Music Workshops for Adults in Brooklyn
Explore something new, revisit an old skill, or deepen your understanding of music with Bantam Studios' hands-on workshops in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Our workshops offer focused, small-group learning experiences covering music theory, instruments, technique, and creative exploration. Designed for curious adults of all experience levels, each workshop is an opportunity to try something different, build new skills, and connect with fellow musicians, without committing to a full session of classes.
Whether you're joining us for a one-time introduction or expanding on what you already know, there's always something new to discover.
Upcoming Workshops
Keyboard Lab: Getting to Know the Keyboard
Whether you took piano lessons as a kid or have never touched a keyboard, this hands-on workshop is a chance to get acquainted (or reacquainted!) with the keys. Explore notes, scales, intervals, and chords while discovering how the keyboard can help us better understand music. No previous piano experience required!
Duration: 90 minutes
Class Size: Limited to 6 students
Experience Level: All levels welcome
Keyboards: Provided
Tuition: $60
Music Theory Lab: History & Fundamentals
Ever wondered why music works the way it does? Explore the history and building blocks of music in this hands-on introductory workshop. Through listening, discussion, and practical exercises, we'll introduce rhythm, notation, intervals, scales, and harmony. A welcoming starting point for anyone curious about music theory, whether you're learning an instrument or simply looking to deepen your understanding of the music you love!
Duration: 90 minutes
Class Size: Limited to 12 students
Experience Level: Complete beginners (no experience required)
Tuition: $60
Electric Guitar Lab: Amps, Pedals & Signal Chains
Get to know the gear behind the electric guitar! Explore pickups, amp controls, signal chains, and effects pedals in this hands-on workshop. Learn how everything works together to shape your sound, with plenty of opportunities to experiment.
Duration: 90 minutes
Class Size: Limited to 6 students
Experience Level: Guitar Foundations I or equivalent experience
Electric Guitars: Provided
Tuition: $60
Violin to Viola Lab
Curious about making the switch from violin to viola? Explore the differences in technique, tone, and tuning while getting acquainted with the alto clef. This hands-on workshop is a chance to discover the viola's unique voice, explore its role in chamber music, and try something new! We'll also get comfortable navigating the viola's lower register and adapting familiar violin skills to a new instrument.
Duration: 90 minutes
Experience Level: Violin Foundations III or equivalent experience
Violas: Provided, but students should bring their violins.
Tuition: $60
Fiddle Lab: Tunes & Improvisation
Get off the page and explore the playful side of violin playing! Learn a traditional fiddle tune by ear, experiment with melodic variations, and discover simple approaches to improvisation. A relaxed, hands-on workshop for violinists looking to build confidence playing without sheet music. We'll explore fiddle rhythms, bowing patterns, and ways to bring your own musical personality to a tune.
Duration: 90 minutes
Experience Level: Violin Foundations III or equivalent
Tuition: $60
Bass Lab: Electric Bass for Guitar Players
Ready to explore the low end? Discover how your guitar skills translate to electric bass while learning the techniques that make bass playing its own art. Explore fingerstyle technique, groove, rhythm, and the relationship between bass and drums. Through hands-on exercises and simple bass lines, we'll learn how to lock into a rhythm section, support a song, and approach music from a whole new perspective.
Duration: 90 minutes
Experience Level: Guitar Foundations II or equivalent experience
Electric Bass: Provided
Tuition: $60
Explore Our Music Theory Labs
Music theory doesn't have to be intimidating, and you don't need years of experience to start understanding how music works.
Bantam Studios' Music Theory Labs offer a hands-on approach to exploring the ideas behind the music we play and listen to. Beginning with introductory workshops on keyboard fundamentals and the history and language of music, the program builds toward deeper studies in harmony, rhythm, and musical structure.
From there, students can explore how theory applies to their own interests, with labs focused on guitar and ukulele, violin-family instruments, songwriting, improvisation, and more.
Start anywhere you're comfortable. Our one-off introductory workshops offer an accessible way to explore a new subject, while multi-part Lab Series provide more time to develop and apply new skills. Whether you're completely new to music theory or looking to connect the dots between things you already know, there's a place to begin.
Start with the Fundamentals
We're kicking off our Music Theory Lab program with a series of introductory workshops throughout November, December, and January. Keyboard Lab and History & Fundamentals offer two approachable ways to explore the language of music, with no previous theory experience required.
Beginning in February 2027, we'll expand into more focused courses covering harmony, ear training, instrument-specific theory, songwriting, and improvisation. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to deepen your understanding, our labs offer a flexible path from learning the fundamentals to putting them into practice.
Level 1: Explore the Basics
Keyboard Lab and Music Theory Lab: History & Fundamentals
Level 2: Build Your Understanding
Chords, harmony, ear training, rhythm, and musical structure
Level 3: Put Theory Into Practice
Instrument-specific theory, songwriting, improvisation, and creative applications
Keyboard Lab: Getting to Know the Keyboard
Whether you took piano lessons as a kid or have never touched a keyboard, this hands-on workshop is a chance to get acquainted (or reacquainted!) with the keys. Explore notes, scales, intervals, and chords while discovering how the keyboard can help us better understand music. No previous piano experience required!
Duration: 90 minutes
Class Size: Limited to 6 students
Experience Level: All levels welcome
Keyboards: Provided
Tuition: $60
Music Theory Lab: History & Fundamentals
Ever wondered why music works the way it does? Explore the history and building blocks of music in this hands-on introductory workshop. Through listening, discussion, and practical exercises, we'll introduce rhythm, notation, intervals, scales, and harmony. A welcoming starting point for anyone curious about music theory, whether you're learning an instrument or simply looking to deepen your understanding of the music you love!
Duration: 90 minutes
Class Size: Limited to 12 students
Experience Level: Complete beginners (no experience required)
Tuition: $60