GUITAR, BASS & BANJO TUITION IN THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS / TONBRIDGE AREA OF KENT, SOUTH-EAST ENGLAND, UK Instrument Sales - Repairs, Set-Ups, Overhauls and Renovations.
Specialist Dealer for BLUERIDGE Guitars.
_________________________________ Welcome to the www.nickeldridge.co.uk website ... the URL nickeldridge.com will also direct you to this site.
ONE-TO-ONE TUITION by teacher with 46 years experience for novices upwards - also for advanced players looking for some new ideas or techniques - all printed teaching material etc. included in the cost of tuition - no extras - no grade examinations - no boredom. There is no substitute for actually sitting in a room with an expert teacher when trying to master the physical relationship between your hands and the instrument.
So often this vital area is missed by 'Internet' tuition, much of which is well-meant and competent in some respects, but can only really be dealt with by an experienced expert who can see what your hands are doing and spot if some positional detail is wrong or could be made to feel easier by the student.
This only works with one to one tuition as it's different for each person due to differing hand shape and size.
A FULL-TIME OPERATION ..... this is an extremely professional full-time operation and bookings are possible seven days a week from 2.00pm until 1.00am subject to availability.
Easy tuition methods are 'novice friendly' and music-reading or even tablature are not required - you can do these when you're a bit more advanced if you wish - but to start you off, easy to follow charts and diagrams are used.
Styles include pop, rock, blues, blues slide guitar, English and American folk music, Cajun music, Zydeco, Rockabilly - use of open and non-standard tunings, alternating bass ( rocking bass ) fingerpicking, ragtime picking, resonator guitar techniques, general electric and acoustic guitar techniques, ear-training and improvisation.
Electric Bass Guitar rock and blues styles taught ( fretted instruments ).
Electric Lap-Steel Guitar and acoustic Dobro (lap style) are taught here ... these are not 'novice' instruments and you would need to have some basic knowledge of guitar playing before progressing to these instruments.
American folk & mountain style country fiddle ..... if you're absolutely desperate and can't find a proper 'fiddle' teacher then I can get you started with some basic stuff that actually sounds better than it should and has astonished some of my visitors ( on a good day ) !!
A speciality is acoustic Delta Blues in the style of the legendary Robert Johnson (1911 - 1938) often considered to be 'King of the Delta Blues' and according to some ... 'Father of the modern Pop Song'.
Blind Willie McTell is another favourite blues artist - his incredible fingerpicking on a cumbersome twelve-string guitar makes him stand out from the others. Whether or not you use a twelve-stringer I can show you some genuine McTell playing technique.
Mississippi John Hurt was an extremely talented player in the Piedmont and country blues tradition - I specialise in the 'rocking bass' style used by John Hurt.
Blind Blake was the king of the ragtime players in the 1920s and 30s - his technique was incredible - I have managed to get fairly close to his style and can show you how a few of his tricks were accomplished.
Bluegrass brings to mind the sound of the five-string banjo but Bluegrass music has it's own very distinct guitar style which is much more than just strumming chords. If Bluegrass is your chosen style I can point you in the right direction.
The Carter Family from Clinch Mountain, Virginia invented a style of playing in which the entire melody is carried in the bass while a rhythm is maintained in the treble. So if 'Carter Family style' is what you want to do I have a few of their famous songs ready for teaching.
Merle Travis bridged the gap between 'old time' picking and the 'swing' era and if this player's work is your interest I have a few of his famous pieces ready for tuition.
The film "Oh! Brother Where Art Thou?" and it's "Down from the Mountain" spin-off have swept the world and made thousands of people newly aware of this interesting country music ...... if you're interested in learning some American flatpicking I have some material ready for you.
5 String 'G' Banjo - clawhammer and bluegrass picking styles taught.
Repairs, overhauls and adjustments - old, heavily worn instruments can be given a new lease of life - good knowledge of resonator instruments which often require critical adjustment for good sound quality. Restorations of an interesting antique banjo and a fairly rare Gibson ES120T guitar.
New Nuts, Bridge Saddles, Tuning Machines, Bridge Pins and Strap Studs fitted to most acoustic and electric guitars at very reasonable prices and promptly.
TUITION CHARGES ARE AS FOLLOWS : Youngest children aged 11 to 12 as beginners at £18.00 for one hour. All other tuition is charged by the hour at £18.00 per hour except (recommended) 90 minute lessons at £25.00 for older children and adults. 90 minute sessions may seem better value and make the travelling more worthwhile for those who have to come quite a distance for their lessons.
More experienced players who would enjoy sessions of greater length will be charged at the hourly rate, discounted to £14.00 ( e.g. some people have a 3 hour evening session).
Tuition can be arranged for any time of the day or night , subject to availability - as long as it's not before 2.00 pm. ( Musicians don't like mornings ).
School-age children are ONLY taught with an accompanying adult in the room for the entire duration of the session.
Pre-payments in respect of 'gift' lessons are not accepted. Payment is due at the time of each lesson, cancellations with less than 48 hours notice and broken appointments are charged at the full rate.
There is no objection whatsoever to smokers ( unless they are children in which case an eyebrow might be raised ) .... and continuous REALLY NICE tea or coffee is available FREE throughout lessons.
ACCESSORIES ...... if you haven't bought all the things you need yet then you can probably buy them from me at less than shop prices. I keep all the usual sundries such as plectra, thumbpicks, capos, tuners, cases, stands and a good range of strings for all the instruments that I teach.
THE WORLD-FAMOUS GUITARS ...
With the kind co-operation of Gremlin Music who are the sole UK and Ireland importers and distributors of the Blueridge range, I am able to supply these stunning instruments to my customers together with most other instruments or items from the Gremlin catalogue. Instruments supplied by me are set up and adjusted to the highest professional playing standards and fully guaranteed.
BASED NEAR TUNBRIDGE WELLS, KENT, IN
ENGLAND, SOUTH-EAST UK
Contact: Nick Eldridge
On:
TELEPHONE:
+44 - (0)1892 - 834050
E-mail: nickeldridge@nickeldridge.co.uk
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THE LINKS AREA Most links open in new window - close the window to return here If you want rapid service on discount guitar accessories by mail order try Newstrings.co.uk - they're really good and totally reliable. 
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