Listening, understanding, playing
We offer a unique approach to music learning with one-on-one lessons in guitar, ukulele, bass, singing, drums, woodwind, brass, violin, piano, mandolin and tenor banjo!
Our approach focuses on learning by ear, covering the music you love in a way which gives you the tools you need to work out songs and pieces by yourself, write your own music and jam with other musicians. Our expert teachers come from a wide range of backgrounds and will work with you to help you master any genre from rock to folk to jazz.
Our lessons are very competitively priced in order to give every budding musician the chance to learn an instrument. Half hour lessons cost £18 and hour lessons £32. Please use our online booking system (below) or get in touch using the contact form to start your musical journey- we'll be happy to help!
Instruments
We offer patient and friendly one-on-one lessons in guitar, bass guitar, double bass, ukulele, singing, drums, brass, violin, viola, piano, mandolin, tenor banjo, harmonica, composition, songwriting and music theory at our dedicated learning centre in Woodseats, 656 Chesterfield Road, S8 0SB.
Guitar
Drums
Piano
Singing
Violin
ukulele
Brass
What our students say...
Our Teachers
Our expert teachers come from a wide range of backgrounds and will work with you to help you master any genre from rock to pop to folk to jazz. Get in touch today to start your musical journey- we'll be happy to help!
Click on a teacher below to book a lesson
Hi! I’m Phoebe, and I’ve been singing and playing piano for over 10 years. I am classically trained in both voice and piano, but I also enjoy exploring other genres of music. At the moment, I am part of a vocal trio that performs a blend of classical and folk music.
I am currently in my final year at the University of Sheffield studying a Bachelor’s of Music, and I have also previously achieved ABRSM Grade 8 in both voice and piano.
I am happy to offer lessons for students who would like to work towards graded exams and develop their music theory knowledge, as well as those who prefer to learn by ear and purely for enjoyment!
Book your session
Phoebe is currently available for lessons on Wednesday evenings but may also be able to offer sessions on other evenings if needed – please contact us using the box below to book.
Hi I’m Lucy, and I have been playing the trumpet, piano and drums for over 20 years now! I started learning the trumpet when I was around 10 years old, followed by the piano, but in my later teenage years discovered a real passion for drumming.
I think the combination of learning a melody instrument, a chord based instrument and a rhythm instrument built a solid foundation for me to approach the different aspects of music, songwriting and the elements that create a song. I really enjoy recording music and producing in the studio as well as getting out and playing live gigs.
As a teenager in Sheffield I played the drums in several indie/electronic/punk bands before moving to South Devon to do a music degree at Dartington College of Arts, where I first met my husband and bandmate Matt. We currently write, produce and play together in a band called ‘Pale Blue Eyes’. We’ve released three albums, and have toured the UK and Europe loads over the last few years as well as doing several live sessions for radio. Since moving back up to Sheffield a couple of years ago we’ve set up a recording studio in Meersbrook where we record and produce our own music as well as other musician’s projects.
With my drum lessons I am keen to help students achieve their goals in whichever way best suits them. We can run through drum rudiments, which are a brilliant basis to build from, but more importantly we can have fun, playing along to songs they like or learning a cool drum beat that they’ve heard somewhere. We can improvise, jam or learn to play to a click… All good skills to apply to whatever direction they would like to go in with their own music and journey!
Book your session
Lucy currently teaches at Finale Music School on Monday and Wednesday evenings. We are also proud to offer sessions in partnership with Broadcast Recordings where our students can practice on a real drum kit without incurring the wrath of the neighbours! Contact us using the box below to book your session today.
Hello! I’m George. I’ve been playing guitar for 20 years. I started by learning classical guitar as a child before branching out into rock, folky fingerstyle, and jazz. I’m happy to teach in any of these genres, and more than anything, to be guided by students’ own interests and musical style. I’m well-versed in music theory and can incorporate this into my teaching as and when it is helpful for the student’s understanding. As an experienced songwriter, I can also offer guidance on both the musical and lyrical aspects of songwriting to help students best communicate what they are trying to express with their music. I also run the monthly songwriting workshop, where we meet to discuss songwriting and play each other our ‘work in progress’ songs!
Overall, I aim to develop student’s understanding of guitar as an instrument, allowing them to recognise the many exciting possibilities it holds for self-expression and creativity. Students should also feel free to request photos of my adorable cat, Pikachu!
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I’m Johnny, and I have been playing guitar for nearly 20 years. I am a classically trained guitarist who grew up playing in a number of bands, and specialise in rock, pop, and folk. In 2020 I graduated from the University of Sheffield with First Class Honours in English and Music (involving music performance), and have continued to hone my skills and work professionally in various roles as a musician.
