Services

Canadian Online Guitar Lessons & Music, Writing Services and Film Study

Our Mission

Canadian Online Guitar Lessons’ Kerilie McDowall assists you to develop your own unique artistic voice. Shape, develop and compose ideas. Explore the music that you love.

A supportive, patient approach that encourages students to learn at their own pace. Ages 8 and up online, age 6 and up in-studio. Children, teens, adults, seniors. Pop, country, blues, classical, jazz, folk, rock, includes guitar soloing, rhythm guitar, TAB, music reading, songwriting and improvisation. Creativity is encouraged.

Intensified accelerated learning for fast learners and professionals. Modified paces as needed for ADHD and others with disabilities with a focus on focusing on and enhancing within ability.

Supportive guitar, music, music industry, film/ film industry instruction according to your specified level at your own pace. Guitar, music industry, writing and film workshop bootcamps. We take it step-by-step with novice beginners offering services at your own pace with quality and thorough instruction.

Private Studio or Online Guitar Lessons with Kerilie McDowall 

12 weeks, 12 lessons, Sale price 1 hour each lesson for 12 lessons 20% off (for 12 weeks $48.70 per lesson) $584.50. Try our 12 week online beginner guitar course in Beta Testing at almost 50% off for $377!

(Regular $29 per 30 minute price, $58 per hour. Regular non-discounted $696 price 12 weeks with tax =$730.80.) You enjoy a $146.00 savings at 20% off.

Bring a friend to get an extra 10% BUDDY discount. **Prices include GST (5% tax). Try out a first one-time lesson for $45 and then start towards your 12. Monthly installments and tailored monthly payments are available to suit your budget.

12 weeks for 45 minutes:  20% off at $453.50 12 lessons and $37.75 per lesson plus tax.

(Regular price for 12 lessons is $567.00 at $45 for 45 minutes.)

Bring a friend to get a 10% BUDDY discount. **Prices include GST (5% tax). Monthly installments and tailored monthly payments are available to suit your budget. Not in BC, Canada? Add your provincial or state/country tax to regular one hour and 45 minute rates.

New Year 2024 shoppers receive up to 20% off all guitar, music industry film/industry and writing instructional services until January 31, 2023. Gift certificates are available for purchase. (Regular rate $29 per half hour. You get 20% off.) Mountain/ocean view location.

GUITAR LESSONS MEGA discount!!!!

On the way!

Ask me about my new in design BETA Testing courses for beginner and intermediate guitar! You can purchase my new beginner 12 week online video course PLUS GIFTS! and work at your own pace with live group and one on one Zoom Accelerator beginner or Performance-oriented sessions! If you would like to learn more, or about the intermediate course, just let me know!  The extensive beginner course with many great perks, and gifts will be at a regular price of $1999! You can get in early for a massive discount at $377 as I design!! Not kidding! Purchase the beginner and intermediate 24 week course together for $599.99!

BONUS GUITAR COURSE GIFTS!!!

MUSIC INDUSTRY BOOTCAMP FOR BEGINNERS

○  ROCK STAR Tips on approaching  the media, ready for the press TV/radio, podcast/blog producers, publicity, radio trackers, the print and international press (1 hour). Guidelines, timelines considerations, please take notes.

o  EPK advice, how to write your band’s press release, how to create a media list, gigs, SOCAN summary overview  1 hour. ($299 value)

Also available: Private musician’s coaching one on one. One on One Accelerator Bootcamp extra 45 minute lesson private sessions available for $75 each, 1 hour for $100. BUDDY DISCOUNT: 10% OFF for you if you bring a BUDDY!

ROCK STAR BONUS EXTRA VIDEO WORKSHOP

o    Intro to Songwriting for Musicians and Vocalists (Popular) Bootcamp, 1 hour

($199 value)

Kerilie McDowall is a qualified York University BFA Music graduate, (Jazz & Classical Guitar Performace/ Composition) and she was a Vancouver jazz guitarist-band leader for a decade before moving to Vancouver island.

