Jonathan Bower Guitar
A Few Things I Do
- Performance prep (including GCSE and A Level)
- Formal grade preparation (from grades 1 through 8)
- University audition preparation
- Technique and technical development
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Specifics I Can Help With
- Ear training
- General musicianship
- Music theory
- Band skills
- Composition (including GCSE and A Level)
- Rhythm and lead playing
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- Understanding equipment and guitar effects (amps, pedals, etc.)
- Reading and sight-reading
- Guitar tuning, setup, and maintenance
- Recording skills (including DAW use and micing techniques)
What To Expect
I aim to build lessons around you - your goals, your way. Additionally, I think the absolute best way to learn about how I like to do things is to book a free trial lesson (which you can do here) , or simply get in touch with any questions you may have. However, here I will expand on a little of my teaching philosophy and some of the things you could press into whilst learning guitar with me!
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I seek firstly to establish fundamental theoretical and technical understanding with every student I teach - this helps to avoid the development of bad habits! (Which unfortunately can be all too common amidst us guitarists!) Even if someone has been playing a while, I like to check over the basics, and assess what level they're at.
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From there I like to decide what approach to take based on you! This could be a very formal graded system or a much more relaxed approach, all based on what you want to achieve, and how you learn best. This is also where lesson length/type comes in. If you're early on in your guitar journey, chances are 30 minute lessons are the best way to go, however, pretty quickly you require a little more time to really progress, and might even want to consider my"premium coaching" options for maximal growth over time.
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It's not just songs or techniques that you'll work on with me. As a working musician I know just how important it is to understand your tone, your equipment, how to dial in an amplifier, how to tune, set up, and service your own guitar, understanding guitar effects, recording techniques, and so much more! Then comes your general musicianship:, ear training, working with a band as a rhythm and/or lead player, dynamics, sensitivity, confidence, and everything else you need to be a both a great guitarist and a great musician.
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Whether it's rock, pop, metal, country, acoustic, fusion, jazz, gospel, or anything else, no genre is off limits!
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So whatever your goals or current experience, book in a free trial lesson to see if I'm a good fit as a teacher! Starting out? It'd be great to learn your first chords, and then your first song! Want to take a graded exam? Let's lay out a plan to get you there with the mark you want! Want to learn to shred like Van Halen? Let get working on those advanced techniques and scale knowledge! Prepping for your GCSE music performance? Let's give you all the tools you need to ace it!
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