Peckham Bass Studio-Bass guitar and double bass lessons in SE15
I'm Matt Ridley, a professional bassist with over 20 years of performing and teaching experience. Whether you're picking up a bass guitar for the first time, deepening your jazz double bass technique, or preparing for a conservatoire audition — I offer focused, personalised lessons from my dedicated home studio in SE15.
First lesson £40 ·
thereafter £60/hr
What I teach
Bass Guitar
All styles — rock, pop, funk, jazz. Complete beginners through to advanced players. Learn technique, theory, and how to hold your own in a band.
Double Bass
Classical and jazz, all levels. Specialist support for conservatoire auditions — 100% success rate to date, including two scholarship winners at London conservatoires.
Lessons can also cover: jazz improvisation · music theory · musicianship · composition · rhythmic awareness · transcription · conservatoire applications
How Lessons Work
1. Technique
Every lesson includes dedicated focus on technique — the foundation of everything. We identify what needs attention and address it directly, so progress is consistent and tangible.
2. Theory and Improvisation
For jazz students, we explore harmony and different approaches to improvisation, drawing on an extensive library of transcriptions of the greats — Jaco Pastorius, James Jamerson, Ray Brown, Christian McBride and more.
3. Playing Together
Every lesson ends with a session of actual playing — me accompanying on piano, two basses together, or jamming to a recording we've been learning from. It's the most enjoyable part, and often where things really click.
The Studio
Lessons take place in a bespoke home music room with a good quality piano, professional audio equipment, and a wide range of educational materials — everything needed for a productive lesson in a relaxed, focused setting.
Easy to get to: Peckham Rye, Queens Road Peckham and Nunhead stations are all within easy walking distance, with multiple bus routes nearby. Free parking is also available.
✓ Enhanced DBS Checked ✓
Qualifications
BMus (hons) 2:1 - Trinity College of Music, Jazz Bass,2005
Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music, QCF Level 6 - Classical Double Bass, 2017
HND Bass Guitar - Academy of Contemporary Music, Guildford
What Students Say
"As a skilled and versatile performer Matt is of course a great role model. He thinks very clearly about the bass and about music, and communicates his knowledge in a friendly and patient way. The lessons are always stimulating and inspiring, and leave me with renewed love for the instrument. I wholeheartedly recommend Matt's teaching."
— John (Royal Academy of Music Postgraduate Scholar)
"I started from complete beginner level. Matt was really patient and taught me the basics of both classical and jazz double bass. His teaching style is very organised — he is very fussy (in a good way) about fine details of technique and sound. Even though I have only been playing for a year, I feel I have improved a lot thanks to Matt's efforts!"
— Chika (adult learner)
"Matt quickly identified issues with my technique and gave me exercises to resolve them — I soon noticed an improvement in my tone and sound production. He has continued to help me develop my technical ability whilst broadening my understanding of jazz harmony and improvisation."
— Evie (Trinity College of Music Postgraduate Scholar)
Pricing
First Lesson
£40
Get a feel for how we work together — no obligation to continue.
Ongoing Lessons
£60/hr
Bass Guitar and Double bass. Flexible scheduling to suit you.
Discounts available for lesson bundles-get in touch for more info!