Guitar Lessons in Islington & Online

Helping intermediate players break through plateaus — 25+ years experience, in person or via Zoom, Teams & FaceTime

Ben Astrop - Guitar Teacher

Meet Ben

Professional musician and instructor with over 25 years in the music industry.

Born in London, I've had the privilege of experiencing music at the highest level. As frontman of Alien Breed (Universal Records), we reached #13 on the US Billboard Modern Rock chart and toured internationally.

I've performed at major festivals including Coachella, SXSW, X-Games and Bluetorch, and supported artists like Foo Fighters, Incubus, Chevelle and The Fun Lovin' Criminals.

Alongside my performing career, I've taught over 1,000 students in private lessons and group settings at my north London studio.

I specialise in working with intermediate players — guitarists who've been playing for a while but feel stuck in a rut, don't know what to learn next, or want to finally understand the fretboard. There's nothing more satisfying than seeing a student grasp a crucial piece of theory that suddenly changes their entire perspective and unlocks real freedom in their playing.

I also welcome beginners on electric guitar who want to dive straight into rock — you'd be surprised how quickly you can progress with the right approach.

"My goal is to take you past the plateau — to show you what to learn next and give you real freedom on the fretboard."

Is This You?

My lessons are built for players who recognise themselves here

Stuck in a Rut

You've been playing for years but keep reaching for the same chords and licks. You know there's more but you don't know where to find it.

Don't Know What to Learn Next

YouTube tutorials got you started but now you're drowning in information with no clear path forward.

Theory Makes No Sense

You want to understand why things work — not just memorise shapes. One breakthrough in theory can transform your entire playing.

New to Electric & Rock

You're picking up electric guitar for the first time and want to play rock. With the right guidance you'll make fast progress.

Want to Write Your Own Music

You can play other people's songs but don't know how to create your own. Learn how to turn ideas into finished pieces.

Self-Taught & Hit a Wall

You've taught yourself and made good progress but now you've hit a ceiling. A structured approach will take you to the next level.

What I Teach

Specialising in intermediate and advancing players. All lessons available online or in person.

Acoustic Guitar Lessons

Acoustic Guitar

From fingerpicking to strumming, learn to play your favourite songs and develop your own style.

Electric Guitar Lessons

Electric Guitar

Rock, blues, metal, funk - master techniques from bending and vibrato to shredding solos.

Bass Guitar Lessons

Bass Guitar

Lock in with the rhythm section. Learn grooves, slap technique, and how to hold down the low end.

Music Theory

Understand how music works. Learn scales, chords, harmony and how to apply theory to your playing.

Songwriting & Singing

Write your own music and learn to accompany yourself. Express yourself through original songs.

Music Production

Learn Ableton Live, Studio One, and DJing. Record, produce, and release your own music.

Lesson Rates

Flexible packages to suit your schedule and goals

Single Lesson

£ 40 /hour
  • One-to-one tuition
  • Tailored to your goals
  • In-person or online
  • Flexible scheduling
Book Now

8 Lesson Pack

£ 270 /8 hours
  • Save £50 on single rate
  • One-to-one tuition
  • Bespoke practice videos
  • Structured progression plan
Book Now

All lessons are 1 hour. Packages can be used flexibly to suit your schedule.

Student Reviews

All 5-star reviews from real students

★★★★★

"Ben is the best thing that happened to me musically. Playing guitar since 22 odd years I was stuck, frustrated and almost lost hope. He introduced concepts in a systematic manner and worked on my technique. He designed the classes to be a combination of theory, technique and fun. He isn't commercial or money minded. Very flexible."

Sunil Akula May 2024
★★★★★

"Ben is a wonderful teacher. He is flexible, patient, extremely knowledgeable and very generous in sharing his skills. I find his insights about music unique and thoroughly inspiring. After every lesson he takes the time to craft bespoke videos related to the topics we've discussed - this shows how much he cares."

Bobby September 2021
★★★★★

"Ben has been my guitar instructor for ~8 years now and he's been an excellent guitar teacher, taking me from a beginner to being able to play some of my favourite 80s rock solos that I'd never thought I'd be able to play. He has an extremely wide range of styles and genres."

Matthew September 2021
★★★★★

"I've been taking lessons with Ben for about 2 years now. I am more into metal and playing that genre has been a challenge for me but lessons with Ben have made it easier as he is easy going, very knowledgeable, very easy to understand and makes complicated stuff simple to follow."

Maria G August 2021
★★★★★

"Ben has been teaching me guitar for 4 years. My playing has come on a storm; I'm delighted with my progress. Ben's a marvellous teacher, he really knows how to get you to where you want. He's friendly and personable, making each lesson an enjoyable experience. I would thoroughly recommend him to anyone."

Aidan Leddy August 2021
★★★★★

"Ben has been an absolute star and very patient with getting me to learn guitar. And explaining stuff to me in a way I can understand. I have improved a lot thanks to Ben showing me important skills and how to use them in songs. I can't recommend him enough!"

Gary S August 2021
★★★★★

"Ben provides a knowledgeable and fun approach to guitar teaching. We covered iconic bands such as Pink Floyd, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Guns N Roses, The Eagles, Led Zeppelin. I have honed some key guitar skills such as bending, vibrato and soloing the fretboard along the way. Thank you Ben!"

Steve S January 2021
★★★★★

"Ben is a teacher with amazing guitar skills and experience in every style of music. He has been very good to unlock my understanding of plenty of guitar technical skills and has really helped me rebuilt the foundations of my guitar skills."

Pierre Gardeux October 2020
★★★★★

"I had 2 blocks of lessons with Ben during lockdown. As an older learner, I felt Ben encouraged me to push beyond the usual frustrations and I now feel more confident to learn songs on my own. A real bonus was receiving a video summary of what we were learning a few days later."

Luke Mackenzie October 2020
★★★★★

"I have been with Ben for more than a year now and I am confident to say that my guitar playing has improved enormously. I found that there was a point where I wasn't able to improve anymore related to bad habits. Now I'm quite happy that Ben has 'fixed' my technique."

Maria Gonzalez December 2020

Watch & Listen

See what you'll learn and hear the music

Alien Breed — Crackling

Tutorial — Mr Crowley (Ozzy Osbourne)

Performance Solos

Are You Gonna Go My Way — Lenny Kravitz Solo

Highway Star — Deep Purple Solo

Get in Touch

Ready to start your musical journey? Send me a message and let's discuss your goals.

Location

Angel, London N1 or Finsbury Park N4

Underground

  • 5 mins from Angel Tube (Northern Line)
  • 5 mins from Highbury & Islington Tube (Victoria Line)

Overground

  • Highbury & Islington
  • Essex Road

Bus Routes

4, 19, 30, 36, 38, 43, 56, 73, 341, 476, 812

Online Lessons Available

Most of my students learn online. I teach via Zoom, Microsoft Teams and FaceTime — same quality, from wherever you are.