Description
Teacher’s Biography:
I have been playing in Cambridgeshire bands and teaching professionally since 1994, an intuitively experienced guitarist & bassist and a skilled confident teacher, I have been able to successfully coach literally hundreds of keen & aspiring guitarists and bass players in the last 20 years. From the age of 7 years, old I always had a love and passion for music and has been playing live and recording with numerous bands since I was 16.
Passing on his wealth of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm through his tutoring has been a vastly rewarding and ongoing goal.
Alongside my private guitar teaching, I remain a very active musician. I currently play bass for the alternative Indie band The Contrast, who are with Steven Van Zandt’s New York City record label WickedCool and Angel Air Records here in the UK, as well as The Expletives – an exciting punk & new wave tribute band.
Music Qualifications / Achievements:
- Sound Engineering/Recording Diploma with merit
- O Level Music
- Registry of Guitar Tutors continual membership since 1995
Testimonials:
“I went to Richard to learn how to play the guitar 4 years ago. His incredible music knowledge along with his teaching style has pushed me well beyond what I expected I was able to do. I am now writing my own music, I have recorded with Richard, have been in 2 previous bands and am now in Stockholm Sweden starting my own originals band. I can’t recommend Richard highly enough. He will put you at ease and will help you play and appreciate the finer points of music in such a way that when you go to see professional bands play, you will pick up everything that they do and be able to adjust and apply it to your own playing style. A consummate professional who will always go that extra mile for you and a truly amazing guy. Proud to call him my guitar teacher and friend.” – Stephen Boyle.
“Inspiring teacher, great guitarist, and wonderful guy. Has really helped develop my guitar playing and taught me masses of techniques. Plus, he’s introduced me to fabulous new music and shown me how to play it. Comes highly recommended as the best guitar teacher in the area.” – Adam Pasco
“Richard Mackman ignited the touchpaper which developed into the Dresdenesque firestorm that is my infatuation with the writing, producing and recording process, resulting in a Bachelor of Arts, a shedload of gigs, studio sessions and a study full of noisy things. He can teach you to play the guitar and a lot more.” Kurt Malton.
Contact:
To book your first lesson with me, or to find out more about my lessons, don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing me on richard.mackman@mgrmusic.com.
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Peter Hunt –
I started having lessons with Richard when I was 13. I’d already been playing bass for a couple of years, but after my old teacher ran out of things to teach me, a friend recommended that I should go to Richard for help. He managed to give me more and more things to work on to improve my playing, in all sorts of genres. Not only did he give me the chops to work on, the music, as well as the theory behind it all, he also helped me understand what being a musician was all about and what it involved. He has also helped me with my song writing skills that helped get me through GCSE and A level Music- not to mention the grade 8 which meant I could carry on studying music and bass guitar at university.
Without the admiration and inspiration and confidence I got from Richard’s lessons’, I know that I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Peter Hunt (ex student now studying a degree at The Institute Of Contemporary Music in London)
Dr Kevin Roe –
I have been working with Richard as a student for nearly two years. He teaches me bass guitar and prior to starting with him I had never even picked up a musical instrument let alone a guitar. I can now play along to songs, read tablature and generally enjoy music on a different level to before. All of this has been accomplished despite having limited use of the fingers on my left hand. As a ‘professional’ academic I have found Richard’s approach methodical, innovative and inspirational. He is capable of ‘tuning in’ to the needs of his students and identifying the pace at which they can learn. This is not to say he will allow me to ‘bump along’ – he suggests songs that will stretch my abilities and challenge my own musical tastes. He is patient yet persistent and capable of using a range of different teaching techniques to help me make sense of my instrument – for example using voice, clapping, CD recording and highlighting the mathematical underpinning of music as tools. He has also advised me on the choice of instrument, introduced me to new musical genres and is always ready to listen to my thoughts and ideas. As a musician Richard has a strong pedigree and can speak from an experienced professional perspective and yet he never appears to be intimidating or condescending with his comments. I have recommended him to my friends and would have no hesitation in commending his studio to prospective students regardless of their own musical ability.
Habib Khan –
Patient and very knowledgeable, full of ideas and enthusiasm, nothing appears to phase Richard and is an excellant guitar and bass tutor. If you wish to learn guitar or bass, go nowhere else.
Charlotte Scott –
Richard is an incredible teacher with exceptional knowledge of both the guitar and bass. He is very welcoming to both beginners and more advanced students. Richard is also very patient and accepting if you’re having trouble. He is very enthusiastic and will teach exactly what you want and need to know! Highly recommend!
Karen Gadd –
Every lesson is better than the last. Richard adds new techniques, pushes the next level of playing, explains everything with his amazing knowledge. Highlight of my week. Highly recommended.
Robin Eagle –
You will be hard pushed to find a more passionate, knowledgeable and reasonably priced guitar tutor in Cambridgeshire. I started lessons with Richard in my early teens and continued almost a decade later after university. As a young beginner he struck a great balance of being nurturing and giving me a kick up the arse when needed . He was instrumental in not only helping me to improve my playing ability, but also broaden my taste in music and quite honestly grow as an individual. I took up lessons after university because more than anything else, it was a pleasure. Can’t recommend him enough.
Caroline Marshall –
For a complete novice student Richard is an incredibly patient and supportive tutor. I was never the most skilled guitarist but the simple pleasure derived from finally being able to play songs you really love, when a lot of teachers wouldn’t give you the time of day, really means a lot. He has a down to earth and friendly nature which puts any nerves aside right from lesson one.As well as letting me progress at the level and with the songs I felt comfortable with Richard also made lots of suggestions for songs I’d like and really expanded my musical tastes which before that had been quite limited. I definitely recommend him – whatever your skill level.
Caroline Marshall
Mike Whitaker –
I had lessons with Rich for what must have been most of a decade: he took me from being self taught and, well, ‘OK’ as a lead guitarist to a much better player. That and he has a fantastic ear when it came to transcribing stuff I wanted (or, given the band I was in at the time, NEEDED) to learn. Can’t recommend him enough, no matter what level you’re at now.
Karen Gadd and Louis Wild –
Rich is an inspiring and talented teacher who really cares about his students. He passes on all the experience of his many years in music and I’ve loved learning with him. He has taught me not just bass but about how to get the best tone, playing live, how to set up a rig, and most of all he is always there to give me a confidence boost when I need one. Now my son comes to Rich too! There is loads more to learning to play than just picking up a bass or guitar. Rich has shown me all of that and it is down to him that I am with my band.
Chris Jones –
Rich is a superb teacher and very focused on bringing the best out in you as a student, he has helped my 13 year old son with his passion for Brian May and Queen and with the regime and routine of regular and reliable lessons/practice sessions Rich has given him an incredible gift as a player and performer.
Highly recommended if you are serious about your music and are prepared to put in the time and effort.
Rachel Elliss –
An excellent tutor – I’ve had guitar lessons with Rich for 2 years now, enabling me to gain a place on the Peterborough Regional College music diploma course for which I am incredibly grateful. If you are genuinely Serious about your music and are Reliable with your lessons and hard working I can think of no better teacher.
Anaisha Singh –
Richard is a Super teacher I’ve learnt so much in the past year and am well on the way
to becoming the player I always wanted – it has been a dream and ambition of mine to
play music ever since I was a child and the time effort and reliable commitment that
both Rich & I have put in has been very worthwhile. I look forward to many more
lessons with him in 2020.