Pop Music is a “Dark ART ”!
So many important patterns are completely left out in piano lessons & education.
So is the “groove” and neither are ever taught at school.
Something a bunch of rebels and misfits created, time and time again in history, is barely the material for a formal and linear education.
So what is going on here?
HAVE YOU EVER ASKED YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS…?
Why is John Lennon’s Imagine one of the most famous piano riffs in history, with a mere two chords?
Why do many songs sound the same, and no-one seems to notice (including yourself)
Why can a professional cocktail pianist pick up thousands of tunes by ear, without the sheet music like a juke box, but a concert pianist can only play off a score or a memorised set composition?
Why most students who finish their Grade 8, Can’t even play Happy Birthday by ear?
How does Elton John write a song only in 5 minutes without needing to notate any sheet music?
How did David Bowie change the course of Pop History whilst learning theory as he went.
How do a bunch of misfits who seem to just be “making it up” create an endless stream of hits, without any prior so called “qualifications”. That point alone, is what makes the music industry completely alien to any other industry.
And finally, what is the “Groove” and why is it so important?
LET'S ESTABLISH WHAT'S IMPOSSIBLE ...
It’s impossible to recreate something that has been invented by those who were using a completely different system and mindset by simply replicating it with a traditional classical approach.
Have you ever bought sheet music of a famous pop song and found that none of it made sense or even worked?
That’s because, it was never designed to be played or consumed that way. So why would turning it into a notated replica, achieve anything? It doesn’t!
I’ve been teaching strategies, ideas, processes and courses for many years. They convey exactly how this music should be played, but never before have I systemised it into an organised course where just about anyone, can pick up these points and bring them alive!
How Does the Pop Music Syndicate Work?
This course is as revolutionary as pop music itself.
Do you think the Sex Pistols in 1977 cared about following “good practice procedures”? The only way to get ahead in playing pop music, is to look at the way your favourite bands approach playing music. And for the most part, it’s not linear. It’s never Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3.
It’s never a planned beautifully written score – even the most elegant recordings, if you’re more a Carpenters/Kate Meldhau fan than a Nirvana or Black Sabbath fan – they all still have one thing in common across all of the sub genres.
The approach is NOT LINEAR. It’s Modular!
So what do I mean by that?
Imagine a circle.
A circle without start and stop points, but instead a virtuous circle, which improves the more times you move through it.
As for the percentages: This is a reflection of how this course is structured, we won’t be covering lyric writing and technology products to a large extent, though it’s a part of this circle.
This course focuses entirely on the MUSIC elements and the endless combinations and templates you can use to play like a pop star!
POP SYNDICATE COURSE SCHEDULE
John Owen Williams is one of the UK’s forefront music producers.
He has managed, A&R’d, and produced many artist careers, including producing debut albums for The Housemartins, The Proclaimers, The High, and The Almighty. His latest production, Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott’s Manchester Calling was released in March 2020 and debuted at Number One in the UK Album Charts.
John has also signed, produced, or A&R’d, Alison Moyet, Simple Minds, The Waterboys, Jethro Tull, Robert Plant, The Blue Nile, Petula Clark, Cathy Dennis, Ocean Colour Scene, JJ Cale, Siouxsie Sioux, Debbie Harry, Status Quo, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Lloyd Cole, Blancmange, Level 42, Brian Wilson, Elaine Paige, Clare Teal, Hall and Oates, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Joan Baez, Talk Talk, Jimmy Webb, Carter USM, James Taylor Quartet, Gary Jules, Saint Etienne, Claudia Brücken, Steve Winwood, Michael Nyman, Van Morrison, Neil Arthur, Kenny Rogers, Charlotte Church, The Wonder Stuff, Kingmaker and Thea Gilmore.
