Thirst Music School lessons & grades
At Thirst, we offer tuition in drums, vocals, keyboard/piano, guitar/bass, ukulele, saxophone, flute, music production, song writing and music theory!
Tutors Wayne Mahy, Felix Rice, Michael Davies and Harry Reade will tailor lessons to your level and ability. Whether you just want to learn how to play for fun, improve existing skills or as a lead-in to a course at BIMM, we will be able to help you gain confidence, get the most from your playing and maximise your potential. Areas covered may be as follows:
Playing along to songs and click tracks
Developing timekeeping
Rudiment studies
Hand and foot techniques
Sight reading and listening skills
Coordination development
Soloing and phrasing
Although not obligatory, there will also be the possibility of entering for Rockschool grade examinations.
Drum Lessons
Tutors Steve, Joe, Michael and Morgan will tailor lessons to your level and ability. Whether you just want to learn how to play for fun, improve existing skills or as a lead-in to a course at BIMM, we will be able to help you gain confidence, get the most from your playing and maximise your potential. Areas covered may be as follows:
Playing along to songs and click tracks
Learn all notes, chords, rhythm, lead, strumming and picking techniques
Creative playing using scales
Live instrument technique
Music Theory
Sight reading and listening skills
Although not obligatory, there will also be the possibility of entering for Rockschool grade examinations.
Guitar & Bass Lessons
Tutors Lisa, Carly, Kiya and Imogen will tailor lessons to your level and ability. Whether you just want to learn how to play for fun, improve existing skills or as a lead-in to a course at BIMM, we will be able to help you gain confidence, get the most from your playing and maximise your potential. Areas covered may be as follows:
Vocal warm-ups
Technique & voice production
Understanding the anatomy of singing
Microphone technique
Sight-singing
Music theory
Although not obligatory, there will also be the possibility of entering for Rockschool grade examinations.
Vocal Lessons
Tutors Lisa, Bethan, Deborah and Imogen will tailor lessons to your level and ability. Whether you just want to learn how to play for fun, improve existing skills or as a lead-in to a course at BIMM, we will be able to help you gain confidence, get the most from your playing and maximise your potential. Areas covered may be as follows - depending on your preference for solo keyboard with auto accompaniment, band keyboard or piano styles:
Fingering and hand position
Keyboard style chords with auto accompaniment or piano left and right-hand playing
Theory and reading music (including bass clef)
Improvisation
Sight-reading
Aural training
Standard keyboard functions & features
Although not obligatory, there will also be the possibility of entering for Rockschool grade examinations.
Students will need to have access to at least a 61-key instrument with full-sized keys and style accompaniment facility to practise on. More advanced students may need access to a larger instrument with touch sensitivity.
Although not obligatory, there will also be the possibility of entering for Rockschool grade examinations.
Keyboard/Piano Lessons
Thirst Music School prides itself on teaching musicians to play well but also read and understand music both in tab and notation. With this in mind we can also offer musicians the opportunity to study music theory and harmonic progressions as a separate option. This particularly suits students who may have a good understanding of their chosen instrument or who may already be playing in bands and just want to enhance their understanding and musical vocabulary further. Students need not be able to read music prior to attending any of these courses.
Lesson Topics can include:
Reading and understanding traditional notation
Reading bass clef, treble clef and other clefs.
Expression marks
Elements of western harmony -what you already know (the old accepted rules and how rock and popular music breaks them!)
Scales- major and minor.
How standard progressions work (tonics, dominants and the functions of the other notes within scales)
Modes
Blues scales
Pushing the boundaries- 12 tone scales and creating tone clusters.
It is advised that students cover ‘Elements of western harmony’ before attempting to understand modes as this will enhance their understanding.
As these are lessons tailored to the individual student, courses are not a fixed length which allows for greater flexibility for the student.
