“I was so happy to hear Hayden would be offering guitar lessons and songwriting lessons online. I’ve known Hayden since 1987 and if there’s one thing he loves to do aside from playing music, it’s teaching. It’s natural for him and he has the knowledge and experience to cover a lot of different styles.
“Of course, with a simple internet search of Hayden Nicholas, or Clint Black, and you’ll see his credentials as a songwriter all over the place. Way more than half of my hit songs, I wrote with Hayden! “A Better Man”, “Killin’ Time”, “Summer’s Comin’”, “Like the Rain”, and so many more.
“Anyone would be lucky to get time with him to learn about writing and playing.”
Clint Black
“This chance to work with Hayden is SO cool! He certainly has done it all…a true guitar wizard who has written million-selling hit songs. A mighty combination. The sky is the limit!”
Steve Wariner
“Hayden Nicholas is a giant among guitar players. His abilities and knowledge of the guitar are extraordinary. One of the few guys that I label as my personal hero!”
Bryan Austin
“NOBODY as talented and accomplished as Hayden Nicholas should be this easy to talk to and learn from. He so clearly breaks down teaching guitar into bite-size chunks that are digestible no matter where you are in your playing. He’s the best.”
Mac Richard
My goal in guitar lessons and songwriting lessons is to teach you how to teach yourself. Within a few lessons, you will be on your way in knowing how to make any type of chord on the guitar using your learned craft along with your imagination. In addition, you will learn why certain chords are used in songs and how to recognize them by ear alone—something very valuable when writing songs.
SONGWRITING
Over the years, Clint and I have developed some tools that help with writing the music and lyrics. We use methods that have proven themselves to be extremely valuable over and over again. I’m positive that some of these methods are unique and unheard of by most songwriters. I will give examples with our own songs, like how we found the one phrase that kept a song from being finished. (Killin’ Time sat unfinished for weeks until we found the one perfect lyrical phrase that finished the song.) I’m confident that our method will help your songwriting skills regardless of your writing experience.
CHORD PROGRESSIONS
For songwriters like myself, knowing which chords to use with any given melody is an invaluable skill. When writing a song, you may hear a chord in your head but you have no clue of how and where to look for it. You may ask yourself: “Why does this chord work and another chord does not?” My method, in time, will give you the ability to find that chord by ear. Imagine driving in your car and hearing a song on the radio, then knowing the chord progression by the time you get home! You can learn how to do this!
LEAD SOLOS
I get requests all the time on how I played a certain guitar part or guitar solo on one of Clint Black’s many CDs. If you are an intermediate or advanced player, I can teach you many of my electric and acoustic guitar parts. One of my specialities is finger-picking, what many contemporary teachers call hybrid picking.
SLIDE GUITAR
If you are interested in playing slide guitar, I will teach you how to play in standard and alternate open tunings. Right-hand technique tricks will be taught.
ALTERNATE TUNINGS
If you are interested in alternate or open tunings, I will teach you how to use them to inspire your songwriting. I cannot tell you how many songs we have written that were inspired by alternate tunings!
PRICING
Lessons are offered on a per-lesson basis or as a Monthly Package—with savings of up to $100 a month!
The Monthly Package consists of four lessons per month, based on availability.
All written material will be provided at no additional charge. Cancellations must be made 24 hours in advance. Make-up lessons will be rescheduled at everyone’s convenience. Payments will be handled professionally via PayPal.
Lessons will be taught over Zoom (click here to download).
Please ensure that you press “RETURN TO MERCHANT” after completing your PayPal transaction so that you may be directed to the lesson form after your purchase.
Single Lesson, 30 minutes $60/per
Single Lesson, 60 minutes $100/per
Monthly Package, 30 min $200/mo
*savings of $40!
Monthly Package, 60 min $300/mo
*savings of $100!
