DARN GOOD TUITION
RESOURCES
For a beginner I strongly recommend getting the following items for practice purposes
Essential - for beginners
A5 notebook - This can be with plain or lined paper and is essential so that we can keep a thorough record of all the exercises, practice schedules and songs that I give to the student. It is important that the student brings it to every lesson.
Rhythm recipies book 1 - As well as learning to read rhythm this book contains rhythms that I use to teach improvisation, co-ordination and technique. It was written by Will Sivier who mentored me in teaching techniques.
He wrote the resource as an accompaniment to teaching.
Sticks - Obviously these are the most important item for a drum kit player. However the type of stick will vary for the student according to hand size and favoured style of drumming. You can visit shops such as the Wembley Drum Centre to try a few out and see what feels most comfortable. However, if you are in a hurry to get your first pair of sticks I recommend the following…
Drum pad - These are essential to learning stick control with our the distraction of the drum kit. If a student doesn’t have the money to buy a drum pad I recommend placing tea towel a hard placemat or table so that the surface has a similar response to a snare drum. However, there are some great pads out there.
Non essential
A drum kit - Yes. A drum kit isn’t essential to learning as a lot of the skill required is with the drum sticks. However, a drum kit really does help. Electric or Acoustic? A lot of this will depend of questions such as budget, practice space, neighbours and noise levels. I actually recommend getting something 2nd hand for a beginner or intermediate student as the type of kit required by a student will develop as they learn the art. Ebay and GumTree are great websites to find 2nd hand kits. Please feel free to email or call me for advice. [contact me]
Rhythm recipes Book 3 - Once the student has completed book 1 I go straight to book 3 where there will by more rhythmical patterns for us to explore.
Guitar / bass guitar
Essential
A5 notebook - This can be with plain or lined paper and is essential so that we can keep a thorough record of all the exercises, practice schedules and songs that I give to the student. It is important that the student brings it to every lesson.
A tuner - Having something to help keep your guitar in tune is so important to a student’s musical development. I always check and and adjust the tuning of a guitar at the beginning of every lesson. However, having a fixed note on a keyboard, piano or tuning app is very helpful. However if the student is lower on confidence here is a tuner that I recommend.
Other
Trinity classical guitar grade books
Rock School bass guitar books
Trinity Guildhall book 1 - A lot of my students have done graded examinations with the Trinity syllabus grades are not an essential if the student / parent doesn’t want pursue. However, the books do contain lots of playing ideas that we can use in lessons.
Ear defenders - These are so cheep to buy but they are worth a lot to a student that practices regularly. You can use the ear plugs used as sleeping aids from supermarkets or pharmacies. Otherwise try these…
Metronome - These days a decent metronome is easily available to download onto a laptop, tablet or phone. However if you want a separate metronome here is one that I recommend.
Trinity Guildhall books 2 / 3 / 4 - If grades are your thing we can go as far as grade 8 by using the pieces in these books.
A guitar / bass guitar - As a beginner a guitarist may not know what type of guitar playing they want to pursue. It could be electric guitar, folky steel guitar, classical guitar, bass guitar or something else. I recommend 2nd hand nylon guitars as a starting point, which can cost as little as £20 on Ebay or Gumtree. Please consult me before buying though if the student is younger than 14 as there are various size guitars for various ages.
The guitarists way book 1 (not recommended for bass guitar) - Reading music really isn’t as hard as it can seem whether you play classical or electric. The guitarists way is a fantastic book that I take many students through in order to teach them good technique and a very simple way to learn to read. Once a student can understand how to read it means that they can learn in their own time and aren’t always dependant on having a teacher show them every piece of music in person.
Rock School guitar books