Introduction
Lee Batten is a
guitarist and teacher based in Highbury, North London and Cardiff, South
Wales. Over the past nine years Lee has taught guitar for all types of
people (age groups and abilities), privately, in day centres and in
Primary and Comprehensive schools. As well as teaching music and the
guitar, Lee has also worked as a Community Music Tutor where he has
tutored classes in Rock and Pop, African drumming, Guitar Styles and
Music Theory. Lee is also a member of the RGT - Registry of Guitar
Tutors.
Guitarwithlee.com
Guitarwithlee.com is a
100% free guitar resource designed to make Lee’s methods and practises
available to all. Guitarwithlee.com also acts as an additional resource
for current students where specific elements covered in lessons are put
on to the website to provide extra support for midweek practise
sessions.
The site was launched in December 2009 and will be growing
all the time. Requests are currently being taken so please email if
there's something in particular you'd like to learn.
Teaching Experiences
Private Teaching
Lee has taught guitar on a one to one basis, for
students of all ages and abilities for the past 9 years. Lessons are
specific to the students individual learning criteria.
Caerphilly Music Service (Multi-Award Winning Music Service)
Through Caerphilly Music Service, Lee taught guitar at Comprehensive and Primary schools in South Wales.
Community Music Wales
Lee has tutored Rock and Pop groups for Community Music Wales since 2005.
Dynamix Music
Lee taught guitar for
Dynamix Music for three years. Dynamix music is a community funded
music school that offers tuition in all areas of music - keyboards,
drums etc...
Cardiff Council - DART (Disability, Advisory and Resource Team)
Lee taught guitar and
music theory in a group environment at DART for two years. DART is a
team of people employed by Cardiff council who host and run a number of
different courses aimed at helping people back to work.
Caerphilly Council and Gwent Council - Head of Arts/Insideout Project
Lee has tutored Rock and Pop workshops for the InsideOut project and Head of Arts department since 2006.
Key 2 Music / Fulham Music Service
Lee taught at School in West London through Key 2 Music and Fulham Music Service.
Playing Experiences
As a writer and a performer, Lee began playing guitar for various cover bands in South Wales, but it wasn't long before his real passion for music came to light - writing music. Lee has been performing and writing original music for bands since 1997. Two small independent record deals led to a European tour and countless gigs around the country. Lee's first band PR-1 were signed to independent record label "Tripwire Records" back in 2001 and released two songs on the "Tripwire Records" compilation CD entitled Tripwire Records. His second band - These Things Take Time formed in 2003 and signed a record deal with "In It For The Money Records". The band recorded their first single entitled "and the air rushes past" in 2006. Today, Lee continues to write and play with his band These Things Take Time.
Over the years, Lee has performed and shared the stage with many top acts including bands such as Kids in Glass Houses, The Blackout, The Kennedy Soundtrack and Vacant Stare.
Music Education
Lee has studied with some of the best guitar teachers in the UK -
- Justin Sandercoe - The Guitar Institute, Katie Melua, Justinguitar.com.
(All round guitar playing and teaching legend).
- Martin Goulding - The Guitar Institute, Guitar Techniques Magazine, Guitar World magazine, Martingoulding.com.
(World renowned modern rock guitar specialist and educator).
- Dario Cortese - Head of Guitar @ The Guitar Institute, Guitar Techniques Magazine, Dariocortese.com
(The Yoda of everything Guitar).
- John "Ned" Edwards - Van Morrison guitarist.
(Fantastic Blues guitarist).
Qualifications
- BSc Honours Degree in Music Technology - University of Glamorgan 2001 – 2004.
- NOCN qualification in Creative Music Making and Group Tutoring Skills – 2005.
- Various music performance Diplomas and A levels 1997 – 2001.