Piano Lessons (Songwriting Focused)

I have been playing music for over 20 years and writing songs for about 15 years. I have written/co-written somewhere around 100 songs, including 5 albums and 3 EPs with various bands. I have toured with multiple bands up and down the East Coast and currently operate a record label called Side Stare Music, which has a partnership with Gaga Music (Vic). I have a modest home studio with a nice piano-style keyboard (weighted keys), two synthesisers, two acoustic guitars, three electric guitars, a bass guitar, drum kit, and a recording setup.

I can't teach how to read or write sheet music; however, I have a deep understanding of music theory as it relates to songwriting. The Beatles couldn't sight-read music and wrote some of the best songs ever made! I can teach how to be creative with music. I aim to keep it fun and engaging by relating as much as possible to the students' favourite songs and eventually, their own!

For an absolute beginner:

1. I get them playing covers of their favourite songs ASAP:

   • Everyone wants results as fast as possible.
   • They don’t need to know how the song is made at this point, but it will give them all the basics of rhythm, fast chord changes, chord construction (maj, min, sus, dim), melody, song structure etc.

2. I start to break down their favourite songs and start to show them classic examples that highlight musical concepts:

   • I start introducing basic music theory concepts with songs as examples.
   • I analyse lyrical content with them so they can see a range of lyrical styles.
   • I get them to learn the major scale.

3. Get them writing!

   • By now they should be able to create a chord progression, write melodies, and hopefully string together multiple sections (verse, chorus, bridge etc.).
   • I guide them through the songwriting process.

4. Start introducing them to advanced concepts:

   • They should know the major scale, so now it is time to get into modes, modal interchange, key modulation, uncommon time signatures and changes, secondary dominants, exotic scales, chromatic movement, etc.