Welcome!
Why learn songwriting?
Songwriting can be a cathartic and powerful form of self-expression; countless studies have indicated that writing about our experiences, thoughts, and feelings can lead to improvements in mental health. It's also just a lot of fun, and can help you gain confidence and grow as a musician, writer, thinker, and human.
Why learn it with me?
My experience in songwriter is extensive and eclectic. Growing up, I sang in honor choirs, took piano lessons, and taught myself guitar and ukulele. I’ve been writing songs since middle school, and I'm now a verified artist on Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms; I'm also the writer, songwriter, and director of an animated children's series, Rabbits Under the Shed, through Emerson College. In addition to learning through personal experience, I'm finishing up a certificate in Lyric Writing from Berklee School of Music Online. Between my personal music and my freelance work, I’ve written over two hundred songs.
I love sharing my passion for and knowledge in songwriting, and I especially love working with kids and teens. I have experience in child care through babysitting and working as a substitute preschool teacher. In 2019, I was a residential counselor for a summer pre-college program at Stanford University, where I doubled as a TA for a filmmaking class and also led multiple songwriting workshops.
I decided to offer lessons after hearing "I wish I could write songs" all the time, and I strongly believe that it's something everyone can learn and benefit from, and something I have the skillset and experience to help with. Songwriting has been amazing for my mental health, confidence, and growth as a creator and as a human; I want to pass that on to other people too. :) I offer a variety of options, and I'll work with you to create an individualized learning approach based on your goals, interests, and schedule.
The Options
Private Lessons via Video Call ($40 per hour, or $25 for half an hour)
The goal of this option is to help students gain confidence, find their voice as a songwriter, and figure out a unique workflow for writing songs in a personalized and one-on-one environment. The structure of these lessons will be highly individualized; the first session will mostly involve talking through your goals and making a plan for what our time together will look like - whether it's working through various activities and exercises, or primarily providing feedback on whatever you're working on.
I'm comfortable working with students of any age. To get started, fill out this form. If you don't hear from me in a few days, feel free to follow up via email.
Private Lessons via Chat / File Exchange ($PWYC)
These lessons will have the same goals and outcome as video call lessons, and will similarly be highly individualized. Instead of scheduled video calls, I'll send a written lesson and instructions for an assignment, and provide feedback on the work you do. In between lessons, I'll also be available to answer any follow-up questions you have.
This option is great for anyone who isn't keen on video calls or needs more flexibility with pacing, scheduling, and pricing. You decide the frequency of lessons (I'd recommend weekly or biweekly), and you pick the topics we cover out of an ever-growing list of options. I take a PWYC (Pay What You Can) approach, with a suggested range of $10-30 per round.
To get started, fill out this form. If you don't hear from me within a few days, feel free to follow up via email.
Group Workshops ($25 per person)
This option works best for groups of 3-10 people. Workshops are designed to be one-time events, although they can of course be repeated as many times as you'd like with different results.
There are three different structures you can choose from, which are outlined here. Please note that I can’t guarantee you’ll come away from the experience with finished song(s), although that’s the goal!
Workshops last 2 hours. Payments are due at least 24 hours before the event. If you're interested, please fill out this form. If you don't hear from me within a few days, feel free to follow up via email.
Group Lessons!
I'm in the process of developing a virtual classroom approach! This will likely include weekly hour-long group classes. I'm still figuring out the best approach & platform - perhaps via Outschool - but please check back soon for more details!
A Few Notes:
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At this time I only offer remote sessions online, preferably through Discord - a platform that allows for unlimited voice calls, video calls, messaging, and file exchanges in private or group chats. Although I'm happy to conduct lessons through a different platform if you'd prefer, Discord is free and I strongly recommend and prefer it.
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Payments can be made through Venmo (MiaStegner), Paypal (paypal.me/miastegner), or use this page.
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All students, regardless of which option they select above, will have the option to join our Discord server where students can connect, collaborate, and exchange feedback on their work!
