THE BEST ROCK GUITAR LESSONS IN LEEDS
There are many rock guitar lessons out there. How do you know which one is right for you? Let’s get straight to the point.
PROFESSIONAL ROCK GUITAR LESSONS, MADE PERSONAL
You need a tutor who is not only a professional guitarist but also someone with both theoretical and practical knowledge and teaches at a highly personal level. This means a completely customised learning experience that doesn’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach.
Hey, I’m Bryan
I'm a professional guitarist, certified guitar teacher with qualifications including a Master's degree in music. My whole life has been about one thing: the guitar!
I studied the guitar for over a decade through private tutelage as well as academically, so luckily I’ve gotten the best of both worlds.
I started teaching the guitar even before going to University over 8 years ago and this has slowly but surely developed into a full-time career.
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Hosted educational workshops, coached rock band and guitar ensembles at North Leeds Music Centre run by Artforms Leeds City Council.
One-to-one, small group and whole class settings in schools as peripatetic visiting tutor.
Private tuition business since 2015
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Performed at The Wardrobe, Headrow House, Harrogate Blues Bar, York Blues Festival.
Pit band and session work for musical theatre shows at Leeds Grand Theatre (Opera North) and Leeds University.
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BA and MA in Music (Leeds Conservatoire, formerly Leeds College of Music)
Membership at Registry of Guitar Tutors (London College of Music)
Grade 8 Theory, Grade 8 Electric Guitar, Level 3 & 4 Diploma in Popular Music (RSL Awards, formerly Rockschool)
WHY ROCK GUITAR REQUIRES SPECIAL MASTERY
Rock is a unique music genre that calls for a unique type of specialism, much like anything else in life. Rock was the genre that got me into playing guitar in the first place, and I have spent many years learning, playing, and teaching rock guitar. The rockstars always make it look so easy, but this style requires good technique and expertise in order to express the raw energy and capture the right spirit.
The rock style has evolved over the years. From the 1950s came Rock N’ Roll which was heavily influenced by the blues with hits such as Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode, to the Beatles and Elvis Presley with more mainstream commercial success, to Blues Rock with Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, to Psychedelic and Progressive branches with Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd, to Classic Rock with Deep Purple, Hard Rock with Led Zeppelin, Guns N’ Roses, to the heavier Black Sabbath, all the way to Grunge, Indie, Punk, Alternative and Post rock/metal with Nirvana, Linkin Park, Green Day etc. Our learning approach would be to keep our ears open and look at a few different styles within the rock family tree, but then narrow down so that we are able to study at a deeper level rather than scratching the surface, while at the same time being consistent.
Let’s Learn Properly
Systematic and friendly learning approach that builds you up rock solid
Theory
Understanding how music works in general and how to put the theory into practical use, for example changing keys in songs and looking at how chords harmonise together.
Rhythm & Time
Simple exercises such as clapping your hands and tapping your feet can really help ease any tension in the time feel of your playing, giving you the confidence to run smoothly over fast phrases while staying groovy.
Fretboard
Knowing the fretboard inside out ensures that you get to where you want to be on time. Not only is this helpful for improvising, it’s also useful when applying chord shapes or scale patterns up and down the guitar.
Rock Guitar Techniques
String bends, slides, pinched harmonics, and vibrato are often required in order to achieve the sound of rock guitar playing, especially with an overdriven/distorted tone.
Rock Soloing
Improvisation and learning music by ear through a method of transcription can help you acquire the language and necessary phrases (or better known as guitar licks) to be able to give a 24-bar solo with ease.
Favourite Rock Songs
Get inspired and motivated by learning to play your favourite songs easily and quickly at your own pace. Remember though, quality over quantity.
Songs you may learn
| Artists/Bands | Songs |
|---|---|
| Led Zeppelin | Stairway to Heaven Whole Lotta Love Immigrant Song Good Times Bad Times Black Dog Rock and Roll Kashmir |
| Eric Clapton/Cream | Sunshine of Your Love White Room Crossroads Wonderful Tonight Cocaine Layla Tears in Heaven |
| Jimi Hendrix | All Along the Watchtower Little Wing Purple Haze Hey Joe Voodoo Child The Wind Cries Mary Foxy Lady |
| Santana | Black Magic Woman Smooth Oye Como Va Europa Samba Pa Ti The Game of Love |
| Deep Purple | Smoke On The Water Highway Star Child In Time Black Night Maybe I'm A Leo |
| Guns N' Roses | Sweet Child O' Mine Paradise City November Rain Don't Cry Welcome To The Jungle |
Watch My Students Play
My students come from all walks of life and are at different stages of their musical journey. We work together to achieve specific goals, be it writing an original song or performing on stage in front of a real audience.
WHY MY ROCK GUITAR LESSONS ARE UNIQUE
One-to-One Classes Only
No herd mentality lessons that fits all.
Structured & Guided Approach
Tried-and-tested methodologies that are proven to work.
Student Concerts & Jam Sessions
A platform to showcase your abilities along with your fellow peers in a friendly and supportive environment.
Where are the Guitar Lessons?
Lessons take place in a home studio in north Leeds, near the ALDI/Starbucks in Chapel Allerton. There is free parking available, and convenient access with public transport as it only takes 3 minutes to walk from the main street where the bus stops are.
Students are often based in local areas such as Leeds City Centre, Kirkstall, Burley, Roundhay, Chapel Allerton, Headingley, Horsforth, Pudsey but also come from other parts of West Yorkshire including Harrogate, York, Garforth, Wakefield, Dewsbury, Huddersfield.