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1:1 Songwriting Lessons

One on one private songwriting lessons from a professional musician. For music students at any skill level. Bring your guitar, ukulele, piano, etc. Finish that song you've been working on and set new goals. One time and/or ongoing sessions.
Michelle Ptacek, M.A. (Reading/Creativity)
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:
(165)
Class

What's included

Meets on Demand
schedule meetings as needed
30 mins
per session
Teacher support
Homework
Homework in this class will be optional. For example, students will be encouraged to work on songs/melodies and write lyrics. Students will also be encouraged to keep a daily journal.
Assessment
Informal assessment will be used throughout the songwriting instruction, editing sessions, and sharing. Adjustments will be made based on the student's needs. These adjustments include decisions around goal-setting, advice offered, and optional next steps. Most of all, I hope students feel comfortable and encouraged as songwriters.

Class Experience

In this one on one class, I help students write songs. I have helped students from various backgrounds write their first song, finish songs they've started, or tweak songs before recording full albums.  

Students can come with personally prepared songs or start from scratch. This class accommodates students getting started on their creative journey and students well established on a certain instrument wishing to understand the songwriting process better.  (Please message me about creating an ongoing private session for your specific student. I can accommodate a variety of 8-4pm CT M-F schedules consistently with request and communication.)

When necessary, I teach referencing slide shows I have put together about song-writing and creative thinking. At its heart, my coaching is all about helping students make positive changes in their lives and empowering them with information and accountability.

Learning Goals

- Students will learn how to turn situations and thoughts from their own lives into music
- Students will learn how to turn chords into musical sequences
- Students will learn basic song structure and the role of patterns in songwriting
- Students will learn the importance of music theory for songwriting quickly and more efficiently
- Students will learn the importance of creative writing/journaling for songwriters
- Students will learn how songwriters merge lyrics with a melody using awareness of syllables
learning goal

Other Details

Supply List
I encourage students to attend with some way to take notes (tablet, notebook, or whatever's their style).
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
4.9
165reviews
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Iowa Teaching Certificate in Special Education
Master's Degree in Education from Morningside University
I have written and recorded 5 albums as a professional singer-songwriter. In fact, I'm working on an album right now and writing songs constantly.

Because I love working with kids, my teaching experience (both formal and informal) is quite extensive. I have worked with ages 3-18, whether through my ten-plus years as a guitar instructor or my ten years in public education. I have formally and informally studied creativity, whether in my master's degree or the numerous nonfiction books I read about it.

CERTIFICATIONS
Department of Education, PK-12 Talented and Gifted 						      

EDUCATION
Masters of Arts in Teaching 
     Morningside College, Sioux City, IA

Reviews

Live 1-on-1 Lessons
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$55

per session
Meets on demand
30 min

Completed by 1 learner
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-15

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