Songwriting Lessons in Jersey City. Amazing Teachers.

Whether it's folk music, jazz, or anything in between, I think it's important for performers to participate in writing music. I compose for my own projects as well as some bands I am a member of, and I would love to help you get started!

I've co-written songs with Chris Eaton (Janet Jackson, Keith Urban, Amy Grant) and Jay Stolar. I can help you make the track and write the lyric.

I am a vocalist and that plays an important role in songwriting. We want words to shape our meaning to the content and fit right into the rhythm of a song.

My passion for music began when I was seven years old. It all started for me with composition and improvisation. I love to create my own original music and I have since the very beginning of my musical journey. To this day, composition and improvisation are some of my favorite things to do and favorite things to teach. My love of creating original music inspired me to write an educational book on the topic and develop my own unique method for approaching these topics.

My teaching philosophy includes an integrated method of intellectual and creative development. It is truly unfortunate that so often music theory is presented as a mere collection of naming systems and rules. To me, understanding music with the mind is a key ingredient to becoming an effective and inspired artist. In music lessons, I teach not just how to talk about music but the fascinating complexity of how music operates - the fundamental principles that illuminate the translation of sound into thoughts and ...

For songwriting, it is best if you have basic knowledge of music first (note names, note durations, chords).

From there, I will help you create your own songs, teaching you how to create melodies and harmonies, verses and choruses (lyrics and music), and how to make these "basic" components your own.

We will move at the pace that works best for you and your songs.

Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you!

Songwriting is the conveying of both lyrical and emotional ideas in the most effective way for the audience. No lyric should ever exist without purpose, repeating of words or phrases should drive home their meaning or create emphasis on an idea. Clumsy text setting can distort your meaning or leave your words unheard. The music and lyrics must play together in an effective manner in order to create the best possible song. This is a process often overlooked in the pop world leading to decades of misunderstood songs, vapid bubblegum pop, which of course snowballs into a perception of this is how songs should be instead of this is what songs could be.

I want to help you hone your craft so that you can stand among the greats. In a world of technical laziness, I hope to show you how to shine.