I aim to help students develop the technical skills and confidence to be creative and expressive in their playing, jam with other musicians and enjoy playing music. As an experienced songwriter, I can also offer help with songwriting and incorporate insight into songwriting techniques in my teaching.
Hi! My name is Nye and I teach jazz and folk guitar as well as mandolin, tenor banjo, digital music production and general composition and songwriting. I started playing guitar when I was eight and have since played in bands in such diverse genres as folk, jazz, funk and rock. I run FolkFriend.co.uk which provides educational content for Celtic guitarists and have written several books on the topic. I have also published a guide to chord inversions for jazz guitarists. I began teaching guitar in 2014, set up and ran my own guitar shop for six years and founded Finale Music School in 2022. My aim, is to provide budding musicians of all ages with the tools they need to truly understand and enjoy playing music. I want to produce players with the confidence, ear training and technical skills needed to play their favourite tunes by ear, jam along with other musicians and generally have fun playing! I do this through friendly, fun lessons covering music selected by the student while also incorporating all the necessary theory, ear training and technical exercises to give them a firm foundation to write, perform and jam from. I also offer lessons in digital music production, composition and songwriting.
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I am an experienced piano player and teacher from Sheffield. I have been playing piano for 12 years and I am currently studying for my grade 8. I love every aspect of music: playing; listening, composing and teaching. I provide custom-made piano lessons covering both practice and theory. I offer lessons for beginners and intermediate players of all ages. I offer lessons to students who are aiming to sit their grades, or just wanting to learn for pleasure! I can teach students to understand and play pieces from the main 4 periods of piano music: Baroque, including compositions by Bach, Handel and Vivaldi; Classical, including compositions by Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven; Romantic including compositions by Chopin, Grieg and Brahms and the Modern period, ranging from blues to jazz to pop. My personal music career involves getting merit-distinction level on my grades 1-7, playing in classical concerts and with several rock bands.
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My name is Chorkiu- you can simply call me Kiu. I’ve been playing trumpet since the age of 8. Throughout my musical journey with the trumpet I’ve played in various musical settings, from symphonic winds to brass bands, from a jazz band to an indie-pop band, which has an album released and distributed in Hong Kong and Japan.
I’m classically trained but this does not restrict me from exploring the possibility and essence of music. After I graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts with a Bachelor (Hons) degree in Music (majoring in Composition), I’ve spent years involving in community arts and curative music education. By doing that I aimed at breaking through the boundaries of academic musical training in order to help people to unveil their inborn musical talents. I deeply believe that music is in everybody’s soul.
On the other hand, I’m still active in providing opportunities to students looking for a systematic musical learning experience. I’ve been teaching brass and music theory at schools or privately for over 15 years. In 2019 I was appointed as a Theory Examiner for one of the most internationally recognised music examination bodies. In short I can help you learn the music you love for pleasure or achieve recognised grades and qualifications if you wish to, while honing your ear, composition and improvisation skills!
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Please call us on 07857941972 or let us know your best days and rough times or click here to use our contact form.
I’ve been playing drums since the age of 12. Since then I have achieved grade 8 on the drum kit, earned a college degree in music, joined 3 rock bands, and am currently studying music at the University of Sheffield. I specialise in rock and pop music, however I love playing along and listening to loads of different genres! In teaching drums, I like the student to lead the direction of their learning while incorporating the fundamental skills they need to develop a well rounded skill set. This can include learning to play songs they like while also covering the 26 drum rudiments and ear training skills needed to jam along with other musicians. I’m happy to take my lessons down any route to suit the student!
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I’m Lee McKenzie, I tutor guitar, harmonica, singing and song-writing whilst advocating a broader musicianship approach for learning how to express, create, jam & improvise. I also provide tuition on the principles of application for theory/harmony. I believe that effective understanding of improvisation enables players to enjoy jamming and performing live with more confidence. Greater understanding facilitates greater writing possibilities, and greater ability to contribute to projects/bands. Much comes down to how we choose to listen, how we choose to interpret & how we can apply practical understanding of theory and harmony. I approach guitar from a perspective of shapes, patterns & cycles. My aim is to provide aspiring players with the understanding & confidence to improvise, communicate & express with their instrument.
I’ve been playing guitar over 20 years, and in 2012 completed a Diploma in Music Production & Performance in my home country, New Zealand. My wife & I relocated to England in 2022 to start fresh and find better opportunity, options, vibrancy and adventure (lots to explore in the northern hemisphere!). I began teaching over 7 years ago in New Zealand, first under the wing of my local performing arts company, then in schools as well as privately from home. Here in Sheffield I also work with The Rock Project providing kids the opportunity to learn and play in a band setting. I run the bi-weekly, Monday guided adult jam session for Finale as well as 1-1 lessons. At the time of writing I’m playing in 4 local bands.
Availability is limited due to various commitments so be sure to book your slot today using the contact details below.
