Stage 1
No prerequisite.
Enjoy practicing & get better.
Practice with purpose.
Improvisation. Any instrument.
Join The Forge $30/month
Save $60 with annual membership — $300/year
Rate locked as long as you stay. Instant access · Cancel anytime.
Your membership includes
- The Learning Code
- All three Forge stages
- Every course listed on this page
- A one-on-one placement session with Curt
- Stage-completion feedback from Curt
Know what you’re building.
The Forge gives you a clear path: what to practice, how to practice it, how to measure your progress, and when you’re ready to move forward.
ONE LEARNING SYSTEM FOR EVERY COURSE.
The Learning Code
- Concept
- Vocabulary
- Technique
- Application
- Intuitive Response
I’VE STUDIED HOW MUSICIANS PRACTICE.
After forty years, I know this:
practicing is a skill.
How you practice determines how you play.
Music is a language.
Learn it like one.
Before children learn words, they babble.
Everyone nods when we say, “Music is a language.”
So why do we teach the rules before we let students speak?
In The Forge, you play and improvise from the beginning.
You learn the details along the way.
The Forge is built in stages.
Each stage has a clear target—and the courses to help you reach it.
STAGE 1
Major scales are the musical alphabet.
The standard used to understand melody and harmony.
You can learn them while improvising, playing the blues, and writing music.
THE TARGET:
Play all 12 major scales accurately in quarter notes at MM=80.
Navigate a blues using a pentatonic or blues scale.
Stage 1 Courses
- Major Scale Project
- Improvisation
- Jam Session Tunes
- Let’s Write
STAGE 2
Chords are musical words.
They group notes into recognizable sounds—the vocabulary of harmony.
You can continue to improvise, play the blues, and learn tunes while you build your chord vocabulary.
THE TARGET:
Play all 12 major scales accurately in eighth notes at MM=80.
Play major, dominant, minor, and half-diminished chords accurately in all 12 keys in quarter notes at MM=80.
Navigate a blues using chord tones, pentatonic scales, and blues scales.
Stage 2 Courses
- Chord Project
- Improvisation
- Jam Session Tunes 2
- Blues Piano
- Let’s Write 2
- Map to Mastery
STAGE 3
Words combine into phrases that tell stories.
You study Harmonic Formulas to hear where the harmony is going.
You learn to balance and shape melodic lines intuitively—so your ideas land.
Stage 3 keeps you in the playing environment. You learn each concept in musical context, then immediately improvise with it. You spend at least half of your practice time improvising.
THE TARGET:
Navigate basic Harmonic Formulas using chord tones.
Shape balanced melodic lines that change direction and anticipate where the music is going.
Stage 3 Courses
- Balance & Direction
- The Story
Join The Forge $30/month
Save $60 with annual membership — $300/year
Rate locked as long as you stay. Instant access · Cancel anytime.
Placement Guide
Where should I start?
Skill is the measure.
Your current skills determine where you begin.
Every membership includes a one-on-one placement session with Curt.
Stage 2
Technique Play all 12 major scales accurately in quarter notes at MM=80.
Application Navigate a blues using a pentatonic or blues scale.
Stage 3
Technique Play all 12 major scales accurately in eighth notes at MM=80. Play major, dominant, minor, and half-diminished chords accurately in all 12 keys in quarter notes at MM=80.
Application Navigate a blues using chord tones, pentatonic scales, and blues scales.
A WORD FROM MY STUDENTS
And Tom—who taught me.
“The foundation I got at Inspire didn't just make me a better player. It gave me the tools to compose, arrange, and understand music at a level most musicians never reach. That's the foundation Everything Yes is built on.”
“I've taken lessons from Curt for years — and I've watched him teach my son too. He doesn't just tell you what to practice. He shows you why it matters, adapts to how you learn, and makes the whole thing feel possible. If you're thinking about signing up, stop thinking and just do it.”
“I grew up at Inspire — my dad Curt's music school in York, PA. I didn't just learn bass — I learned how music actually works. That foundation is the reason we were ready for 'Everything' that came after.”
“I'd been playing by ear for years and thought that was just how I was wired. What Curt helped me realize is that playing by ear wasn't a limitation — it was actually a strength. He gave language to what I was already hearing and helped me understand the why behind it. As a worship leader, it's completely changed the way I approach music.”
“Curt gave me a genuine and disciplined method for learning and practicing music. His guidance went beyond the technical — it helped me find consistent ways to progress toward my musical goals. Because of him I feel prepared when new challenges and opportunities come my way.”
“I've watched Curt work his magic with students for decades. He has a rare gift for breaking down complex musical concepts into a clear, structured path that actually gets results.”
Join The Forge $30/month
Save $60 with annual membership — $300/year
Rate locked as long as you stay.
Instant access · Cancel anytimeJOIN THE FORGE
$30/month or $300/year
Rate locked as long as you stay.
One membership. One clear path.
- Start in the right place — every new member gets a free placement session with Curt.
- Progress through Alphabet → Words → Story — each stage builds directly on the one before it.
- Practice with clear, measurable targets — you always know what you’re working toward.
- Learn skills that connect — scales, chords, improvisation, blues, writing, harmony, and real music.
- Move on when the skill is there — each stage ends with a video project and personal feedback from Curt.
- All instruments — the system is built around musicianship, not one specific instrument.
WHY ANNUAL
The Forge is not a weekend workshop or a stack of PDFs. It is a complete learning path—moving from musical vocabulary to improvising lines that follow and reflect the harmony of real songs.
Your membership currently includes 13 courses, and real skills take time to absorb, practice, and connect. Annual membership gives you that runway without rushing the process.
Monthly is available if you would rather begin with a smaller commitment and experience Stage 1 first. Once you decide to build the full set of skills, annual is the best value—and it saves you $60.
Save $60 with annual membership — $300/yearAll memberships are billed in full and are non-refundable. Cancel anytime to prevent renewal.
Instant access · All instruments · Cancel anytimeCOMMON QUESTIONS
I’m a beginner. Can I do this?
Yes. Stage 1 is open to everyone. There is no prerequisite.
Your included 1:1 placement session with Curt helps make sure you begin in the right place.
What if I already know my scales and chords?
Then you may not need to start at Stage 1.
Placement is based on what you can actually demonstrate. If your skills are ready for Stage 2 or Stage 3, that’s where you start.
Why does everyone learn The Learning Code?
Because every skill develops through a process.
The Learning Code shows you that process, so you can decide what to practice next—and why.
Will this work on my instrument?
Yes.
The Forge builds musicianship, not instrument-specific tricks. You build the skills, then apply them to the instrument you play.
How much do I need to practice?
Start with 10 focused minutes.
If you have another 10, use it just to play.
The important thing is that the work has a target. You know what you’re building and when you’ve done it.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel anytime to prevent renewal.
Memberships are billed in full and are non-refundable. Your rate stays locked as long as you remain a member.
How do I know when I’m ready for the next stage?
You show the work.
At the end of each stage, you send Curt a video demonstrating the skills you’ve built and get personal feedback before moving forward.
COME JOIN ME.
Enjoy practicing & get better.
Join The Forge $30/month Save $60 with annual membership — $300/yearRate locked as long as you stay.
Instant access · Cancel anytime