Information About William - Newent teacher

Personal Description:

I have been playing the guitar for over 50 years as a real passion, and not just a hobby. I have taught the guitar informally throughout my life but I recently retired from a long career in IT in July 2020 and decided to dedicate my time to music teaching and coaching.

One way or another, I have been been studying the guitar, for all my life.

I was also fortunate to have had some great influences throughout my musical development.

One of my strong early influences was James Taylor who I saw in a live performance in London when I was 16, and who I then proceeded to study diligently (some would say obsessively) for many years after that. James Taylor remains one of my role models for country/folk,blues guitar and for singing/songwriting.

Other early mentors were the French guitarist Marcel Dadi and Stephen Grossman whose body of work on the guitar taught me a lot of traditional country blues and ragtime styles.

During my youth, I played a lot of Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Jim Croce, Carol King, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Don McLean, Jim Croce, Jackson Browne, Rickie Lee Jones, Tom Waits, Beatles & Paul McCartney… I have also explored Open Tunings techniques (acoutic mainy) through the songs of Joni Mitchell, John Martyn and some bluegrass slide guitar. My favourite tuning is Open G tuning and I enjoy seeing students picking up this tuning so quickly.

I my mid-forties, I fell in love with Flamenco and spent several months studying this style through Juan Martin’s (Arte Flamenco de la Guitarra) book.

In the background I was always interested in Jazz, especially Jazz chord melody techniques. I have a big admiration for Wes Montgomery and Pat Metheny. Strangely, it was James Taylor’s reharmonisation of the traditional song Oh Suzanna that opened my eyes to Jazz guitar very early on.

I also love electric blues and I have played Eric Clapton, Johnny Winter as well as more Jazzy and fusion styles by Robben Ford, John Schofield and the great Pat Metheny, another one of my role models. I love Robben Ford's Jazzy blues guitar style and have used his excellent "Rhythm Blues" book to teach blues guitar.

I discovered Brazilian Samba/Bossa Nova styles about 5 years ago. I admire the way Brazilian guitarists use Jazz harmonies combined with classical and flamenco techniques and African rhythms. Joao Gilberto is the ultimate Bossa Nova guitarist but Brazil has other unique guitarists such as Guinga and Toninho Horta whose styles are impossible to describe (Complex fusion of Classical/Jazz/Bossa/Choro… ).

About 3 years ago, I formed a local 6-piece Jazz/Bossa Nova band I named Urubu, inspired by an Antonio Carlos Jobim album title, and we have performed (until Covid-19 lockdown) in several local venues and small festivals over the past few years.

In March I started my **Contact Detail Removed** **Removed By Admin** channel aimed at promoting and teaching Bossa Nova/Samba guitar outside Brazil and have built up a list of around 170 music videos so far (Sept 2020).

**Removed By Admin**

I am also interested in sound recording and can teach guitar students the basics of sound recording and current amazing inexpensive tools readily accessible to aspiring musicians.

Tutoring Experience:

I have taught the guitar informally (Friends/Family) throughout my life but I am now going full time having retired from a full-time IT Career in July. In my IT career I have created and delivered a number of training courses relating to project management on the one hand and to problem solving and creative thinking on the other.
I love imparting knowledge and I am known for creating real enthusiasm in my students.

Tutoring Approach:

My approach is both theoretical and practical.
Students should have fun learning to play an instrument, but they should also be building a good theoretical foundation that will allow them to become independent and self-learners. I am talking about chord construnction and harmony, for example.
Students should also learn to play with other musicians/instruments and learn to listen the music being produced as a group.
I also believe that students should explore the different styles that the guitar offers so that they can make informed choice about where they want to take their playing…