

The profile of Sue and their contact details have been verified by our experts
Sue
- Rate £909
- Response 1h

£909/hr
1st lesson free
- Guitar
- Mandolin
- Banjo
Dynamic, creative lessons that adapt to your unique musical journey — beyond the boundaries of traditional teaching!
- Guitar
- Mandolin
- Banjo
Lesson location
Recommended
Sue is a respected member of our tutor community. She is highly recommended for her commitment and the quality of her lessons. An excellent choice to progress with confidence.
About Sue
Su has been a musician since the age of 16 starting on guitar with good ol' Oasis tunes! Then she got bored and became interested in folk music picking up the mandolin with melodies and then advancing tunes on banjo and fiddle as an Old Time musician.
After graduating from Dartington College of Arts in 2006 in Music as a performer, she is regularly performing in the South West. You may see her in local sessions and occasionally in a duo called Southern Belle with Vic Wilcox.
It was her former group, The Temporary Trio that pushed her performance to a new level with the group performing on a regular basis across the south west.
Su has been known to be a 'library' of tunes but now struggles to remember how they all begin! She was the former webmaster at Friends Of American Old Time Music And Dance's website where she has developed connections with old time musicians across the UK.
About the lesson
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- +2
levels :
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Professional
Children
- English
All languages in which the lesson is available :
English
Su teaches on a range of instruments. Lessons are based in Somerset, UK (or online!). One hour lessons per week or fortnight are recommended instead of over an hour in one day.
Su specialises in Old Time music but can cover other genres in folk, she teaches mainly banjo and mandolin but due to her reputation in teaching methods, she has been asked to teach instruments she doesn't even advertise!
These are just some of what the lessons will cover in both beginner and intermediate level:
Basics on the instrument and instrument setup.
Tuning
Different tunings
Reading music notation (some instruments)
Some theory
Left & right Technique Muscle memory
Subconscious performance
Confidence & memory improvement
Duo work
Avoiding aches & pains!
Links to a jam sessions of all abilities without being put on the spot. Lots of tunes! And if you are still with me years later(!) we'll go into other topics like music tech, recording, transcription, all sorts!
Having been taught by performers, her teaching style is very informal and all about being comfortable with making funny noises on the instruments. "It doesn't matter what notes you play, as long as they are on time' will be her quote." Always remember that and then you're almost there!
With the informal style of teaching aside, Su has also been taught classical methods from classical guitar that will transfer easily to the instrument of your choice. These methods are very important to take on to improve speed and accuracy of your playing as well as avoiding injuries.
ONLINE LESSONS If you wish to venture into the digital world of having lessons via the internet, this also is possible with the use of webcam communication.
TESTIMONIALS
Private lessons Mandolin & Fiddle 2021 "Totally recommend Su as a music teacher. She has taught me mandolin for 4 years and fiddle for 1 year, plus a bit of guitar and double bass. This has been online and face to face. I'm in my 60s and don't want to be bothered with exams and minute serious details of technique. I want to make music and perform as best as I can. So Su's teaching is just right for me. She makes it fun, and has a way of finding the positive, and of finding the funny side when playing goes wrong. She knows her stuff and is a talented musician. She has introduced me to a whole world of old time music I knew nothing about and made me welcome in the music sessions she leads both online and in the real world. These are a joy The main thing is that thanks to Su my mandolin and fiddle playing has gone from 0 to 60 in very quick time. Don't hesitate to book up some lessons with Su before she gets too long a waiting list." - Nick W
Private lessons Banjo 2021 "I was a complete beginner at the banjo when I first went to Su for lessons. She patiently guided me through my instrument set-up, basic clawhammer techniques and a few simple old-time tunes. From there she skilfully taught me more advanced tunes and playing techniques until I was confident enough to play with others. She even gave me great advice on buying a new banjo. Lessons with Su are really relaxed and enjoyable and I always come away from them humming a new tune that she has taught me! She's a friendly, welcoming and above all patient tutor and I would highly recommend her.." - Simon P
Gainsborough 2015 Banjo Workshop (Intermediate level) "I attended Su Mo's beginners banjo workshop at Gainsborough 2015. I liked the way she asked around the class to establish each student's playing experience and ability. I also liked the way she worked through techniques rather than just knocking out a 'new tune'. She also managed to convey the 'feeling' that you should get when mastering a technique. I think that most, if not all students, gained from the experience and if they took away the three or four small exercises and mastered them, the improvement would be quite significant. I would definitely attend another Su Mo workshop." - Lyndon Smith
Recommendations
Recommendations come from relatives, friends and acquaintances of the teacher
Clawhammer banjo lessons with Sue have been great and I actually for the first time in three years feel like i am learning the banjo not just a tab. Her lessons are challenging and fun. My goal was to learn well enough to try to jam - who better to learn from than from Sue who runs an online slow jam session bi-weekly. I look forward to continuing to learn with Sue’s guidance - as a former educator of over thirty years I feel knowledgeable enough to say she is truly a gifted teacher!See you somewhere at the next Jam!
