experience.
 
Pricing:
 
I offer competitive pricing for my lessons, as follows:
£17 for a 30-minute lesson
£30 for a 1-hour lesson
For those who require longer sessions, I am happy to arrange this upon request. Typically, 30-minute lessons are most effective for beginner children, while adult learners typically benefit from 1-hour lessons. For intermediate to advanced students, a 2-hour lesson can easily fly by.
I believe that high-quality music lessons should be accessible to everyone, and I strive to provide excellent value for money. If you have any questions about pricing or scheduling, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me.
 
Lesson Frequency:
 
I believe that regular practice is essential for progress and enjoyment in music lessons. Depending on the student's practice time, I generally recommend a lesson every one or two weeks. This allows the student to make meaningful progress between lessons and get the most out of our time together.
From experience, I find that students tend to enjoy lessons more when they have had the opportunity to make some progress on their own. On the other hand, a weekly lesson with limited practice time can easily become a frustrating experience. That's why I encourage my students to set aside regular practice time, so they can build on what we cover during our lessons and achieve their goals more quickly.
Ultimately, the frequency of lessons will depend on the individual student's needs and schedule. If you have any questions or concerns about lesson frequency, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me. I'm here to help you get the most out of your lessons and reach your full potential as a musician.
 
Subjects:
 
I offer a range of lessons tailored to meet the needs and goals of each individual student. My areas of expertise include:
 
Practicing methods for all instruments
Music/jazz theory for all instruments
Jazz improvisational concepts for all instruments
Beginner to advanced technique for double bass and bass guitar
Improvisation and bass line construction in the jazz context
Sight reading, chord charts, and ear training
Bow technique for double bass
Bass role in a rhythm section
 
Styles and Levels:
 
As a versatile musician with a wide range of musical tastes and professional experience, I offer lessons in a variety of styles and levels. While jazz is my passion, I am happy to teach from starting beginners to advanced professionals in genres ranging from Latin, pop, soul, funk, and more.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced musician, I am confident that I can help you develop your skills, explore new musical styles. I tailor my lessons to each individual student's needs and goals, and I use a range of teaching methods and resources to keep my lessons engaging and enjoyable.
Whether you're interested in learning to play your favourite songs, developing your improvisational skills, or honing your technique, I am here to help you achieve your goals and become the best musician you can be. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or would like to schedule a lesson. I look forward to working with you!
 
Lesson Content:
 
As a teacher, I believe that learning should be fun and engaging. My primary goal is to help my students make progress and enjoy the process of learning. I believe that creating a strong emotional connection with the material being learned is essential to achieving this goal. With this in mind, I always strive to make my lessons enjoyable and rewarding.
Every student is unique, and I take great care to create a personalized learning path for each of my students. I work closely with each student to understand their specific needs, goals, learning pace, and available time. From learning simple songs to advanced techniques and theory, I tailor my lessons to meet each student's requirements and help them achieve their goals.
In addition to my teaching experience, I am passionate about staying up to date with current pedagogical and neurological research. By incorporating the latest scientific findings into my teaching methods, I can help my students optimize their practice time and achieve better, longer-lasting results with less effort.
Please don't hesitate to get in touch. I'm excited to work with you and help you become the best musician you can be!
 
Online Tutoring:
 
In addition to in-person lessons, I offer online tutoring for students who prefer the convenience of learning from home. To ensure that we can work effectively together online, I provide a first free mini lesson to test the connection and setup quality. If we determine that the online format is conducive to a productive lesson, we can plan for future lessons accordingly.
I strive to use the most up to date high-quality video conferencing software available to ensure that our online lessons are as effective as possible. I provide my students with all the necessary materials and resources, including sheet music and audio files, to ensure that they have everything they need to succeed.
 
Whether you're a beginner or an experienced musician, I'm confident that I can help you achieve your goals through online tutoring. If you're interested in learning more about my online lessons, please don't hesitate to get in touch. I'm excited to work with you!
 
Thank you for considering me as your tutor, and I look forward to working with you soon!