News Controlling Your Mind? Breaking free, Clearing Your MindToday we’ll look at one way I
Hi, I'm Chris,
I help adults fall (& stay) in love with making music through piano to connect more deeply with themselves & those they love most. 💖
Don't take my word for it, here's what students say:
Brought the "Play" Back Into Learning to Play!
This was the first time that piano actually made sense to me! Chris walked me through the fundamentals in way that left the feeling like I actually had a relationship with the piano, that I could express myself through it with ease and brought the "play" back into learning to play. I've always felt self-conscious and shy about musical self-expression but Chris creates a gentle, warm, encouraging and deeply accepting environment that allowed my spirit to flourish. He's an exceptional teacher and it's an honor & pleasure to get to learn from him.
Yvette E.
Patrick U.
Pleasantly surprised that I was immediately able to start playing piano!
“I expected that I would first have to listen to an introduction lecture, but was pleasantly surprised that I was immediately able to start paying piano!
ana O.
"I felt like I was in the right environment to begin learning."
"Knowing this specific class with you was on my level was a big relief and helped me have more courage! It was fun, I liked that it was informative but not very strict/serious, with lots of time for playing around and experimenting so learning piano doesn't lose creativity in the process. Helped me relax as I felt like I was in the right environment to begin learning."
Taking Piano with Chris, You Can...
- 1Give your mind a vacation from daily life by getting lost in the music 🌴
- 2Develop the confidence to play with or for the people you love ❤️
- 3Learn & play impressively hard songs without getting stuck or overwhelmed 🤩
Who This is For...
If You’ve Never Played Before…
So you're an adult beginner? If you think you have no musical ability and especially if someone told you “you have no talent” you belong here.
I was also told that, many times...what I learned about learning changed my musical abilities and my whole life…and now adult students redefine their possibilities by experiencing how much they’ve accomplished in piano. WOW!
You might think reading sheet music would be super hard…actually first-timers find it surprisingly so easy! You’ll play your first song on sheet music in less than an hour. You’ll feel refreshed with a positive outlet that helps you lose track of time…and learn a song you can play at home!
If You Started but Got Stuck or Bored…
So you’re an Adult Kind-of-Intermediate Player…
Have you tried playing two different parts with both hands, but you get stuck? Do you start playing, but don’t keep up with it once a piece gets too hard? Do you keep quitting and restarting the piano because you know it could be easier to play, but you can’t put your finger on what’s missing?
Students are totally surprised that instead of playing the same frustrating part over and over again (which is what many methods and teachers do), you’ll get to experience what it is like to dismantle those complicated parts until they feel not just easy, but expressive, precise and FUN!
Singer-Songwriters...
Are you a singer songwriter or aspire to be, but singing and playing at the same time is a struggle? Most piano methods are not going to address the unique skill that is the combination of singing and playing at the same time. How do you combine your skills and do 3 things at once?! (playing different parts in each hand aaaaaand singing?) You'll experience playing without having to try to "keep track" of everything. Where you trust your fingers to find the notes, where you leave the sheet music, the lyrics, the chords behind because they just feel a part of you. You won’t have to second guess yourself, you’ll just play (and sing!).
How to Get Started?
FAQ
Can you really learn piano as an adult...and actually get good at it? Here's the truth.
Welp, that depends. First: do you know how to type on a computer keyboard? There are over 100 buttons on the computer keyboard! What about piano? How many keys would you need to know and play to play a song? 1000 keys? 88 keys? Nope. The MAX you would need to learn to play a melody would be...drumroll please...TWELVE. Twelve buttons. Yes, you heard that right. If you can type on a keyboard with 100+ keys, you can play a basic song on piano that only requires twelve. And it'll be way more fun than typing.
Are you too old to learn?
Welp, that also depends. As long as you can see and type, you can play the piano. In fact, some of the best piano players IN THE WORLD didn’t even start until their 30's. Like Arcadi Volodos, Lucas Debargue, James Rhodes, Sviatoslav Richter,Albert Frantz…and on and on. Not only can you start as an older adult, but you can get really, REALLY good!
How much time is required?
That depends on what you want to achieve.
If your goal is just to have some “me-time”...
Where your brain is full of music you create instead of thinking and you have no ambition to get or achieve some level of piano skill per say…then all you have to do is show up to classes and because we get so much practice in, you can show up the next week not having practiced and pick up where you left off and build on that. I used to believe that if you didn’t practice every day, then learning an instrument was a waste of time. Instead what I found was that when students refused to practice but kept showing up, the curiosity and desire to practice build up until they simply had to play something when they got home. So don’t worry if you’re not the most consistent with habit-building…piano is so much fun that it will be more like a TikTok addiction…except much better for your mental clarity and focus!
If your goal is to make serious progress and play something impressive:
You’ll need almost daily practice, (having a day off is helpful for recovery) but where most musicians wrongly assume that a set amount of time is what is needed, I’ll show you how to know when the quality of your practice is deteriorating which is the signal to rest and come back later. Over time, your stamina and self-awareness will grow and you’ll be able to practice for longer and longer periods without ingraining bad habits along the way.
I’ve already tried online programs, will these lessons work for me?
With online programs you don’t get the external feedback for your specific situation, you don’t learn how to become a better teacher for yourself and you don’t have any accountability to another human on how you show up to learning…and you don’t notice/realize the kind of relationship you are building with your instrument and with music as a whole.
A human relationship is infinitely more valuable and life-changing than a screen, but these are just a few reasons that scratch the surface :)
I want to learn (classical, jazz, reading music, playing-by-ear, writing my own songs, improv, Taylor Swift, etc.) can you help me?
Lessons are structured around the songs you want to play…and the kind of musician and person you want to become. Are you a classical pianist that can’t play without a script and feels trapped by structure? You’ll learn what free-creative playing feels like. Are you a play-by-instinct pianist that has never read sheet music and wants more structure and intentionality? You’ll feel what its like to have structure without getting “stuck” or losing your creative spark.
So yes, AND if you’re a beginner or intermediate player, you’ll see what is specific to the songs/genres you want to play. So you won’t get stuck learning something for classical playing that you’ll never use for jazz.
"Always Surprised by How Happy I Feel"
I started the piano class with no expectations but I'm always surprised by how happy I feel by the end of class, and have most enjoyed the community playing!
Megan S.
Paralegal
Located in Northwest Austin
Designed with the Singer/Songwriter in Mind...
Piano Lessons have been a great experience!
I have greatly enjoyed both singing and piano lessons from Chris. I began with only voice lessons initially, but decided to add on piano to our time as well and I'm so glad I did! The piano lessons have really complimented my vocal pursuits and allowed me to visualize and contextualize the vocal exercises in a way that I would not be able to do without the keyboard. Chris is always kind and easy to communicate with. Through vocal and piano lessons he's helped me accomplish my goal of becoming a better singer/songwriter. Synergistic Singing & Piano Lessons has been a great experience!
John Taylor, Singer/songwriter
I look forward to my piano class every week! :)
I’ve always loved the piano, and I'm glad I am able to take lessons as an adult! I did think I was maybe too old to learn, but Chris is very calming and patient with me and I appreciate that, I've enjoyed learning the keys and look forward to my piano class every week!"
Corina C.