She started playing music instruments at age 4 or 5, then piano and violin, performing as a young teen guitarust in blues, pop and reggae bands, then professionally in high school, and at age 13/14 attended local Toronto blues music jams. She learned from her guitar mentor blues guitarist legend, Buzz Upshaw, and later from master Toronto guitar teacher Eli Kassner, (Liona Boyd, Lenny Breau) and the brilliant pianist William Westcott.

Kerilie has over 20 years of guitar teaching experience and 40 years in the music industry.

Learn the EASY 1-2-3 method to read music, music and guitar charts, TAB, learn theory, technique, songwriting, prepare for recording/performances, and build your repertoire.

EASY!! We go through simplified for beginners made easier, more manageable 3-note chords to start with while learning how to read music and charts, with the most painless method possible designed for your success as you build muscle strength.

○ You learn your favourite songs gaining music and performance SKILLS and confidence while progressing to 6 note chords and reading all the guitar strings with a fabulous method book, and choose your choice of your favourite popular, jazz, country, folk, indie, pop, blues, R&B, and classical introductory songs.

○ The easy 1-2-3 chord and technique method will have you playing 3 or MORE fun songs in 4 or less lessons! You will build your repertoire fast each week with less muscle pain while avoiding technique problems with help from a qualified instructor!

○ Consistent approaches to training you in the history and traditions of pop and traditional music from the past 90 years (jazz, blues) to rock and pop/indie styles. With exploration of the classical repertoire if it interests you to study or build foundation with.

○ Learn how to perfect a performance to perform for your friends, school or church, or for special events. Explore many styles. For all ages and abilities. Focus on your choice of performance or songwriting, or even try both! Prepare for recording, learn about the music industry and much more.

○ Avoid technical bad habits and injuries from incorrect study of the guitar. Learn injury avoidance and prevention. Avoid learning notes and rhythms incorrectly with an expert. Call or message for information. Book your Open House session, drop by and say hello!

Please scroll around my In the Zen new newsletter site, to view my services. RATES: https://inthezen.beehiiv.com/c/services 

Suscribe to In the Zen if you love jazz/creative and music. For creatives in music, writing and film, if you sign up for a workshop I will gift you a free bonus! Ask me about it. Book your Open House session, drop by or online and say hello! Click and learn more about Nanaimo instructor Kerilie McDowall below.

Also available, Theory, Songwriting and Composition.

About: https://inthezen.beehiiv.com/c/about 

Suscribe to In the Zen: https://inthezen.beehiiv.com 

Images by Dirk Heydemann of HA Photography.

Musician’s Services

Monthly installments and tailored monthly payments are available to suit your budget.

Level I Music-Musicians Bootcamp, 4 hours at $610 each person plus tax. Bring a friend, you both then get a 10% discount each for any service offered.

interviews and articles=record sales, understanding how the media/press works within TV, radio, print, blog and podcast.

Level II Launching Your Music Recording: The Year Before/Planning Organized Schedule of Events for Releasing $149.99  hourly. Recommended 2 to 3 hours.  2 hours $299.99. 3 hours $377,
4 hours $610.

1.5 hours daily for 5 days (7.5 hours) $987. 4 hours daily for 5 days (20 hours) $2584. 6 hours daily for 5 days (30 hours) $4181.

Level III Ready for The Press Understanding how to work with the press, the media and their timelines, writing for the press, press email lists, research, interviews. $299.99  2 hours. Recommended for 3 hours. 3 hours $377. 5 hours $610, 1.5 hours daily for 5 days (7.5 hours) $987. 4 hours daily for 5 days (20 hours) $2584. 6 hours daily for 5 days (30 hours) $4181. Hours may be spread over several weeks if necessary. Interviews and articles=record sales, understanding how the media/press works within TV, radio, print, blog and podcast. International press, national press coverage strategy.

Film Study ​for FILMIES, DIRECTORS & MUSICIANS

FILMIES: Beginner Directing/YouTube/Social Media Producer Bootcamp Level I

Monthly installments and tailored monthly payments are available to suit your budget.

