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. 💖
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 🤩
1-on-1 Lessons & Classes
You can take 1-on-1 Lessons, or Classes, or both! Here's a sneak peak of the Adult Piano Class...
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!).
Jamie's Story with Piano
With kids mostly grown, Jamie was ready to have more time for herself to pursue something she always wanted to be able to do...
"I really always wanted to know how to play piano. I wanted to try to go somewhere where I thought I was gonna be comfortable. I thought maybe it was gonna be weird. I didn't know what to expect, but I felt comfy right away. I like the class more than just sitting, learning piano by myself. I guess one of the other reasons I went on to play piano is because my dad was like, "you should, I know that you've always wanted to play...
So...secretly I learned Jingle Bells and I didn't ever tell him and when they visited in July, I surprised my dad. My dad got teary-eyed and said ‘I'm so proud of you’. I love being able to play together with people, enjoy myself and feel proud of myself."
-Jamie B.
Awesome Mom
(of humans and a cat in stealth mode...almost succeeded 🐈⬛)
Here's What Students Say:
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."
Here's What You Get When You Join:
Mindfulness-Based Piano Techniques 🧘♀️
Instead of just going through the motions like an exercise routine, we'll slow down and really feel the music, so you can enjoy the progress you make along the way and play from the heart
Play Your Song with Others (Instead of High Pressure Solo Recitals) 🫶
Without playing for others to hear, you won't have real confidence in you're playing...but most piano programs have high-pressure solo recitals. At this studio, instead of being put on the spot to perform for people, you'll get a bunch of opportunities to play with others, so you won't be all on your own.
Guided Video Practice Tracks Between Classes & Lessons 📼
Instead of most piano programs that send you home without getting to hear what your song sounds like, being totally dependent on sheet music, we'll send you home with a guided video practice tracks so that you can play with confidence that you're getting the right notes.
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!
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!"