Your Questions, Answered

Ideally at 8 years old, as some basic arithmetic and language is welcome. On the other hand, it’s never too late if you’re an adult keen to start. Besides the fun of learning tunes to share with friends, the guitar helps you unwind after a hard day. As guitar legend Steve Vai said when asked why he still practises so much despite a wife and kids — “The guitar always speaks nice to me!”

The Chinese idiom has it that “the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step”. So start today!

Kids aged 4–7 find it more fun in a same-age group. On my Parent & Child Guitar (Mod 3) or Parent & Child Uke (Mod 4) courses, a parent or guardian is invited to join in free, so revision at home uses the same fun method as the class. The ukulele is especially easy, and so more recommended for children aged 4–7.

Bass guitars are bigger than guitars, which are bigger than ukuleles. By size and tuning they run: E A D G (bass), E A D G B E (guitar), D G B E (baritone uke), G C E A (tenor, concert & soprano ukuleles).

The bass is an accompanying instrument, while guitar and ukulele can each be played on their own. For complete beginners, this page — including videos — clearly explains the differences.

Older students (and often teens) tend to already know whether they want acoustic (steel or nylon) or electric, but this can also be decided at the first lesson, since different guitars call for different techniques. Five basic rules:

• The thinner the guitar, the easier to play.
• An entry-level beginner guitar costs roughly — for kids: ~£90 (guitar), ~£25 (ukulele); for adults: ~£90 (electric), ~£60 (acoustic & ukulele). You may find cheaper, but poor quality can hold your playing back, so it’s not recommended.
• An electric guitar is the easiest to play, but add ~£30 for an amp.
• For acoustic guitars and ukes, coloured varnish ruins the sound.
• Nylon-strung classical guitars have too wide a neck for beginners — buy one only if you’re a teen or adult specifically wanting classical, Latin or flamenco.

Match your height to the right guitar size at this link before you buy.

Please read the ukulele page before buying.

For individual lessons, let’s talk about it at your first lesson — especially if you’re buying second-hand. No lesson time is lost, because I’ll show you how to apply the basics on one of my instruments. Most students figure out all the notes on every fret of every string in under 15 minutes. It’s easy, and from day one you’re immersed in what really matters: creating music away from the instrument. The guitar is just a tool — the music is inside you. Come and discover how easy it is!

For group lessons, please bring your own ukulele or guitar (a 3/4 size for kids under 140cm tall). See above for a price guide.

The choice is yours! I can visit you in the comfort of your own home, or you can pay less by visiting my studio — kitted out with guitars, a synth, a bass, a uke and industry-standard software, media and hardware to make learning easier. You can also take lessons online or join a group course. See the fees for all of the above.

Individual lessons are available internationally online. All you need is an internet connection, a camera and a mic. On my side I’m set up the same, plus a mixer that transmits multi-channel audio to you as a single soundwave. I can also teach in Italian, Maltese and German if English isn’t your main language.

As a beginner there’s no need to learn musical notation. It’s introduced later in small measures to sharpen your sense of rhythm and help you understand and learn from varied styles and non-guitarists. The aim is to have fun and read effortlessly — just as you learn to read your own mother tongue the more you speak it.

Our ability to learn sharpens as we mature. If an earlier attempt didn’t stick — maybe it was just a school subject, or your interest in music was lower, or you were pushed into it — the likeliest reason you stopped is that you weren’t making progress, so motivation drained away.

But learning is understanding. A teen or young adult grasps the aims behind each exercise, which makes for faster progress, which in turn keeps you excited about what’s next rather than daunted by the challenge. Positive thinking! Like any language you learn at school and then abandon, if life leads you back to it in a foreign country, it comes back easily. Learning by doing.

Whether you come as a beginner or already play, progress depends on how regularly you practise. I see lessons as two friends working as a team toward one goal — a goal you set. My job is to make sure you understand what we cover and help you set realistic targets; our success then depends on your regular practice. Polish what we cover so the next lesson lands comfortably. Ten minutes a day is plenty for beginners. As the Indian proverb goes — “the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time!”

Of course not — making music is all about fun. That said, exams do push you to achieve results within a set time-frame. So once I think you’re ready to pass one, I’ll suggest it and you decide whether to take it. And it’s rather nice to have a qualification! Some guitar boards are fully accredited as equivalent to GCSE, O and A Levels, right up to Bachelor’s and Master’s, so they can come in handy one way or another.

Imagine you’re bursting with great ideas for art but, never having studied drawing, you lack the skill to put them on paper — and all the ideas in the world won’t change that. Music is the same. The internet is full of information, but not all of it comes from experienced players, so inaccurate advice is as easy to find as good advice. That’s why many people who start alone online eventually call a tutor: the time spent hunting for the right information doesn’t compare to how much faster you learn with someone experienced at making things easy. And the sooner you learn, the more motivated you’ll be to learn more.

Here are the key points to compare.

Individual lessons are tailored precisely to your needs and offer more flexibility — your choice of 30 or 50 minutes, taken whenever you like, and available in English, German, Italian and Maltese.

Group modules come in 50-minute sessions, offer the fun of measuring yourself against others, carry less between-lesson workload, cost less, and run in English only. Regular attendance is in your interest, as missed group lessons can’t be repeated without holding up the class.

Not sure which suits you? Please call (no text) on 07983 868507.

Learn with me and you’re letting me share my foremost love in life — music. I’m passionate about it, and you gain a new friend who puts your musical dreams at the heart of every lesson. Don’t take my word for it — read what some students have said.

Yes! There are courses for advanced beginners (ideal if you already play but never took lessons), and for intermediate and advanced players. From pop to rock to metal to jazz — whatever your style, Cool Gool Music can help.

Yes — bass, ukulele, ear-training (for all instruments), and music theory and harmony (for all instruments). Read about all the modules here.

Pay directly at the booking page, or if you don’t use PayPal, book and you’ll receive an email explaining how to pay and the deadline. Your slot is confirmed once payment is made.

Anywhere from 3 to a maximum of 8, to ensure personal attention for everyone.

Please book, and once 3 people register for your course I’ll contact you all to agree a mutually suitable start date. Give as many availabilities as you can to make this easier — and if you recommend friends, you get rewarded for each one who enrols.

Currently, courses may run from any of:

• Cool Gool Music, 3 Tillett Square, SE16 6HR;
• Canada Water Studios, Vancouver House, Surrey Quays Rd, SE16 7BW;
• Docklands Settlements Rotherhithe Community Centre, 400 Salter Rd, SE16 5LJ;
• and other centres London-wide.

The more students booked in an area, the sooner a course runs there — so spread the word. You also earn a reward for each friend who enrols.

Please call (no text) on 07983 868507, daily until midnight — or register your interest and I’ll get back to you.