Level I $377, 3 hours. Learn with your cell phone or camera how to frame camera shots, how to film and pan, creating lighting for YouTube and film, makeup/wardrobe.

Level II $377, 3 hours. How to set up a YouTube account and upload videos, where to source free music and photographs from for your film, understanding copyright, storyboarding, producing shows, interview techniques and on air tips for guests and hosts, and more. The courses get you filmmaking and knowing the techniques on how to create good film with 12x award-winning short documentary filmmaker Kerilie McDowall. Recommended 3 hours. 3 hours $377.

Level III $377, 3 hours. Intro to ready for the press, the media and their timelines, writing for the press, press email lists, mainstream and alternative research, recognizing censored media and national and international propaganda, being prepared for media interviews radio, TV, print, how to conduct or work as a guest in print/ other blog, podcast media, radio and TV interviews. ***Recommended 4 hours. 4 hours $549, 5 hours $610.

Get Your Film Festing for New Directors
& Get Your Film Festing for Musicians

Level I Help getting your film competing now in fests, top 5 fests, Canadian funding strategy, best time saver approaches, how to win awards strategy, social media. Level II Considerations: monetization before you make your short and after you produce your film. Fees: $299.99 2 hours. Recommended 4 hours. 4 hours $549. 5 hours $610. Bring a friend get a 10% discount.

Private coaching 1.5 hours daily for 5 days (7.5 hours) $987. 4 hours daily for 5 days (20 hours) $2584. 6 hours daily for 5 days (30 hours) $4181.

Sign up for the newsletter In the Zen: https://inthezen.beehiiv.com/

Serving The Community

WORKSHOP GUIDE

10 WORKSHOPS & COACHING WITH KERILIE MCDOWALL

1. NON-PROFIT & BUSINESS WORKSHOP: AFFORDABLE PUBLICITY & SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY - 2 HOURS (in-person/online)

2. BOOTCAMP FOR BEGINNER GUITARISTS - 2 HOUR WORKSHOP
(in-person/online) START HERE.

3. GET YOUR FILM/VIDEO FESTING FOR MUSICIANS - 2 HOUR ONLINE WORKSHOP

4. LAUNCHING YOUR MUSIC RECORDING: THE YEAR BEFORE - 2 HOUR WORKSHOP (in-person/online)

5. BOOTCAMP FOR RECORDING ARTISTS 2 HOUR WORKSHOP, OR 4 HOUR WORKSHOP (in-person/online)

6. HOW TO SHOOT FOR YOUTUBE: ONLINE FILM DIRECTING - 2 HOURS
(in-person)

7. BEGINNER’S MUSIC THEORY WORKSHOP - 1 HOUR (in-person/online)

8. POPULAR SONGWRITING - 2 HOUR (in-person)

9. BEGINNER MODERN/NEW MUSIC COMPOSING - 2 HOUR (in-person)

10. New!! Creative Exploration: Powerful Positivity, Manifestation -1 HOUR OR 2 HOUR
(in-person/online)

ABOUT KERILIE MCDOWALL

Kerilie McDowall is a quiet, unknown creative global innovator in Nanaimo, BC.

In 2021 to 2022, she won 12 awards internationally as a volunteer TV short jazz documentary filmmaker-director, including picking up three Best Web and New Media Hollywood awards.

Winning a past award in media for radio work and research with Eleanor Collins, OC, from the Black Women and Jazz and the Arts Awards from Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Kerilie has listened to thousands of recordings and worked as a radio volunteer and music judge assisting hundreds of recording artists and many more through multicultural TV hosting, production and directing work.

As a guitarist, filmmaker, writer, producer and past TV/radio host/publicist, Kerilie has been driven to share expertise and helpful tips to assist many, coaching and working with many organizations, recording artists, guitarists, writers, and newly filmmakers. She realized that it is best to design courses to reach and assist as many as possible at once, and due to having over 14 courses in the works she is now on the path of entrepreneurship.

