What do we offer? One to one lessons, group lessons and pop and rock band classes for all ages.
Individual and group lessons for guitar, bass, drum kit, piano, violin, saxophone, recorder, oboe and vocals in Falkirk, Stirling and surrounding areas. Lessons are either in our studio in Larbert, in your tutors own home or in your home if we have a tutor offering this.
Kids and adults can join a rock and pop band class to compliment lessons and put your skills to use. No need to take lessons with us to join a band.
How long are your lessons?
Our lessons are 1/2 an hour for group and individual for 2 reasons:
1. Concentration Span:
A child can concentrate for an average of 2-3 minutes for each year of their life. Adults generally concentrate well for 20 minutes.
2. Physical Ability in Beginner Guitarists and Violinists:
Playing the guitar and violin involves lots of muscles which need developed and your skin does need to adjust to the strings. A prolonged class will not benefit either of these developments. Sore fingers are not nice!!!
Group lessons:
Within our group lessons you are never left to sit and practice. We work our group as a group. We don't offer group lessons which are really individual lessons shared. We offer mainly individual lessons although sometimes we have enough students to start a group lesson.
Rock and Pop Band Coaching, Ensemble Experience.
At Blackwood Music Academy you have a unique experience. Not only can you learn your instrument from experienced tutors but you can learn how use your skills to play along with other musicians. This can be done through our specialist rock and pop band coaching, ceilidh band or guitar orchestra.
We also play gigs in various venues and festivals, competitions, concerts for various charities, entertain the residents in sheltered housing, parent concerts and the odd charity busking trip.
Headed by Karen Blackwood our academy is second to none at producing talented musicians and bands. Karen qualified with a Bachelor of Arts (endorsement in guitar teaching) from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from Moray House and has been teaching in a secondary music classroom for 20 years alongside guitar tutoring for over 30 years. She teaches acoustic, classical and electric guitar, bass, piano and drum kit although she studied classical guitar with Professor Philip Thorne MBE at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Being able to play guitar, bass, piano, trumpet and drum kit has enabled Karen to have a diverse knowledge of music teaching and playing.
We have the largest pool of teachers for guitar, bass, violin, drum kit, piano, saxophone, oboe, recorder and voice in the Falkirk and Stirling areas.
Blackwood Music Academy uses teaching materials from various sources including Trinity, The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and Rock School. Our students guide our teaching depending on their needs. And we cater for everybody.
Parents are encourage to attend lessons for children in primary school. We feel this helps with practice at home. You can also learn for free with your child. We have availability daytime for adults who have time free to learn a new instrument.
“Karen's passion for music and wealth of experience is very clear when she is teaching. The group guitar lessons are fun and engaging for each child, no matter which level they are at.
My son loves going to the these lessons and has come on very quickly in such a short time. He is about to start 1:2:1 lessons with Karen, which he is really looking forward to.
The concerts that the kids take part in are fun and a fantastic opportunity for them to perform solos and ensemble pieces to an audience.
Would highly recommend.”
—S Stenton.