Bluenote is a guitar teaching practice based in Long Hanborough, a village in west Oxfordshire near Witney. All lessons are provided by “respected guitar teacher” Darrell Walls (Aaron Keylock interview, Oxford Mail, November 2013). Darrell is a full time musician with over 25 years experience teaching and performing. He teaches Rock, Pop and Blues styles using his own four method books. Once a pupil completes book 1 they are invited to join Rockschool where they will join a band and work towards performing at The Bluenote Summer Festival. For a number of years this has been held at Fat Lils in Witney, giving pupils the opportunity to perform in front of an audience in a real music venue. The Trinity Rock and Pop syllabus is also an option, so pupils can prepare for grade exams on electric guitar or bass. Darrell has extensive knowledge of music theory having studied at The Guitar Institute London, so song writing and theory lessons are also available. He studied classical guitar to grade 7 with Alison Bendy in Oxford so also offers classical guitar lessons.

 

Lessons are taught at The Bluenote Studio, a purpose built rehearsal and recording studio in Long Hanborough. Pupils can record music for GCSE performance assessment or for fun (recordings can be emailed to parents and have been known to become mobile ringtones). Darrell taught at the Cherwell School in Oxford for 20 years, liaising with Music teachers to help students with GCSE performance, theory and composition. He also teaches at Hanborough Manor and Charlbury primary schools, so is very experienced at teaching all ages from 6 to 60.

 

Bluenote prides itself on tailoring lessons to suit individual pupils once they have developed some basic technique. Darrell understands the importance of teaching pupils the skills they need to play the music of their choice as soon as they are ready. The philosophy is that children start a journey with their first strum in lesson one to being on stage with a band.