Music Theory & Composition Lessons with Creative Songwriting Tips for Authentic Expression

Student and Tutor reviewed the Student's recent open mic performance, analyzing challenges related to stage monitor feedback and microphone setup. They practiced vocal warm-ups, experimented with a personal monitoring setup using an amp and interface, and conducted a deep lyrical analysis of "For the Jets" to consider it as a future cover. They also planned to work on another song, "Evergreen," for guitar.

Student and Tutor focused on preparing a song for an upcoming open mic performance, covering vocal warm-ups and detailed guitar chord practice for the song "Skin." They worked on integrating singing and playing, fine-tuning timing, emotional delivery, and performance techniques. The Student plans to practice guitar and vocals separately before the performance and will share a recording and schedule the next session.

The Student and Tutor focused on learning to play Ed Sheeran's "Castle on the Hill" on the guitar. They practiced simplified chords, a new strumming pattern, and synchronized their playing with the song. The session also included exploring techniques like using backing tracks and understanding advanced strumming patterns for performance.

The Student and Tutor worked on the song "Where Is My Love?", focusing on vocal delivery, adding emotional grit, and improving guitar timing and chord transitions. They practiced a vocal clarity warm-up and discussed strategies for integrating guitar and singing confidently. The main takeaway for the student is to practice the guitar parts independently to solidify timing and then reintroduce singing for a more confident and emotionally resonant performance. The next session was tentatively scheduled for Tuesday.

The Student reflected on their recent open mic performance and the lessons learned from both a challenging karaoke night and a successful debut. Discussions also covered new songwriting inspiration from a recent trip, leading to the development of original lyrics. The session concluded with an analysis of vocal technique inspired by a live concert and initial practice on harmonica skills, with a plan for the Student to continue vocal exercises and harmonica practice at home.

Student and Tutor focused on foundational guitar scales, specifically the A minor pentatonic and C major pentatonic scales. The Student practiced finger placement, agility exercises, and integrating these scales with chord progressions for improvisation. The Tutor assigned continued practice of the scales and their application over changing chords for future sessions.