Book your session
Lee is available on Monday and Friday evenings – please contact us using the box below to book.
I started playing guitar and piano over 11 years ago and have been a passionate and dedicated musician ever since. Having gone to college to study music to get a diploma, I then furthered my education in music by attending The University of Huddersfield to study Sound and Music for Image. As a result I am well versed in both classical and popular genres of music. This has led me to have a vibrant career in a variety of bands, playing a range of genres including funk, blues, metal, rock and punk. I am currently working in an improvisational psychedelic rock project and a midwestern emo/math rock project as well as playing in “Jazz-punk” band Tinned Meats with our drum teacher Lennon.
My philosophy in teaching is developing good musicianship as early as possible. This means getting you jamming and improvising and thinking about more in your playing than just the notes you’re hitting. My aim is to help you cultivate your own sound on the instrument, guiding you in how to say what you want to say. This approach will teach you how to use your ear alongside more commonly covered skills like how to read music and tab and learn songs and pieces from a wide range of genres and styles.
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Hi, I’m Woody and I have been exploring the guitar and bass for over 10 years, starting as an indie rocker back home in Birmingham and going on to take my music on international tours, win titles such as the Drake Yolanda Award and Peter Whittingham Jazz Award and release my debut album recorded in Sheffield’s very own Yellow Arch Studios.
My background is in rock and pop and I went on to get my degree in Jazz at Leeds Conservatoire in 2022. I have since delved into the world of Eastern European music, West African music and more. The things which have brought me most joy since finishing my studies have been running community jazz workshops and hosting jam sessions and open mics.
Under my tutelage, you can expect to learn music by ear, building confidence in performing both solo and with other people and developing a true confidence in your instrument. This will allow you to improvise and teach yourself with no need for sheet music or guides.
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Woody is currently available on alternate Sunday afternoons and evenings – please contact us using the box below to book.
Hi! I’m Josie, a violinist, 5 string banjo player, singer and songwriter. I play in a wide range of traditional styles, including English, Scottish, Irish, American old time, Bluegrass, French, Swedish, Quebecois, Klezmer and Gypsy jazz. I’ve been teaching violin to both adults and children for about 20 years, covering technique, traditional styles, improvisation, harmony and musical arrangement. I’m also happy to teach 5 string banjo, especially clawhammer style, to non-advanced students. I’m a friendly and enthusiastic teacher, who aims to get students playing music they find exciting from the start and minimise the amount of boring technical exercises.
I currently play in the English ceilidh bands Bellamira and Bobbing Joe, the world music band Maskareen and the Klezmer band Seven Hills Kapelye.
Book your session
Josie is currently available for lessons on Wednesday evenings. Drop us a message using the contact form below to arrange your first lesson today!
Hello I’m Gwen! I am a jazz pianist with particular interest in aural based learning and improvisation. I’ve been teaching piano for 8 years and perform regularly in Sheffield as part of jazz and pop groups. Right now I am the lead singer and pianist for an improv jazz/grunge ensemble as well as part of a modern jazz quintet!
I’m currently studying my Bachelors in Music at the University of Sheffield and have previously achieved my grade 8 in classical piano. Since coming to university I discovered a passion for jazz both in performance and composition, particularly improvised performances. Soloing and extended improvisation is something I am always excited about teaching as I find the student’s creativity and self expression to be key to learning!
Book your session
Gwen teaches at Finale Music School on Friday evenings. Please contact us using the box below to book your first lesson today.
Hi, my name is Thomas, I’m a singer and guitarist who’s been performing on stage for over 10 years with various bands as well as on my own. I studied jazz music and sound engineering at the E.M.A.R. in Reunion Island from 2013 to 2016. I then started traveling around the world to discover other countries’ musical history and traditions, spent some time in Turkey learning the “Bağlama” (traditional middle-eastern stringed instrument) and in China where I was performing regularly with a local musician playing the “Guzheng” (Asian plucked zither).
I mostly play Folk music, but also have a keen interest in other styles such as blues, reggae, rock, funk, indie, and also maloya, which is the cornerstone of Reunionese traditional music. I currently play in folk/world band Maskareen, punk group Tea Stained Socks and the Thom Cowley Trio (with fellow Finale instructors Cal and Lee).
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Hiya, my name is James and I specialise in electric bass guitar. I am currently studying a bachelor’s degree in music performance at Waterbear University and actively gig around Sheffield with the Thom Cowley trio (along with fellow tutors Lee and Thom). My main playing influences are funk and rock but I enjoy a wide variety of genres and would love to help with whatever style of music you most enjoy. From technique, to music theory, to working out your favourite songs by ear, I’d be happy to help out so get in touch today!
Book your session
James is currently available on Monday and Friday afternoons and evenings – please contact us using the box below to book.