This book examines how student-centered learning can be integrated with advanced musical instruction in popular music education.
Challenging the view that learner-centered approaches and expert-led teaching are inherently opposed, Student Centered Musical Expertise presents a pedagogical framework designed to support both student autonomy and high levels of musical development. Drawing on research in music education, learning theory, and psychodynamic psychology, the book explores why personally meaningful music can play a significant role in learning and musical engagement. It considers how a student-selected repertoire can be used as a foundation for developing groove, technical skills, stylistic understanding, improvisation, musical analysis, and performance practice.
Central to the book is the Student Centered Musical Expertise (SCME) framework, a model developed through classroom-based research and extensive teaching experience. The practical chapters examine video-documented one-to-one electric guitar lessons and demonstrate how student-centered principles can be applied to a range of musical topics, including groove, improvisation, transcription, technical development, and instrumental proficiency. Particular attention is given to the educator's role in guiding learning while responding to students' individual interests, goals, and musical identities.
The book contributes to contemporary debates in music education concerning expertise, learner agency, motivation, and personalized learning. While grounded in popular music pedagogy, its discussion of student-centered teaching and instrumental instruction has wider relevance for music educators working across different educational settings.
Suitable for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate study, thiswill interest researchers, music educators, teacher educators, and students in music education, popular music studies, instrumental pedagogy, and arts education. It also provides valuable perspectives for practitioners seeking research-informed approaches to student-centered teaching in contemporary music learning environments.