As an educator I’ve seen it over and over again: We begin our apprenticeship to an art form with “Beginner’s Mind”: a sense of fascination with a subject which we see as a whole but have not studied piece by piece. Then comes our “Crises of Self-Consciousness” when we pay attention to analysis, classification of detail, and mastery of the necessary technique; we’re learning how difficult it is to write a great song! If we stick with it long enough, we arrive at “Beginner’s Mind” again, but this time we see the subject as a whole with all the details articulated and held in place by a few basic principles.
“The artistic life begins in instinct and moves toward calculation; or maybe, it begins in blind obsession and ends in self-possession. Or does it begin in play and end in ambition? Some say it begins in inspiration and moves toward repetition. Whichever version you subscribe to, the loss of innocence is inevitable-but one that has its compensations; namely, skill, perspective, and choice.” W. B. Yeats
You must trust the example set my experts and find the proper mentor. Once you have internalized their knowledge, you must move on and never remain in their shadow. Your goal is always to surpass your mentors in mastery and brilliance.
“The sailor cannot see the North, but knows the needle can." Emily Dickinson
Online Learning
These Powerful Programs Are Available:
- The Fine Art of Songwriting
- Guitar Method & Music Theory for Songwriters
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The Fine Art of Songwriting
The Fine Art Of Songwriting
- Learn the principles behind ALL great songwriting regardless of style.
- Connect with your listeners on a much deeper level than ever before.
- Unlock the magic of story-telling in your lyric and harmonic writing.
- Learn a songwriting approach you won't find anywhere else—taught by a master teacher.
- Watch your songs go from good to great!
- All taught by Grammy-Award Winning Songwriter Steve Leslie!
Guitar Method & Music Theory for Songwriters
Guitar Method & Music Theory for Songwriters
Companion Course to the Fine Art of Songwriting. Discount when bundled together!
- 33 lessons, videos, pdf's, chord charts, chord progressions
- Designed specifically for the songwriter who writes on guitar.
- Master chords and chord progressions and paint with a wider palette.
- Why play just a G chord when you can play a GMaj9!
- Music theory simplified and explained.
- Learn how to communicate with other musicians.
- Includes chord symbols and the Nashville Number System.
- Allows students to start playing with a wider pallet
- Perfect for all genres!
All taught by Grammy-Award Winning Songwriter with BM in Jazz Studies/Guitar
The Fine Art of Songwriting
Preview Steve's Teaching Style