All in all I've improved at clawhammer banjo at a great rate while working with Su remotely.
I strongly recommend her as a teacher who really understands how music should feel to play and listen to.
She's also a friendly and deft community builder of her online sessions, and well versed in American old time tunes.
Su's lessons solidify a lot of fundamentals like hand positioning, posture, relaxation, rhythm, and efficient motion.
She gradually introduces techniques always building on what has come before and always well motivated by a tune.
She teaches listening and session skills, and builds confidence to get you playing in company and to help cope with performance anxiety.
Perhaps most importantly, Su is able to explain how music works, and how it should feel to play naturally and well.
This gives you tools to get the most out of your practice time and to understand your progress.
Su helps you find the stepping stones you need to take a tune from requiring full concentration to so automatic that improvisation of ornaments flows naturally on demand.
She encourages experimentation and guides only gently, so you really get to feel it for yourself and can then apply what you learn more automatically to new tunes in future.
I feel very lucky to have found her!View more recommendations
Rates
Rate
- £909
Pack prices
- 5h: £4,543
- 10h: £9,086
online
- £909/h
free lessons
The first free lesson with Sue will allow you to get to know each other and clearly specify your needs for your next lessons.
- 30mins
Sue's Video
Similar Guitar teachers in Taunton
Andy
London, United Kingdom & Online
- £954/hr
- 1st lesson free
Davide
Milano, Italy & Online
- £589/hr
- 1st lesson free
Kieran
London, United Kingdom & Online
- £909/hr
- 1st lesson free
Christina
London, United Kingdom & Online
- £795/hr
- 1st lesson free
Kieran
New York, United States & Online
- £1,007/hr
- 1st lesson free
Michael
London, United Kingdom & Online
- £1,136/hr
- 1st lesson free
Elias
London, United Kingdom & Online
- £909/hr
- 1st lesson free
Alex
Saint Paul, United States & Online
- £873/hr
- 1st lesson free
Daniel
Boston, United States & Online
- £1,091/hr
- 1st lesson free
Pierre
Le Tremblay-sur-Mauldre, France & Online
- £589/hr
- 1st lesson free
Swan
Paris 9e, France & Online
- £981/hr
- 1st lesson free
Elias
New York, United States & Online
- £671/hr
- 1st lesson free
Michele
Queens, United States & Online
- £1,343/hr
- 1st lesson free
Paolo
Milano, Italy & Online
- £589/hr
- 1st lesson free
Gabe
Lower Nazareth Township, United States & Online
- £1,259/hr
Matheus
, United States & Online
- £504/hr
- 1st lesson free
Martin
Dublin, Ireland & Online
- £785/hr
- 1st lesson free
Luisa
Brooklyn, United States & Online
- £1,007/hr
Bob
London, United Kingdom & Online
- £681/hr
- 1st lesson free
Russell
London, United Kingdom & Online
- £863/hr
- 1st lesson free
-
See Guitar tutors
