Chris Swan | My NYC Music Lessons

Serves Jersey City, NJ

35244

Hired 64 times

1 employee

16 years in business

$50

5.0

This pro accepts payments via Apple Pay, Cash, Credit card, PayPal, Stripe, Venmo, and Zelle.

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Credentials

Background Check

Christopher Swan
Completed on 10/19/2021

Introduction

Hi there! My name is Chris. I teach music to people just like you and I help people achieve their musical dreams! I teach how to play piano by ear by teaching the system that professional musicians use to learn songs quickly. You can be one of those people who hears a song on the radio once and then can sit down and play it instantly. It is not a magic trick. It is a system that you can learn. I teach the classical repertoire as well if that is what you want to focus on. I also teach singing and rapping lessons where I help my students improve their technique, build their confidence, and ultimately, learn how to build a career in music. I offer lessons in a variety of subjects. Your lessons will focus on what you want to learn! Whether it’s playing piano by ear, classical piano, jazz piano and improvisation, singing, rapping, music theory, music history, songwriting, beat production, studio recording, live performance, booking gigs, building a fan base, marketing your music, or building a full-time career in the music business. Whatever gets you excited about music, that is what we will focus on! Now, no matter where you live in the world, you can learn how to play the music you love from a professional New York City musician! These lessons are fun, safe, convenient, and for students of ALL AGES and ALL SKILL LEVELS! I have been a professional musician for over 30 years traveling the world playing music. I have been a music instructor for over 15 years now and I love helping people achieve their musical dreams! I am a Steinway Educational Partner and a member of the Piano Teachers Congress of New York. This is a mentorship as well as lessons so no matter what level you are at, we will set clear goals and work on getting there together. These are either online lessons for anyone in the world or in-studio lessons for students in the New York area. In-studio lessons take place at my studio in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. I can’t wait to learn more about you and see how I can help! My studio hours are Monday-Thursday (8 am-10 pm), Saturdays (8 am-5 pm).

Q&A

What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?

For online and in-studio lessons, the tuition is $220/mo for 30-minute weekly, private lessons and $360/mo for 60-minute weekly, private lessons. This is a monthly subscription so the price is the same no matter how many lessons fall in that month. I offer super simple, hassle-free billing through my website. No registration fees. No other hidden fees. I offer a 10% discount to anyone who purchases 3 months of lessons upfront. I also offer a 10% discount for family members who take back-to-back lessons - this really adds up to big savings over time! I also offer group classes so be sure to ask me about those! My studio hours are Monday-Thursday (8 am-10 pm). Fridays and Saturdays (8 am-5 pm).

What is your typical process for working with a new customer?

I offer 2 types of lessons: Online and In-studio. My in-studio lessons take place at my studio in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. All online lessons are done via Zoom. Your first lesson will be all about getting to know you! What do you like about music? What is your favorite kind of music? What do you want to learn? What are your goals with music? Your lessons will focus on what you want to learn! If you want to learn classical piano, we will do that. If you want to learn how to play your favorite songs off the radio, we will do that. If you want to improve your singing or rapping technique, we will do that. I always include some fundamentals to create well-rounded musicians, but my goal is to make the lessons fun!

What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?

I have been a working professional musician since the age of 12 - for over 30 years now! I have traveled the world playing music. I am also a classically trained pianist starting lessons when I was 5. While pursuing a Bachelor of Music at Greenville University and then later at Hunter College, I have studied with such musical greats as Dr. Laila O’Sullivan, Geoffrey Burleson, David DeMotta, Ryan Keberle, Adam Maness, and Fred Hersch. I am a Steinway Educational Partner and a member of the Piano Teachers Congress of New York. I have been teaching music since 2009 and have had the opportunity to work with many great students all over the world!

How did you get started doing this type of work?

I started teaching lessons because people would come up to me after my gigs and ask if I could teach them. At first, I didn't think much of it. I started teaching a few folks. But then I started to notice I had a knack for it and I really loved helping people learn how music works. I had a system of teaching that most teachers do not use - playing by ear. This made my students get really excited about music. Once I saw how valuable that was to them, I decided to pursue teaching more seriously. I started teaching in 2009 and had a music school in St. Louis for a number of years. I sold the business to pursue my dream of living in New York City in 2021. And that is when I started my new music school to bring music lessons to students worldwide!

What types of customers have you worked with?

I have worked with students of all ages and all skill levels. Typically a good age to start lessons is 5. But I have also had quite a few students in their retirement years who finally have the time to pursue music. Both have been hugely rewarding to work with!

Describe a recent project you are fond of. How long did it take?

I love seeing things click with my students! I recently had a student who wanted to learn how to play piano by ear. She really wanted to get better at playing chords and reading chord charts. After our very first lesson, where we went over the circle of 5ths and how chords work, the lightbulb went off in her head! She said how excited she was because no one had ever explained music to her like that, even though she has been playing music classically for years! Classical music and playing by ear are two different skills. It's really fun to help people see both sides of the equation and help them develop the one that gets them the most excited!

What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

Be sure to ask lots of questions. Make sure you find a teacher who understands how to craft the lessons after what you want to learn. If you don't focus on what makes you excited about music, you will lose interest quickly. Finding a teacher who understands that is crucial.

What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?

A few good questions to ask any potential teacher are: 1. How long have you been teaching? 2. Do you perform music live or just teach? 3. What ages do you teach? What skill levels do you teach? 4. Do you teach playing by ear, classical repertoire, pop, jazz, or all of the above? 5. Do you have a set method you teach from or are you able to structure the lessons around what the student wants to learn? 6. What is your favorite thing to teach? 7. What do your lessons look like? What kind of stuff will we work on in lessons? There isn't necessarily a right or wrong answer to any of these questions. It's just important to find a teacher whose teaching style matches what you want to do with music. Asking these questions will help you find the perfect match!