Booking a one to one lesson with Phil
Hi my name is Phil and I have been teaching Ukulele for 6 years. Hopefully some of you will know about my exploits at Southern Ukulele Store and working on various projects for Ukes With Alex in the past? If not, then give me a chance... I feel like we can be friends!
My background in professional music and music education extends back to 2006 and on my travels I have picked up an ACM diploma in Contemporary Music Production in Guildford, secured my Grade 8 Music Theory with ABRSM and built my own Ukulele with Master Luthier Pete Howlett (A Makore Tenor).
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My current pupils enjoy varied lessons via Zoom (or Whatsapp) with some wanting to learn individual songs, some prefer to focus on particular styles of music over several lessons and most recently I have helped a pupil through their Rock School Ukulele grades. I am happy to explore any corner of the world of GCEA or DGBE you like and (whispers - I can teach you Guitar as well).
I love teaching and am more than happy to work with you to give you the kind of ukulele lesson you want... Fun or formal, we can even learn how to improvise and have a jam if you like?!
If you have any questions before booking a lesson please use this contact box below and you can book your lesson anytime using the online diary on this page.
As video call classes are quite new to a lot of people I have included a few of the most commonly asked questions at the bottom of this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because Video Lessons are new to lots of people...
Are video lessons really as good as a face to face lesson?
Absolutely, for most people they are. Lessons in a classroom or at home often involve doubling travel time and it is hard to settle into a lesson. With these pre-arranged video lessons, we can discuss by email what you are hoping to acheive and set realistic goals for the lessons time. I am also happy to prepare things like backing tracks or record sections of the lesson for pupils so you are getting the best value for money from the comfort of your own home.
Do you have much teaching experience on Zoom?
Yes I do. I have taught my current crop of students via video lessons throughout the pandemic when it wasn't possible to visit their homes and enjoyed the experience so much that I can't see much sense in going back to the old way of doing things.
How do I get into the video call to begin my lesson?
When your lesson is booked a zoom link will be generated and sent to your account on the website. I will meet you there at the start of the lesson. The lesson is timed at 50 minutes but this is not rigid as I appreciate there might be a minute or two at the start where connection issues occur. I allow the few minutes at the end to get ready for my next lesson.
What do I need for the video lesson?
Really, a modern enough phone or tablet and the zoom app which is free would be the minimum requirements. I recommend investing in a reliable phone holder or something you can lean your phone on for the duration of the lesson. If you want to do the lesson via a laptop or desktop computer, I would request that you have a web cam of some kind so that we can communicate. I have had students in the past who are very shy about playing on camera but please remember I am your teacher and want to get the best out of you. I can't do that if I can't see how you play ukulele.
Can I block book lessons?
There is no reason you can't book up the calendar in advance for multiple lessons. I am working on how to allow people to block book in one go but the website booking technology is quite new to me and I may not have a solution for this immediately.