Professional young Guitar Tutor in Birmingham / Online Teaching to All Ages and Abilities

Find out more about Joseph

• When did you first develop a passion for music and your favourite instrument?

  I first developed my passion for music aged 11 when my Dad introduced me to his vinyl collection which consisted of Hendrix, Motorhead, Black Sabbath and many more! My first guitar was a Squier Stratocaster, however I quickly purchased a 'Dimebag' style Dean ML which really stood out to me. This was my introduction to Pantera and this is where my love for the world of heavy metal truly began!

• Is there a particular type music or artist that you listen to on a loop without it driving you crazy?

  My favourite band is Alter Bridge. I always love listening to their music. The combination of crushing riffs, soaring vocal melodies and finely constructed songs just gets me every single time!

• Explain to us the most difficult or riveting course you could personally give to a student of music.

  I find that the most difficult achievement one could aspire to is to have your own unique sound. How do you achieve this? Well... let me know when you find out! ;) But seriously, I try my best to encourage students to think outside of the box by introducing them to new music, interesting theoretical concepts and different technical styles of playing, all of which contribute to the creation of your own unique sound and style!

• What do you think is the most complicated instrument to master and why?

  I'd say vocals are one of the hardest 'instruments' to master because with any other instrument, a tutor can see exactly where you are going wrong and correct it for you. With vocals, you can only listen, so it is difficult to know if you are doing something right. Also, there aren't any fret markers / keys to hit when you're singing, so you just have to have a good enough ear to know you're in tune! That said, the difficulty with guitar is that it is quite physically difficult when you start out, so I'd recommend that any beginners use 8 or 9 gauge strings when they are getting started so that they aren't discouraged by the physical difficulty of playing early on.

• What are your keys to success?

  I think the key to success is a mixture between determination and not just knowing what to learn, but knowing HOW to learn it. I've seen so many players work so hard at their instrument, only to continue struggling because they haven't learnt the best way to improve. Having an understanding of how to learn will expedite your progress massively and this is something I aim to teach in my lessons!

• Name three musicians you dream of meeting in your favourite bar in the early hours of the morning. Explain why.

  Easy. Mark Tremonti, Dimebag Darrell and Randy Rhoads. These three musicians have really shaped my musical development, plus I've heard Dimebag was quite the party-goer...

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to music or your days at music school.

  I played possibly the worst guitar solo of my life in front of Tony Iommi. It was day one at BIMM Birmingham and I was due to play in the 'live performance workshop' module. I knew Tony was going to be in the building, and I thought "wouldn't it be great if he walked in and I played a killer solo". Well, he did walk in, only to see me stumble through a truly awful solo that went on for far too long. It was a very embarrassing moment but I didn't let it get me down. I hope one day I can look back at it and laugh, but it still bugs me to this day!

• What are the little touches that make you a Superprof in music?

  I think the main thing that sets me apart as a tutor is that I will always try to help the students achieve their own unique sound. Even if we are learning other people's songs, or just learning simple techniques / theory, I will teach it in such a way that you can explore the ideas and apply them in a way that excites you personally. After all, isn't that the whole point of all this?!