Don't forget to visit the Audio Page for some examples of various styles of guitar playing.

Whilst there are no hard and fast rules about what age you should start, I have found that, generally, children are best started at around Primary 5 age. This is for reasons of the mental and physical development needed to learn an instrument. Having said that, there are exceptions. If you have any doubts don’t hesitate to contact me and we can chat through your situation.

On the other end of the spectrum, don’t fall into the trap of thinking you are too old to learn! Learning guitar is an excellent way to spend retirement time or to take your mind off life’s pressures.

Have realistic expectations! Learning guitar is not like learning the name of the capital city of a country. It involves both sides of your brain and added to that there are muscular, co-ordination, timing, reading and posture issues which will take time to become accustomed to. You won’t become an international superstar overnight!

You can, however, be realistic and still aim high. Guitar lessons are a team effort and those willing to learn and practise will be given every opportunity to reach their full potential.

It is impossible to make progress at the guitar without good and consistent practice. There are good and bad ways to practise an instrument so at JCM Guitar Tuition I put a high priority on efficient and effective practice techniques to ensure the best progress.

How long you should practise for, and how often, will depend many factors - age; your guitar goals; free time; competing activities and responsibilities. This is therefore an area which I discuss individually with each student.

One of the most important things you can do to make good progress is to listen to music frequently. Listening to good guitarists in action will give you a valuable understanding of how music should sound. Do not restrict your listening to guitar music alone as you can learn a lot from listening to other instruments being played. This will eventually feed into your own playing - if you know what good playing sounds like you will know if you are producing it on your guitar and will find it easier to get good results.

There are several examination boards which offer grades in guitar and JCM Guitar Tuition has helped many students achieve excellent results.

Exams require dedication, focussed commitment and are not for everyone, but there are benefits to be gained from pursuing them. They are a way to formally keep track of your progress and give you a goal to aim for. They give you the opportunity to get deep into the various aspects of the music. A music exam certificate can be used to demonstrate your achievements to Universities and the like. You may simply get a sense of achievement from the process.

Exams are not something to be rushed into, nor are they mandatory. You will learn plenty at JCM Guitar Tuition whether you pursue them or not. Again, feel free to discuss this aspect of your tuition with me.

These are three very broad labels we sometimes use to try to make sense of “Guitar Land”. They can refer to the types of music played on guitar, the techniques you could use and also the types of guitar used to play the music. For example we might talk about playing classical music on a classical guitar using classical techniques. Without wanting to over complicate matters, it is possible to play classical music on an acoustic guitar using electric guitar techniques - enough said!

These are solid or hollow-bodied instruments and require an amplifier to plug into for sound. Electronics enable a wide range of sounds to be created.

These are sometimes called folk guitars. They produce their own sound and have steel strings giving a bright distinct tone.

Sometimes called Spanish guitars these too make their own sound. They have nylon strings and have a warm, mellow tone.

If you are a beginner (especially a young beginner) I would advise starting with a nylon string guitar. These can be obtained at reasonable prices and the nylon strings are easy for beginners to hold down.

If you already own another type of guitar - don’t worry! The material covered at the early stages can be played on any type of guitar. I can assess your guitar and advise on its suitability in terms of size and “action” (will explain later!).

The great thing about guitar is that, whilst it is good to stick at a particular style to become good at it, you can experiment with a variety of styles through time. Many rock musicians, for example, also enjoy playing classical or acoustic guitar and vice-versa. Learning guitar is like taking a journey - there are many twists and turns and you might be surprised at the direction you eventually take - don’t put yourself in a musical box!

Guitar shops have a large selection guitars which can make choosing one tricky. Try not to let cosmetic issues like the guitar’s colour sway your decision. Below are some more important things to check.

Make sure you dominate the instrument and can comfortably see over the body (not like the cartoon!)

Check the “action”. This is to do with how close the strings are to the neck of the guitar. If the strings are too far away from the neck the guitar it will be very difficult to play. Too close is also bad as the strings may buzz against the frets.

Check that the neck of the guitar is straight and not warped. This is best done by holding the guitar up and looking along the edge of the neck (like aiming a rifle).

Check that the frets (metal strips along the neck) are smooth with no sharp edges and that they are properly bedded into the neck.

Check that there are no rattles by strumming the strings and listening for any unwanted sounds.

Make sure that the bridge is securely attached to the soundboard, with no gaps underneath.

If you are considering an electric guitar, plug it in at the shop to make sure that all of the electronics are working. Adjust the volume controls and listen for unwanted crackles or noises.

Taking guitar lessons is a big decision, but when thinking about it please don’t make the following mistake....

“I would like lessons but I am not good enough at the moment - I’ll take lessons when my playing has improved.”

This is an enormous mistake but you would be surprised at the number of people who have reasoned in this way. The whole concept behind guitar tuition is to help the you improve your playing. You can waste a lot of precious time and effort picking up bad habits as you go! JCM Guitar Tuition will help you avoid them.

If you would like to find out more about lessons feel free to give me a call on 02897533026, or mail me by clicking on the letterbox