Russell Jarrett

Email: info@russelljarrett.com         Phone: 07951 673253 / 01483 451158

I have taught guitar for over 15 years, in Belgium, Canada and the UK, as a visiting guitar tutor in state and private schools, as resident tutor within musical instrument shops and simply as a private tutor in my own home. I offer lessons to students of all levels, and teach most styles - jazz, blues, rock, folk, classical etc. I am based in Guildford and currently teach at the St Johns Centre in Merrow, at my house, or I visit students in their homes.  My students include both acoustic and electric players and range from young (and old) beginners to experienced guitarists and everything in between. My fees are £25 for a 1 hour lesson, or £15 for half an hour.

My approach is very much geared towards the individual student, concentrating on areas of greatest interest to them, while developing their ability and ensuring that good progress is made. I encourage improvisation and experimentation and try to develop students understanding of music generally, not just the guitar. I don’t insist on students learning to read music - I use both standard notation and tablature, but standard notation is required for young beginners and classical players.

With young beginners I work with a method book to learn to read music, master the basics and develop good technique. I also use separate handouts with familiar songs, exercises and examples. I recommend that young children start on a nylon string acoustic guitar, which is gentler on the fingers than steel strings or electric guitar, and develops strength, good technique and an understanding of how to produce a good, clear tone.

For adult beginners I focus initially on building chord knowledge and strumming confidence, and simple single note melody lines, using well-known tunes from the 60s to the present day. Those interested in learning classical guitar will also learn to read music. For others I use tablature unless notation is specifically requested.

Players with some experience may have any number of areas which interest them. Some may want to focus on acoustic guitar playing, developing strumming patterns, picking techniques and chordal knowledge. For electric players with more knowledge I encourage a lot of improvisation, and urge students to explore the guitar, to develop their ear and to gain an understanding of music theory. As students progress we look at different scales, more complex chord forms and explore new techniques and musical styles. For classical players I use the Trinity/Guildhall syllabus, and for modern styles the Rockschool series if a conventional graded approach is suitable.

For advanced players, as well as furthering technical ability, I teach theory, harmony, improvisation, composition and arranging and aim to give an overall understanding of the fretboard. For jazz players I teach all styles - Standards, Be-bop, fusion, contemporary, gypsy jazz etc.