James Vincent
About
About
I’m a British musician with over 20 years of experience performing, writing, and recording music, and more than seven years of experience teaching songwriting, guitar, and bass to students of all ages and abilities.
Over the course of my career, I have toured extensively across the UK, Europe, and the United States. As a founding member of the bands My Tiger My Timing and Heavy Heart, I have performed at major festivals including Glastonbury, Isle of Wight, and The Great Escape, as well as venues such as London’s KOKO, Amsterdam's Paradiso, and at CMJ in New York. I have released five full-length albums and several EPs and singles, and my music has been featured on BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, and NME Radio.
In addition to my own projects, I have collaborated as a guitarist, bassist, and co-writer with internationally recognized artists including Joe Goddard (Hot Chip), Vance Joy and Jamie Lawson. My experience spans live performance, studio production, and songwriting for both independent and commercial releases. I’m passionate about helping students discover their creative voice and bring their songs to life, from first ideas through to final production.
Teaching Style
For me, songs are the closest thing to magic that exists in the world. My teaching style is focused on helping songwriters tap into that creative energy and express themselves authentically. While I value the role of music theory as a supportive tool, my lessons emphasize inspiration, structure, and emotional storytelling.
I aim to make each session both practical and inspiring, guiding students through mood, structure, chord progressions, lyric writing, melody development, and arrangement. Every lesson is tailored to the student’s goals—whether that’s completing their first song, preparing for performance, or developing as an artist.
Curriculum
My teaching method combines creative exploration with practical songwriting techniques. I draw on real-world experience from years of performing, recording, and collaborating to help students write songs that feel true to them.
A typical lesson might involve:
-
Guided songwriting exercises to spark new ideas
-
Analyzing song structure and lyrical flow
-
Developing chord progressions and melodic hooks
-
Refining arrangements and preparing for performance or recording
Recommended materials:
-
Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattison
-
Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting by Jimmy Webb
-
How To Write One Song by Jeff Tweedy
-
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
I also encourage students to keep a songwriting journal and regularly listen to music across genres to expand their creative palette.
Credentials & Affiliations
I hold a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Music from the University of Sussex (2002–2005), where I studied composition, performance, and music production.
Professionally, I have over two decades of performing and recording experience. With My Tiger My Timing and Heavy Heart, I have played hundreds of live shows internationally, including tours across the UK and Europe. Notable performances include appearances at Glastonbury Festival, The Great Escape in Brighton, and CMJ in New York. My work with both bands involved songwriting, performing guitar and bass, and arranging and producing recordings released on independent labels.
As a songwriter and collaborator, I have worked alongside artists such as Vance Joy and Jamie Lawson, contributing to songwriting and studio sessions for their projects.
My teaching experience spans over seven years of private instruction, both in-person and via Zoom, focusing on songwriting, guitar, and bass. I’ve worked with beginners discovering their first chords, experienced musicians refining their compositions, and singer-songwriters developing material for release.