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WORKSHOPS & KEYNOTES
for schools, associations, conferences and private events
Bill Gordon
"Bill Gordon's music workshop was one of the most involved, connected, and interesting sessions I have ever attended. Effective, powerful, and most importantly, FUN!" - Edgar Hernandez, Director of Career Advancement, SAE Institute, Los Angeles
"Bill is gifted in taking complex and often misunderstood music topics and teaching them in a simple way that even music novices can comprehend."
James Kocian - pro songwriter/producer
"Bill Gordon’s songwriting workshop gave me several new perspectives on song and music construction that will stay in my bag of tricks. He’s not just a teacher, he’s more of an advocate.” Ty Ford - Baltimore
Video Courtesy of the Baltimore Songwriters' Association
Bill's WORKSHOPS are lively, fun, and fast-paced, and
can be tailored to suit novice and professional musicians.
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Wrestle Any Song to the Ground:
know what’s happening in a song and what to really call it
A fun, enlightening 4-hour examination of pop songs, designed to demystify music mysteries. Skipping the usual brain-numbing clutter of music theory, we blast through music fundamentals to be sure everyone is on the same page with concepts and vocabulary. We do this by listening to and deconstructing classic and current pop songs. Then we hear students’ songs, probing the same issues: key, melodies, rhythm, song sections, chord progression, etc. This is a pragmatic, practical class that can be put to immediate use by songwriters, musicians and producers, whether beginners or pros.
In addition to his workshops, Bill is a popular KEYNOTE speaker at educational and music business conferences on a variety of topics, including:
Songwriting Basics | Film & TV Licensing
Music Business | Teaching Piano
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Music Biz Basics
In this 4- or 8-hour entertaining crash course in music business fundamentals, we look at copyrights and publishing, professional behavior and etiquette, planning, contracts, art vs. commerce, bookkeeping and taxes, marketing, ethics, and an array of other issues critical for anyone thinking about a career in music...or the simply curious. This is a comprehensive overview class, designed to serve as an introduction to essential music industry concepts.
Piano Playing for the
Singer/Songwriter
Tying the heart to the ear to the mind to the fingers, this 4-hour workshop will bring your level of performance to a higher plane. Students’ songs are used extensively. This is a hands-on class to help piano-playing songwriters accompany themselves better, both in ease of execution and effective emotional delivery. We also look at healthy, injury-free playing as well as practicing strategies to get good results without wasting time and effort.
It's Music, Not Theory, Damn It!
This one or two week workshop provides a clear path to realistically understanding music. It’s quick-paced, accurate, fun, and never dumbed down, a hands-on class that covers basics of pitch and rhythm, scales and melody, chords, chord progression and ultimately full song deconstruction, showing lovers of music there's nothing theoretical about this magical art. Students walk away knowing much better what’s happening in a piece of music and what to really call it. A practical, humorous workshop that can be put to immediate use by beginners, pros, or the simply curious. The usual soul-stressing hot mess of music theory is replaced by jumping directly into the inner workings of music itself.
Request more info on Bill's workshops and speaking engagements!
All courses are flexibly designed to accommodate existing school schedules and tailored to the overall level and interest of students.
Other workshops: chord clinic for songwriters; film & TV music; performance & recording preparation; jazz & pop piano; jazz & pop harmony; ear training & solfege.