Bachelor of Music 2017 (JMC), Graduate Certificate - Creative Industries 2022 (SAE). Teaching guitar and bass guitar to beginners and intermediate players, specialising in rock. Personalised lessons.

Learn more about Matthew

• When did you first develop a passion for music and your favourite instrument?

  I remember watching an AC/DC DVD when I was 14 and thinking it was madness. The guitarist wearing a school boy suit and the crowd going wild. That's when I started getting into music. My favourite instrument is the bass guitar and I fell into the classic "too many guitarists, who wants to play bass?" trope at university. I ended up loving bass and what you can do with it ever since.

• Is there a particular type music or artist that you listen to on a loop without it driving you crazy?

  I can listen to 70s rock pretty much all day everyday, Led Zeppelin in particular. I could also have Snarky Puppy playing and always be trying to understand what's going on.

• Explain to us the most difficult or 'riveting' lesson you could personally give to one of your students.

  I would be very fulfilled if I was explaining a topic at the beginning of the lesson, then watch the student understand it throughout the session, and by the end they can explain it back to me. It could be simple or complicated concepts, but having the student repeat the idea and display understanding would be very riveting to me. Students tend to respond to learning techniques and finding songs that have those same techniques within them. That way they can see a practical application for their new moves out of a learning context.

• What do you think is the most complicated instrument to master and why?

  Trumpet. How can you get all of those notes with 3 buttons. It's a mystery to me.

• What are your keys to success?

  Defining what success means to you. Set achievable goals. Be kind to yourself. Always try and be better than you were yesterday.

• Name three musicians you dream of meeting in your favourite bar in the early hours of the morning. Explain why.

  Steven Tyler, John Paul Jones, and Billy Sheehan. Tyler for the stories and the conversation, Jones and Sheehan for the technical rabbit holes I could go down about bass and arranging/song writing. And all of them for advice about surviving in the business.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your musical journey, or your days at 'music school'.

  I used to be a saxophonist in my local towns' band and we got a gig marching in the parade. My sax was so much bigger than I was that I couldn't hold it up enough to be able to read the music and march at the same time. I'd never thought of practising walking with my instrument before. My lesson there was practise everything about the gig before you play it, even walking.

• What are the little touches that make you a Superprof in music?

  I like to help my students realise that music is about self improvement and expression. It's all driven by you and how much you want to put into it, and there's no right or wrong levels of achievements. If you want to be a camp fire guitarist playing your favourite songs for your friends that's fantastic. If you want to be a touring musician working sessions that's amazing. Whatever your journey looks like I'm here to help.