I'm John Montgomery, a classically trained pianist with over four decades of experience in music education. For 20 years I was Head of Music at a Scottish high school, where my job was turning students into musicians. I've also written several books and digital resources for music learners.

I believe the magic of music belongs to everyone, and that the piano is the best way in. That belief is behind Piano Improvisation Course 2026: Learn to Play & Improvise, which I created with my brother Andy on Udemy.

Over 104 lectures and about 4.5 hours of content, I take you from your first notes to improvising your own music, with rhythm, intervals, arpeggios, bass lines and modulation along the way. You don't need to read notation to start, and you'll have the classical foundations behind the playing explained clearly as you go. Overhead hand views, animated scores, backing tracks and downloadable PDF scores make it easy to follow.

If you're a complete beginner, or a player who wants to improvise with more confidence, I'd love to help you get there.