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Students
Chris
"The hardest part after deciding I wanted guitar lessons was committing to the first lesson.
Having found Andy Ellis a teacher local to me, my finger hovered over the send button - shall I shant I? Will I turn up and not like the lesson or the teacher, how do I know he will teach me the things I am interested in?
So having clicked send I arranged to go to Andy's (he also comes to me) and give it a go. I need not have worried as Andy turned out to be one of the most easy going people I have met. |
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Most of my lessons start with me asking Andy if we can have a go at a new song I have heard, so on goes the song and amazingly Andy writes down the chords as its playing maybe with a replay or two if the song has some unusual tuning or chords. I find I tend to jump from one song to another learning a bit or sometimes all of a song then being drawn away by something else I have heard. This works well for me as each song throws up a new challenge new chords and different strumming.
So what about the technical stuff then, well for me all I want is to be able to play songs I like, Andy will ease into the conversation that what we are doing is the pentatonic scale but never tries to force any direction I don't want to go in, occasionally steering me back to where my major playing flaws are which is currently timing.
I am having so much fun I wish I had started years ago but its not just learning to play the guitar that I have got out of these lessons, I now find I am more open the listen to a variety of music and when I hear a song with guitar playing I am now really appreciating how good it is and sometimes thinking can I have a go at that.
My interest has also been renewed in going to see live bands including seeing Andy play live with Abbo locally which is great fun as I then get Andy to teach the songs I hear him play."
| Instruments |
Taylor Big Baby, Fender Telecaster, Hondo II, Yamaha DX acoustic, Epiphone Les Paul Ultra |
| Amp |
Marshall Valvestate |
| Effects |
Line6 PodXT |
| Dream guitar |
Noel Gallagher Epiphone |
| Favourite bands |
Sex pistols, Clash, Morrisey, The Smiths |
| Began playing instrument |
At age of 15 then stopped for ages.....started again in 2004 |
| Lesson routine |
2 x 1 hour per week |
| Practise regime |
Whenever I can, when I'm in the mood. Play lots of songs learnt with Andy, search Internet for TABs and get songs/lessons from Line6 Guitarport online. |
Chris' set list
| Track |
Artist |
| Wonderwall |
Oasis |
| Half the world away |
Oasis |
| Sunny afternoon |
The Kinks |
| Angels |
Robbie Williams |
| This charming man |
The Smiths |
| Feelin' Groovy |
Simon and Garfunkel |
| Good riddance |
Greenday |
| Tommy gun |
The clash |
| Kiss me deadly |
Generation X |
| Big mouth strikes again |
Morrissey |
| She talks to angels |
The black crowes |
| Make me pure |
Robbie Williams |
| Sexed up |
Robbie Williams |
| Yellow |
Coldplay |
| Parachutes |
Coldplay |
| All around the world |
Oasis |
| Green eyes |
Coldplay |
| Happy town |
Abbo |
| The importance of being idol |
Oasis |
| Nana's song |
Robbie Williams |
| Bag full of silly |
Robbie Williams |
| Pure |
Robbie Williams |
| Getting me down |
Rezillos |
| God put a smile upon my face |
Coldplay |
| In my place |
Coldplay |
| Please please please let me get what I want |
The Smiths |
| Better man |
Robbie Williams |
| Blackbird |
The Beatles |
| Pink panther chase music |
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| Cigarettes and alcohol |
Oasis |
| Smells like teen spirit |
Nirvana |
| Riot van |
Arctic Monkeys |
| Mardy bum |
Arctic Monkeys |
| Are you gonna be my girl |
Jet |
| Purple haze |
Jimi Hendrix |
| Supersonic |
Oasis |
| Don't look back in anger |
Oasis |
| What difference does it make |
Morrissey |
| Seaside |
The Kooks |
| She moves in her own way |
The Kooks |
| Ooh la |
The Kooks |
| Here comes the sun |
The Beatles |
| Jackie big tits |
The Kooks |
| Wouldn't believe your radio |
Stereophonics |
| Help! |
The Beatles |
| Get back |
The Beatles |
| Albion |
Babyshambles |
| East of Eden |
Babyshambles |
| I love you (but you're green) |
Babyshambles |
| 7 deadly Frenchmen |
The Libertines |
| Music when the lights go out |
Babyshambles |
| He will fall |
Babyshambles |
| Can't stand me now |
The Libertines |
| Don't look back at the sun |
The Libertines |
| When the sun goes down |
Arctic Monkeys |
| Delivery |
Babyshambles |
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