Oxford-based piano player
and teacher
Steve Burholt has worked professionally as a pianist and session musician, with artists including Aswad, George Michael and writing for TV and film. He currently plays piano with the latin band Mambo Panthers.
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Steve also regularly publishes online tutorials on Instagram and YouTube.
I met Steve through a recommendation and he has exceeded all expectations. Steve has the experience, patience and the creativity to help me play chords and tunes in both a challenging and understanding way to suit my ability.
(Tim, Oxford)
...more testimonials
ABOUT ME
I help adult students develop confidence in playing the piano by ear. I teach many people who have had piano lessons before, but are frustrated that they can't just sit down at the piano and improvise. Note: I only teach adults.
I start by explaining basic chords and harmony, and use this as a basis for learning how to play by ear. I demonstrate different options for accompanying yourself at the piano, that can create interest and movement.
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If that sounds like something you’d like to explore further, please read the student testimonials or get in touch.
HOW I TEACH
I offer tuition for adults of all levels and interests, in person or online. I am an experienced teacher and aim to give students a solid understanding in a relaxed and enjoyable setting.
NO NEED TO READ MUSIC
I want my students to enjoy playing the piano, and to develop confidence. I teach by ear and show you how to follow basic chord charts. It certainly helps if you already know a few major scales.
HOW IT WORKS
Lessons last one hour and are tailored to the individual student. I start by explaining basic major and minor chords and show how they can be arranged in patterns in popular songs. I then explain different ways to accompany yourself on the piano (right-hand melody and left-hand chords, arpeggios and basslines etc).
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PAYMENT
Please see the payment options page for more details
WHICH STYLES
DO YOU TEACH?
I teach a range of styles including blues, boogie-woogie, jazz, reggae, cuban/latin, neo-soul and hip-hop. See a list of songs I have taught recently.
TOPICS COVERED
Chord harmony
Popular chord sequences
Left and right-hand independence
Accompaniment styles
Advanced chord harmony
Improvisation
Scales and modes
Syncopation
Technique and articulation
Using the pedal effectively
Left-hand chord style for jazz
Creating basslines in the left-hand
Ear-training
How to work out chords from a song
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VIDEOS
For more videos, including live performance, see the Videos page