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TEACHING

I very much enjoy teaching, and would love to hear from anyone with a genuine interest in studying jazz, regardless of level.

 

FAQs:

 

1. How much do you charge?

‘In person’ lesson pricing – Sheffield, UK: (GBP Sterling)

60 mins        £40

90 mins        £50

Video call lessons same rates, on various platforms – please enquire. It’s working out at around €48/$53 per hour atm, I think. Be aware that, if you're using PayPal, there may be a small additional fee involved.

2. Do you take on beginner students?

Absolutely, as long as we have some similar musical interests! Lack of experience is no obstacle and, although it probably helps if you’ve done a bit of general guitar playing before we tackle the jazz stuff, it needn’t be a problem if not. 

3. Whereabouts are you?

My studio is located in a quiet residential area of Sheffield (S10 postcode), with plenty of on-street parking. For obvious reasons, I don’t give out the full address until shortly before our appointment.

Finally, when you book a lesson with me, you can be assured of the following:

  1. I’ve taught at major UK institutions for over 20 years, and have many former students working across the music industry, several of them (such as Bruno Major and Rizal Tony) enjoying genuinely international careers.

  2. I regularly 'practise what I preach' in front of live audiences, and don’t teach anything I haven’t used myself in a real-life situation.

  3. I try to give you the long-term answers so that you can go forward on your own, aiming to make you self-sufficient as quickly as possible. You choose when you want another lesson, with no obligation.

  4. I tailor my teaching to each individual, and always try to generate a fun, relaxed atmosphere.

If that sounds appealing, then I’d love to hear from you – JT

TEACHING PRODUCTS

The videos below are all trailers for the products I have made for the “Mike’s Masterclasses” website. Each one is an extract from a longer film. I’m always keen to receive requests on topics for future classes, so please get in touch if you have any suggestions.

"Giant Steps" [Anatomy of a Standard] | Jamie Taylor
05:01

"Giant Steps" [Anatomy of a Standard] | Jamie Taylor

http://mikesclass.es/jamietaylor14/ Class aims: - Assist with memorization of the melody and sequence - Start to develop the necessary harmonic ‘close control’ to improvise on the tune - Develop technique and fretboard awareness, via two purpose-built etudes based on the chord progression At time of writing, this iconic piece by John Coltrane is almost sixty years old but, much like Everest and Kilimanjaro, it remains a perennial attraction for those in search of a challenge! Technically more of a jazz original than a standard, it’s a must know tune nevertheless. This new, shorter, class is based around two purpose-built etudes of mine, and designed to develop thought processes and fretboard awareness that should help you get started on this tricky tune. Perhaps we could think of it as ‘first steps’ to “Giant Steps”! (Note that this class clocks in at just over 30mins duration. I will still be producing the full-length classes in future as well, but flexible session lengths enable me to cover a wider range of topics. Do get in touch if you have any suggestions! JT) In the full 30m33s class: Two bespoke etudes are demonstrated at different tempos, then broken down into specific line constructions. We discuss harmonized scales as a means of improving fretboard knowledge. Pointers are given on how to memorize the progression and melody. As always, everything we discuss is fully notated and tabbed in the 11-page PDF that accompanies the class. Synchronized on-screen captions ensure that you can always see exactly what you’re hearing. For the first time in this package, I’ve also been able to create synchronized notation, so you can see a cursor traveling through the etude transcriptions in sync with my video performance. Level-wise, “Giant Steps” isn’t the easiest piece, and you probably need to have a few simpler tunes under your belt before starting to tackle this one. Having said that, there’s certainly no need to be put off by its reputation - the emphasis here is very much on first principles. The class is mostly aimed at the intermediate player who knows a few tunes and feels ready for the next challenge. Guitar: Gibson L4-CES
Learn How to Acquire Relative Pitch for the Bandstand Like a Pro!
03:39

Learn How to Acquire Relative Pitch for the Bandstand Like a Pro!

Aural awareness may not be a totally level playing field at the outset but, whilst some people may be born with more natural facility, anyone can develop it with the right methods. Even perfect pitch can be acquired, although its usefulness is probably open to debate. The particular focus of this session is the acquisition of relative pitch, and how this can help you identify the real music that you hear on the bandstand. You may have heard the idea that you can recognize intervals by relating them to famous songs e.g. by equating an augmented 4th to the opening notes of the theme from The Simpsons. However, whilst there’s nothing wrong with that as a way of getting started, it’s unlikely to get you past the first basic steps. That’s because, just as in navigation, measuring a distance between two points doesn’t actually tell you where you are! The augmented 4th in The Simpsons only sounds like it does because of how that interval relates to the overall context. A different augmented 4th in the same context probably wouldn’t invoke Homer and Marge at all. A much better way of learning to recognize intervals and sounds is by considering the natural gravity that pitches are subject to in a piece of tonal music. This class explains that concept, and shows you how you can use it to identify even quite advanced jazz harmonies by ear. Full Course found Here: https://mikesmasterclasses.com/course/the-gravity-concept-acquiring-relative-pitch-for-the-bandstand/ In the full 53m class we: Discuss the benefits and limitations of the “famous melody” approach. Identify which pitches exert tonal ‘gravity’ and why. Learn how to recognize these as absolute points, from which distances can be measured. Practice this together with a wide range of on-screen examples that you can use as ear tests. Explore how even complex altered dominant sounds can be recognized with this method. Demonstrate a rigorous relative pitch ‘workout’ exercise, using tonic sol-fa This time, the class includes a 20-page PDF booklet, referenced throughout with captions, and synchronized on-screen notation. In terms of level, this material could be of assistance to players with a wide range of experience. A beginner can benefit from getting into good aural awareness habits early on, and there may well be much more advanced players who wish to explore this area as well. If you’re really confident that in a blindfold test, you’d always know a G7b13 from a G7b9 or a Cmaj7#11 from a Cmaj7#5, then you probably don’t need to take this class. If not, though, let’s get started right away! 0:00 - Intro to Oral Awareness 0:18 - Interval recognition 2:26 - Interval testing and examples

What students say:

"Jamie inspired me to be the best musician I could, and on my own terms. He made sure he was teaching me what I desired to learn, always respecting me as a student."
- Oliver M. (former student)
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