Hello! my name's Rhys and I've been a professional musician for the past 20 years. I received a scholarship to the the Royal Academy of Music where I completed an MA in jazz and composition. I've also studied pop, rock and a range of world music styles and have performed all over the world with diverse artists and groups from multiple genres. I've taught privately, at secondary schools and at universities throughout my career and currently have a small group of committed students that I work with to develop there musicality, confidence and mastery of their instrument.

Lesson one with any new student involves me developing my understanding of the students expectations and needs, as well as informing me about the best possible teaching methods and approaches for them. I would look to identify:
- What does the student hope to achieve from their studies?
- How much time are they able to commit to studying?
- What are their musical tastes, influences and experiences with music in general ?
- What is level is their playing ability and theoretical knowledge?
By developing an understanding of these during the first lesson it is then possible to tailor future lessons to their specific needs.

I've found that by linking technical or theoretical aspects to the goals and musical interests of a student, practice can become extremely enjoyable and rewarding. By finding creative ways of putting newly learnt concepts into the context of the music that the student wants to play, it encourages them to develop their overall musicality alongside learning how to play the music they love. Short term goals can also help to keep practice fresh and exciting and enable students to experience signs of progress more frequently.

Above all, learning music should be enjoyable and fulfilling, so I endeavor to foster an attitude of inquisitiveness, creativity and exploration, where students can develop in a safe, fun and nurturing environment.

Some of the areas I can help with:
Generally musicality; developing a solid rhythmic and harmonic foundation and understanding, improvisation/soloing, reading music, learning songs, playing with others in ensembles or bands, posture, composition and arranging, study of musical styles and genres.

Double bass; Pizzicato and Arco (German grip), jazz and classical repertoire, intonation, thumb position.

Bass guitar; fing...