Starting his career as a label manager and promotions manager in 1974, he launched and promoted records at Island, Polydor, and Shelter by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Bob Marley and The Wailers, The Who, JJ Cale, Slade, Dwight Twilley, Barclay James Harvest, The Rubettes, Mac and Katie Kissoon, Johnny Bristol, and The Osmonds.
As a journalist from 1977-79, he was Music Editor of the trade magazine Radio and Record News, launching the first Gallup Top 100 Albums and Singles Sales Chart in 1978, and contributed as a journalist on air on BBC Radio 1’s Rock On programme.
POP SYNDICATE
This course is valued at £800
Join TODAY for just £450
EXTRABONUS
Add a 90 minute 1-2-1 VIRTUAL or STUDIO session with one of the team for JUST £45
"MUSIC 4 LIFE"
Guarantee
“If after attending the first two modules, it’s not clear that this program is going to be worth at least ten years of weekly traditional exam-based piano lessons, I will personally refund your fees.
That’s how convinced I am this program will impact your piano playing beyond what you believe is possible”
Tom
ALREADY A PIANO STUDENT?
If you already play piano, these new and effective strategies and modules will transform your musicianship. Most piano students, are just chugging along with slow incremental improvements and are not connected to some of the core musicianship elements that high performing musicians seem to be aware of. This course is going to change all of that for you.
ARE YOU A NEW STUDENT, OR LESS EXPERIENCED?
If you are new to piano, this powerful course is essential to you.
Not only will you discover from me how to avoid the costly mistakes so many piano students make that leave them frustrated and lacking any progress, but you’ll getting off to such a powerful start. I only with this information was available to me when I first started playing piano. It would have saved me years!
Don’t leave it too late – now is the time to master your piano skills. This course will be closing enrolments in just a few weeks, and we are unsure when we will be able to run it again!
POP MUSIC SYNDICATE is for you IF
You have a piano or digital keyboard at home
You are committed to practice at least 20 minutes a day at least 5 times a week.
You have the time to attend these classes (they are recorded for practice or incase you miss a class)
You love music, and wish you could understand more about it!
You often listen to music
You are already a musician but want to use piano in your songwriting or productions or just play another instrument
You always wish you had learnt piano
You are frustrated at the lack of skill that you have
You are already very musical, but want to take things to the next level
You want to play more songs
You would like to use your time more creatively
You are in a musical rut but want a fast turnaround
You’re a producer but not a pianist, but think piano skills would be a useful tool for your music
You want to get closer to music and how it works
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Meet Tom Donald ...
FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL - London Contemporary School of Piano
A passionate advocate for the use of chords and improvisation in all music learning.
A champion of the struggling adult amateur and connecting them with their inner genius.
Coaching musical transformations with countless students over the last two decades.
A master teacher of “How to get into the zone”.
A project manager who always overdelivers on the brief.
Can bang heads together, and bring difficult artistic, cultural concepts to all ages and associations.
Film score and concert pianist.
AUSTRALIAN ROOTS
Born in the remote Australian town of Coonabarabran, he grew up in the North East Australian town of Tamworth, which is known as the country music capital of Australia. Tom’s country Australian roots have led him to an unlikely career as an composer who speaks a rare international language.
Since age 16, Tom has led numerous touring bands, and produced a variety of albums in collaboration with American jazz vocalists to film directors. He has also sustained a prolific solo career as a pianist. Shortly after arriving in London 2004, he performed at Abbey Road studios performing improvisations on music by Lennon and McCartney.
LONDON CONTEMPORARY SCHOOL OF PIANO
Tom is passionate music educator and is the author of the “Harmony Method”. This is a revolutionary approach to teaching classical, jazz and popular harmony on piano.
In 2011, he established the London Contemporary School of Piano, with the backing of many early adopters of his piano teaching methods. The school has now taught over 500 students from over 20 different countries. The LCSP has fast become an influential force in piano education worldwide.
The London Contemporary School of Piano is in partnership with Blüthner pianos, famous for its world-class handmade pianos.