Music Theory
Whether you’re a solo singer/songwriter looking for help with lyric writing, or a band wanting a helping hand with song structures or chord progressions, our songwriting lessons can be tailored to your needs. This is perfect if you would like to hear one of your ideas turned into a finished song. Songwriting lessons are likely to include:
• Lyric and hook writing
• Chord progressions
• Song structuring
• Melody creation
• Tempo mapping
• Exploring genres
Songwriting Tuition
Thirst Groups
Aimed at those who have already gained a good level of vocal experience (preferably grade 4 standard or above) whether through own performances or through grades or school singing. It will feature the study of various styles of music from traditional choral works to rock and pop backing vocals. Suitable for ages 11+
Tutor: Lisa Murfitt
Time: Saturday, 11:15 - 12:15
Price: £8.00 per session paid on a half-termly basis in advance. Please get in touch if you would like further information.
T-Vox (Vocal Harmony)
These sessions are for anyone interested in home recording or those wanting to develop a better understanding of Logic Pro and other DAWs. Topics are covered include recording, mixing, EQ, compression and delay.
Tutor: Michael Davies
Time: Friday, 4:30 - 5:30
Price: £10.00 per session paid on a half-termly basis in advance. Please get in touch if you would like further information.
Music Production Club
Our band mentoring sessions are for anyone who needs a space to practice and reherse with their band. A tutor is also offered for an additional cost to help and assist the band and give them new ideas.
Tutors: Wayne Mahy, Michael Davies & Imogen Hayman
Time: To be arranged at a later date (per band request)
Price: To be arranged at a later date (per requirement) (Usually £10.00 Per hr)
Band Mentoring
Little Thirsties
To be confirmed…
Grades at Thirst
Rockschool Grades
In addition to Thirst Music School’s own teaching materials, students are able to follow the Rockschool syllabuses (www.rslawards.com) which can lead to examinations up to grade 8. These qualifications are accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.
Exams are taken at our studios three times a year in February, June and November. To date more than 1000 students have passed grade exams with us! As examinations usually fall in term time, it is the parents’ responsibility to liaise with their child’s school regarding absence for the purpose of taking an examination.
The grades are split into the following levels:
Entry Level
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Debut
Grades 1 to 3
Grades 4 to 5
Grades 6 to 8
The books* cover different elements including performance songs, technical exercises, improvisation, sight reading, listening skills and general musicianship questions. Grades are the perfect aid to students interested in GCSE and A Level music and students achieving success in the level 3 grades can obtain UCAS points towards university entry.
Thirst Music School takes a keen interest in students taking exams and offers additional support including written material and video lessons.
As an incentive for students taking exams, Thirst Music School rewards achievement at Grade 8 with prizes such as music equipment.
*Grade books can be purchased from us (subject to availability), from any local music shop, amazon or at www.musicroom.com
Piano & keyboard students also have the opportunity to work towards ABRSM grades.
School lessons
Thirst Music School provides lessons in the following schools:
Lesson type
Drums, Piano, Guitar, Vocals
Drums, Piano, Guitar, Vocals
Drums
Drums, Keyboard, Guitar, Vocals
Drums, Guitar
School
Beechwood Preparatory School
Elizabeth College
Melrose Junior School
The Ladies’ College
Blanchelande College
Lessons are 20 or 30 minutes in duration (during school hours) depending on the school’s policy. For further information, please either contact us or the Head of Music at the relevant school listed above.
Fees
Our fees for all 1-1 instrumenttal lessons are as follows:
Duration
20 minutes
30 minutes
45 minutes
60 minutes
Band mentoring (1hr)
T-Vox (1hr)
Fee
£17
£25.50
£34.50
£48
£10
£8
Term dates
2025
TERM 3B: Monday 2 June – Saturday 19 July
SUMMER BREAK: Monday 21 July – Tuesday 2 September
TERM 1A: Wednesday 3 September – Saturday 25 October
HALF TERM: Monday 27 October – Saturday 1 November
TERM 1B: Monday 3 November – Saturday 20 December