Ted Sablay
One-on-one mentorship & lessons

Music doesn't stall.
Structure does.

For songwriters, bandleaders, and serious players who want clearer decisions, better execution, and a repeatable process that moves real work forward.

Unsure? Send: (1) one sentence goal, (2) one clip/demo, (3) any deadline.

Context

Musical Director — The Killers · ~20 years stadium/arena production · global via Zoom

  • Students: working musicians + serious university-level writers
  • Focus: melody, harmony, structure, parts, intent
  • Output: decisions you can execute, not vague advice
Principle: most creative teams aren't democracies. Every band develops a center of gravity. Breakthrough happens when the role is named and the work has a system.
What changes
When structure gets explicit, everything accelerates.
01
Songs get finished

Most songs die in revision. We diagnose the bottleneck and fix it — then commit.

02
Rehearsals get efficient

Clear leadership stops circular debate. The room focuses. Parts lock faster.

03
Identity sharpens

Identity is built through decisions: what you repeat, what you cut, what you own.

04
Strategy gets clean

Release choices, team-building, and economics become logic — once goals are named.

Areas of work
What we cover
01
Songwriting

Premise, structure, melodic lift, harmonic support, lyric clarity, finishing systems.

02
Instruments

Guitar/keys/bass: timing, tone, voicings, reading, and parts that serve the song.

03
Band leadership

Rehearsal systems, creative tension, role clarity, and decision-making without chaos.

04
Career strategy

Release planning, team economics, sync basics, and practical next moves.

Fit
Who this is for
Right fit
  • you have material and want it better
  • you're leading (or about to lead) a project or band
  • you want direct critique and clear next steps
  • you'll execute the plan between sessions
  • you want craft, not motivation
Not a fit
  • you want casual hobby-only lessons
  • you want validation instead of critique
  • you want someone else to do the work
  • you avoid commitment and revision

If you're unsure, start with one session. The goal is clarity fast.

Ready
Ready to move your music forward?

One-on-one mentorship and lessons. Songwriting, musicianship, band leadership, and practical career strategy. Global via Zoom.