Core Musicianship: Theory & Technique Workshops
Stop just reading sheet music and start understanding the 'why' behind the sound. Build a rock-solid musical foundation through theory, ear training, and practical technique drills.
This video demonstrates how to reharmonize a song using ten different techniques. I take a simple song like "Hallelujah" and embellish it with concepts like slash chords, 2-5-1 passing chords, and tritone substitution, showing you how to transform any piece of music.
Developing hand independence is crucial for any pianist. This tutorial offers tips and exercises, starting with a slow pulse and gradually adding complexity. We work on playing different rhythms in each hand and even practice singing while playing to truly master coordination.
Here's my strategy for creating "future-proof" solo piano arrangements. I explain how to take a song, decide on an accompaniment pattern, and then transfer that pattern from two hands to one. This method helps you build coordination and create your own arrangements for any song.
In this tutorial, we learn how to embellish a simple E minor melody. I demonstrate how to stack harmony notes in the right hand and add choral-style alto and tenor parts to create a richer, more professional sound from a basic melodic line.
This video shows several ways to transform a song on the piano. I demonstrate how to add triplets to change the time feel, switch the time signature to something unconventional like 5/8, or even introduce an Indian folk groove to completely reinvent the piece.
We also explore modern music creation tools like MuseScore. In this workshop, I show you how to use this powerful notation software to compose and arrange music with multiple instruments, from orchestra and choir to piano and percussion. It's a great skill for any aspiring composer.
About Core Musicianship: Theory & Technique
Music theory isn't just a textbook subject; it's a toolset for better playing. In these sessions, we don't just talk about scales and chords; we apply them instantly. For instance, I will show you how to take a simple melody like 'Hallelujah' and completely transform its texture using slash chords and tritone substitutions. It is about learning to hear the music before you play it, which changes how you approach every single piece you learn.
Theory You Can Actually Use
Many students come to us after years of playing but feeling 'stuck' because they don't understand the underlying structure of their music. My workshops break that cycle. We focus on the 'Music Gym' concept—regular, focused workouts for your ears, fingers, and brain.
What We Cover
- Reharmonization: Learning to take a basic chord progression and breathe new life into it using extensions, secondary dominants, and substitutions.
- Ear Training: Developing the ability to identify intervals, chords, and rhythmic patterns by ear, not just by looking at a page.
- Rhythm & Technique: From syncopation drills to mastering hand independence, we treat rhythm as the foundation of your expression.
- Arrangement: How to take a song and build your own version, whether it's for solo piano or a full ensemble.
How You Learn
Whether you are joining us online from anywhere in the world or visiting our Bangalore studios in Langford Town or Sahakar Nagar, the approach remains the same: highly interactive, practical, and small-batch. You won't be sitting through endless lectures. You will be playing, analyzing, and getting direct feedback on your progress.
We provide HD recordings of every session, digitized PDF notes, and assignments that help you cement the theory. If you want to understand why a song works, how to improvise, or how to finally get your hands to move independently, this is where you start.
Nathaniel School of Music
Hi, I'm Jason Zac. I started the Nathaniel School of Music because I wanted to teach more than just sheet music reading. We focus on building complete musicians who can truly hear and feel what they play, whether that's at our Bangalore studio or in our online sessions.
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