Music lessons — clear answers.

No. Adults often progress faster because they listen better and practice with intent. Age isn’t the variable—follow-through is.

Simple: we clarify your goal, assess your current level, and choose the right format.

• Goal: one sentence (“cleaner time feel,” “better chorus lift,” “stronger voicings”)
• Baseline: a clip, draft, or section you’re stuck on
• Plan: what changes first, what you practice this week

Purchase at least 72 hours before your first appointment.

Bring real material. One of these is plenty:

• a song you’re learning
• a draft or demo you’re writing
• a chart or passage that won’t lock
• a performance video

Real work beats abstract talk.

Not required. If reading supports your goal, we build it gradually. If it doesn’t, we focus on ear, harmony, time, and execution.

Buy a guitar that stays in tune and intonates well. That matters more than brand hype.

• Budget: $200–$500 is the sweet spot for beginners
• Brands: Yamaha, Fender (reliable build quality)
• Start acoustic: clean fundamentals and finger strength

Two good options, depending on how you work:

• MIDI controller ($100+): great for Mac users recording in GarageBand/Logic
• Standalone keyboard ($300–$500): full-size keys and at least 61 keys

Non-negotiable: normal-sized keys. Mini keys slow progress.

We build vocabulary in stages so your hands stay relaxed and your ear stays engaged:

• start with 3-note chords (strings 2–4) for clean control
• learn C, F, G, G7 → then Dm, Em, Am
• master one key first (usually C major)
• move positions, then expand to full shapes

You bring 3–5 songs (or one specific performance goal). I adapt the material to your level and we:

• lock the feel and the mechanics
• diagnose what’s causing the miss (timing, fingering, voicing, attention)
• leave with a short plan that creates visible improvement

Songwriting is flexible, but not vague. We can zoom in on one bottleneck or do full-song passes.

• Organizing principle: title/premise + emotional turn
• Structure: verse set-up → chorus payoff
• Craft: melody lift, harmony support, lyric intent
• Finish: next decisions + a path to completion

Typical draft-to-finish is 2+ weeks depending on schedule and scope.

You’ll leave with a focused plan, not busywork: a small set of actions that produce a noticeable change by next session.

Then we work backwards from the deadline:

• repertoire polish + stylistic accuracy
• part economy (what to play / what to leave out)
• stress-testing under “one-take” conditions

Find the bottleneck and fix only that. Examples:

• Chorus doesn’t lift: melody range + harmony support + lyric altitude
• Melody gets tedious: repetition without transformation
• Lyric feels vague: not enough concrete image or situation
• Arrangement feels busy: too many parts fighting the vocal

One fix at a time. Don’t rewrite the whole song out of panic.

Three levers:

• Study: learn songs you admire until you feel the form
• Name the mechanics: what creates lift, tension, and release
• Finish more: drafts → decisions → final (volume builds voice)

Early drafts sounding derivative is normal. Craft comes first; voice emerges from volume.

Ted Sablay is a Las Vegas–based musician, musical director, and teacher focused on practical musicianship: melody, harmony, structure, parts, and intent. He has spent nearly two decades touring with The Killers and teaches students who want clear diagnosis and measurable progress.

Classic songcraft plus real-world performance discipline: parts that serve the song, consistency under pressure, and decision-making that holds up live.