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35 years playing experience
20 years teaching experience

An introduction to Jim Guitar

Jim is an amazing teacher and all around fantastic guy. He has such a good teaching style and tailors the lessons around you and what you want this is the man for anything from the basics to an epic jamming session. No matter what your ability, Jim is your man! Look no further!

Jim is a great teacher, very patient, and I enjoy and appreciate the cool stuff we play each time. I would unreservedly recommend him for any level of guitarist, from a beginner through to Angus Young.

I was super happy with the results and really enjoy my guitar playing. Far more personalised lessons then the ones I had at school. Apart from being a great and patient teacher, Jim’s a good guy, really easy to get along with and I can’t recommend him enough!

Jim taught me and is teaching my kids. He has a wide knowledge of music and I would thoroughly recommend him to anyone looking to start or to improve.

Jim brought my playing from barely ok to the point that I would feel comfortable tackling any song I desire to play. He inspired me to take my practice very seriously and in a short amount of time I could notice the difference in technique and confidence in my own playing.

I started playing in a band with Jim many years ago and my ability has improved 100% since. Not only is he a fantastic teacher but his ability and influence is second to none. I know many guitar teachers and would not even consider using them as long as Jim is teaching.

Services

1. Playing

I can get you playing in a variety of styles including Pop, Rock, Blues, Metal and Funk and I can get you there quickly by ensuring that you learn in an efficient and memorable way.

From the basics through to highly advanced techniques, my goal is to get you to where you want to be, whether that’s songwriting, soloing, improvising or just playing a few songs for fun! If you practice what I teach you then you will achieve your goal.

2. Theory

Music theory scares most people, especially beginners, but it shouldn’t! It just depends on the way that you’re taught. Over many years of teaching, I’ve found that if I teach someone a song that they love and then dissect that song slowly and in a theoretical way, students tend to retain that theory.

If you understand the basics being used in a particular piece you will be able to make use of that information in your own compositions. So if you don’t know your Modes from your Motifs, get in touch today.

3. Songwriting

Songwriting can be problematic if you’re new to it, even knowing where to start can prove an issue. I’ll show you how to take away the mystery by introducing you to the formulas used by every great writer on the planet, whether they know it or not!

From simple three chord tricks to complicated chord progressions, key changes, bridges and middle 8s, counter melodies, harmony lines, polychords, mediants, secondary dominants and much more, I will guide you through this complex area of study.

4. Recording

I’ve been using my recording facilities for many years now as a way of helping students actually hear their progress from month to month. Not only is this great for a student’s self esteem but it’s enormously satisfying for me as well; to hear their improvement over the months is a wonderful thing and it’s also very motivational.

For intermediate students learning more difficult material, I use my studio to slow the songs/pieces down in tempo – with no change in pitch, so that they can play through the piece at a speed that suits them without getting frustrated because they’ve made a mistake or that the song’s too fast. This way, students practice at a pace that suites them and they don’t pick up any bad habits.

For more advanced students, solos become far easier to learn at this slower pace and as they start to improvise, bespoke backing tracks can also be created to target specific styles, keys and tempos.

5. Technique

I teach all technique used in my preferred styles, from correct hand positioning basics, Barre chords and muting unwanted string noise to fingerpicking right through to Modern Rock and Blues techniques.

So if you’ve ever wanted to learn to sweep pick, execute fast fast legato and picking runs, tap like Eddie Van Halen, use the whammy bar like Steve Vai or bend like Dave Gilmour, give me a call.

6. Ear Training

I encourage students to make ear training a part of their areas of study as, if you can hear something and understand it musically, you stand a much greater chance of actually being able to play it. After all, music is an aural art.

Approximately one lesson in five is devoted to ear training and on these occasions, no guitar needs to be brought to the lesson. Using this approach I can teach you Relative Pitch and its application to all music (which is huge).

Jim Thompson: Profile

I’ve been playing for over thirty years now and teaching for around 15 of those, my styles include Rock and Pop, Blues, Metal and Funk as well as songwriting although I specialise in rock techniques. My early influences were anything from The Who to Michael Jackson, Bach to Bon Jovi and lots in between. I started playing at the age of five but quickly gave it up in favour of Star Wars figures!

I picked up the instrument again when I was about 11 and soon discovered bands like Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix to name but a few and my lifelong love affair with the guitar began. At the age of 13 I began to seriously practice, staying in over the weekends to study scales, arpeggios and technique in general, often putting in eight hours a day at my fretboard.

My influences developed as I discovered the music of Steve Vai and Joe Satriani not to mention Frank Zappa and Guns n’ Roses among others and I studied everything I could get my hands on by these artists. In 2014 I was given a publishing deal and in 2016 a writer’s deal and this has given me the opportunity to study classical composition, which I love.

Currently I’m in the band Wheels, an original outfit and also Paradigm Shift — more of a cover band, both of which are enormously satisfying musically speaking.

FAQs: More questions?

Where are lessons held?

Here in my studio in Kemsing, via Skype or occasionally in your home (although these are more expensive).

Can I miss lessons?

If you’re ill then yes of course (you can keep your germs thanks), otherwise 48 hours notice is needed to cancel a lesson or you will be charged. I realise that people have busy lives so if I can reschedule your lesson into a different time in the same week I will.

Can I record/video the lesson?

I really do encourage this as many students find that they understand what they’re being taught within the lesson but, due to the fast pace of life etc, may have forgotten things a few days later. Also if you ever get stuck on a piece or need a ten minute recap on anything, just give me a call or send me an email, I would much rather you do this than have a week go by without being able to make much progress.

How long will it take until I can play something?

This depends entirely on how much practice you are able to do from week to week. I recommend thirty minutes practice, three times a week for beginners and obviously this increases as you become more proficient with your instrument. Intermediate players will often practice at least an hour everyday and advanced players will do considerably more than this.

How much do lessons cost?

I charge £20 for a half hour lesson, these are booked in blocks of five so five half hour lessons would cost £100 and five hourly lessons would cost £185. All blocks are booked and paid for in advance.

What do I need to bring with me?

A guitar! I’ll be honest and tell you if the instrument is suitable to your playing level and make suggestions of guitar makes where appropriate, also if any repairs are needed I can make recommendations of where to go to resolve potential issues. No amp or leads are needed but please bring any music that you are currently working on, music that you would like to work on, spare strings are always useful and don’t forget your plectrums if you’re playing with a pick and most importantly, bring your enthusiasm!

Should I book the half hour or hour long lesson?

Beginners should book the half hour lesson, this is suitable for the first two years of playing in most cases. Intermediate players should book the hourly lesson and advanced players will typically book a two hour lesson.

Can anyone learn the guitar?

Yes and no! Some people have bigger fingers than others and this can be a help, or a hindrance depending on the individual. I have found that if you’re struggling to play the guitar due to the fretboard dimensions etc, then you’re probably more suited to playing the bass. But, as with most things, where there’s a will there’s a way; if you’re determined and dedicated, you will become a good player.

Curious to know a little more?
Drop me a line!

For any other questions, please email me at lessons@jimguitar.co.uk or call on 07979 180175 and connect with me on these networks.

Learn, Practice, Achieve.

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RESOURCES

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JIM'S BANDS

Wheels
Shrunken Heads