Kerilie has always valued working helping others. Committed to this, she worked assisting those with moderate to severe disabilities in other health related work for over 11 years in Nanaimo.

She has been a dedicated community volunteer jazz radio podcaster and TV co-host and host.

She has a multi-faceted business that offers both guitar and music theory lessons for all ages and levels, freelance music writing services, and coaching, film and music industry assistance for recording artists and new film directors.

As a local Polaris Music Prize and DownBeat Critics Poll judge, TV and radio host and concert producer Kerilie has brought the joy of jazz and blues to the community since 2000, writing for the globe’s top jazz magazine, DownBeat as a writer and music critic for 4 years going on to freelance assisting organizations like Nanaimo Opera, Friends of Nanaimo Jazz Society, Crimson Coast Dance society and more.

McDowall won 12 short film festival awards with a jazz short filmed while volunteering and learning from the team at Shaw Spotlight, previously known as Shaw TV.

Kerilie has had a passion for volunteering and began in various organizations within Nanaimo starting in the early 2000s working at the Crisis Line and centre at Haven Society for women in crisis.

Committed as a dedicated volunteer TV director of 5-6 other Shaw Spotlight volunteers for 5-6 years on community and BC-focused Coast Connections with host Elizabeth Heinz. Highlights were directing and working with guests like Robert Bateman and Andrew Homzy.

Kerilie served the community for 17-years as a weekly CHLY volunteer jazz radio hosting/production/live engineer with one to three hour shows and fundraisers.

 Quietly as a 6/7 year USA award-winning Rhythm’a’ning  Player FM/ CHLY volunteer jazz podcast host /producer, McDowall placed #1 globally with google searches for global jazz podcasts in 2013-15.

A volunteer TV co-host and producer, host at Shaw Spotlight for 7 years and choosing to produce shows featuring charities and local organizations like the food bank/Loaves & Fishes, 7-10 club, Haven Society, Nanaimo Hospital Foundation, NUKO, Nanaimo International Jazz Festival, Nanaimo Blues Festival, McDowall served others. With fun community education like antique roadshow shows with local Luis Porretta Fine Arts’ antique expert Luis Porretta to Scottish Dragon Dances, McDowall spent many joyous years as a co-host entertaining others on Shaw’s The Show, and a host and producer on the TV program, the Community Producers.

Inclusivity: She works with diverse genders and taught the guitar at the Canadian Mental Health Association and has instructed other disabled students with ADHD, the guitar, film, and songwriting. She also provided charitable instructional services for truly disadvantaged families so that they could assist in helping their child’s development.

Kerilie was happy as a volunteer TV producer to assist in bringing donation money into the food bank on Shaw TV often and Kerilie felt that it was crucial to the food bank during tough times for the organization to assist them and others in the community to thrive. Kerilie also felt happy to hear of important donations brought into the Nanaimo Hospital Foundation due to her Shaw interview. She does not normally discuss this work, but feels fortunate to have serviced the community and assist where needed.

Our Mission

Canadian Online Guitar Lessons’ Kerilie McDowall assists you to develop your own unique artistic voice. Shape, develop and compose ideas. Explore the music that you love.

A supportive, patient approach that encourages students to learn at their own pace. Ages 8 and up online, 6 and up in studio. Children, teens, adults, seniors. Pop, country, blues, classical, jazz, folk, rock, includes guitar soloing, rhythm guitar, TAB, music reading, songwriting and improvisation. Creativity is encouraged.

Intensified accelerated learning for fast learners and professionals. Modified paces as needed for ADHD and others with disabilities with a focus on enhancing ability.

Supportive guitar, music, music industry, film/ film industry instruction according to your specified level at your own pace. Guitar, music industry, writing and film workshop bootcamps. We take it step-by-step with novice beginners offering services at your own pace with quality and thorough instruction.

Email: [email protected] Phone: 1-250-668-3589

Contact by Email: https://poplme.co/sx3r8jLP/dash 
Email: [email protected] Phone: 1-(250)-668-3589

Book a FREE TRIAL 45 MINUTE session meeting on Calendly.