JOSIAH AUSTIN

Music Lessons

SIGN UP HERE

I offer music lessons for three different paths: 

1. Composition with Piano
2. Playing by Ear with Piano
3. Music Production with Logic Pro

Students may choose to study one or all three. All three studies work very well together!

For Composition and Playing by Ear I cover these essential elements of music:

• Music Theory - Students will learn the foundations of harmony, melody, and rhythm. We will also be studying basic music notation and interpretation, as mentioned in “Lead Sheets” below.
   
• Ear Training - The ability to identify the fundamental sounds that are used to create music: tones and rhythms and their their combinations: intervals, chord qualities, chord extensions, chord progressions, melodies, and more. This is the most crucial skill to master to be able to play by ear.
   
• Piano Technique - Physically applying music theory to the keys. We will cover hand & finger movements, patterns & exercises, ergonomics & posture, dual hand harmony for solo piano applications, and theory/technique for accompanying and part playing.
   
• Chord Charts - Students will learn to read and notate chord names and extensions to be able to play existing music or notate their own . A great skill for accompanying instrumentalists and vocalists, or for quick composition notes when all you have is paper and pen.
   
• Lead Sheets - Lead sheets consist of a very basic, single line of melody in sheet music form with chord names written above. Students will be able to read basic music notation in the form of a single melody line in the treble clef and construct harmonies to accompany it.
   
• Improvisation - The art of inventing music in the moment. It's an invaluable key to composing, and very helpful for playing by ear or jamming with fellow musicians.
   

RATE

60 minutes - $100 USD  /  €85 EUR  /  £75 GBP

This includes any path mentioned above or any combination of those paths that you choose.

Your goals and preferences will determine the order that we approach each subject.

I will advise at your request or if I think an alternate order is more beneficial to your goals.

SIGN UP HERE
 

Requirements

• Online lessons are conducted over Zoom
  • Have at least one webcam ideally two webcams (first for your hands, second for your face)
  • Disable “background noise suppression” in audio settings.
• In person lessons are conducted at my apartment
  • Shoes off, and wash hands! That's all.
• Practice :) 
  • At least 20 minutes per day for 5 days per week. 
  • At least 1 day of no practice per week.

• Lessons are paid monthly in advance.

SIGN UP HERE

Frequently Asked Qs

• What if I have to cancel a lesson? Will I be reimbursed?
  • If you cancel more than 24 hours in advance you will receive the full lesson amount as reimbursement or credit toward next month's tuition (your choice).
  • Let me know as soon as you know you can't make a future lesson- for whatever the reason. I won't ask questions. But you can tell me if you want to.
• What happens when you (Josiah) cancel a lesson?
  • When I cancel a lesson you will receive the full lesson amount as reimbursement or credit toward next month's tuition (your choice).
• Is there a lesson sign up fee?
  • Nope! It doesn't cost anything to sign up. 
  • However, signing up for lessons does not guarantee that you'll be able to take lessons.
  • Lesson time slots are limited. If my availability doesn't work for you, you may have to try again in the future or contact another teacher.
• How do I pay for lessons?
  • I accept Credit Card, Cash, Check, PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, and Zelle.
  • Lessons are paid monthly in advance.
  • I send an invoice for next month at the end of the current month.
• Do I have to have Logic Pro to study music production with you?
  • It depends. 
  • If you have a different DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) such as Ableton, ProTools, Cubase, FL Studio, etc., the principles and techniques used in music production are still the same as Logic, so we can cover those topics and likely be fine.
  • But… if you're very new to your DAW and are wanting me to show you all the shortcuts, advanced features, pro tips, and workflows, I can only do that with Logic Pro.
• Do I need to have a real acoustic piano for piano lessons?
  • No. But I strongly encourage you to get a good, sturdy electric piano with weighted action. 
  • For learning Logic Pro, it's actually best to have an electric keyboard to learn and work with MIDI.
• Do you have recommendations for electric pianos?
  • Yep! Remember to do your research, as some of them don't have built-in speakers. And some of them are only meant to be plugged into a DAW. Feel free to ask me any Qs, and I'll give you an answer based on your music goals.
  • Beginner / Budget Conscious
  • Serious Pianists / VERY Serious Beginners
• If I have an electric piano with very few built-in instrument sounds, how can I get more?
  • Your best bet is to plug your piano into your computer via USB. 
  • If you have a Mac computer, you automatically get a DAW called Garage Band for free. Garage Band has a huge library of sounds and instruments that you can play with your electric piano. Synths, strings, brass, drums, guitars, burps, blips, blops, and even piano!
  • If you have Windows, there are some DAWs you can download for free or cheap that also let you play just as many sounds.
  • If your piano doesn't have USB, it's likely quite old. It's time to buy a new one!

SIGN UP HERE