PROJECT SHOWCASE
Repositioning Clarinet Instruction for Adult Learners
Clarinet Ninja was already built for adult musicians, but the website’s messaging did not communicate what made the program different. Broad promises about improving at the clarinet obscured a more distinctive offer: professional-level instruction adapted for adults, combined with feedback and community.
As a freelance partner with Onward Copy, I substantially rewrote the website to bring that position forward. I sharpened the homepage messaging, strengthened the connection between founder Jay Hassler’s professional experience and his teaching approach, and repositioned the advanced Dojo program around the specific musicians it was designed to serve.
Project at a Glance
| Agency | onward copy |
|---|---|
| CLIENT | Clarinet Ninja |
| ENGAGEMENT | Freelance partnership |
| MY ROLE | Content Strategist, SEO Copywriter, and Website Copywriter |
| INDUSTRY | Music education |
| AUDIENCE | Adult clarinetists, from beginning and returning players to advanced musicians |
| SCOPE | Multiple website pages, including the homepage, About page, and Dojo Z sales page |
| COMPLETED | Early 2026 |
| MY RESPONSIBILITIES | Keyword research, search-intent analysis, positioning, offer messaging, copywriting, editing, and CTA strategy |
| COLLABORATION | I worked within the existing layouts. Jay Hassler or his team handled design, development, publishing, technical SEO, and final fact approval. |
The Assignment
Clarinet Ninja serves an audience that most traditional music instruction overlooks: adults who care deeply about playing well.
Some are learning or returning to the clarinet after years away. Others are experienced musicians who practice seriously but have reached a plateau and want expert guidance.
The existing website contained the right ingredients, including Jay’s extensive performance background, adult-focused teaching philosophy, group programs, and student testimonials. The opportunity was to make those strengths more visible and connect them directly to the needs of adult players.
The Communication Challenge
The original homepage opened with:
Get better at the Clarinet
followed by the broad statement.
The message was welcoming, but it could have applied to almost any clarinet teacher.
The About page faced a similar problem. Jay’s story included substantial professional accomplishments and an important evolution in his teaching philosophy, but much of it read like a long chronological narrative.
The advanced Dojo page had a defined offer, yet its opening, “Play at Your Highest Level,” did not immediately tell visitors who the program was for or what kind of coaching they would receive.
My work focused on making those distinctions unmistakable.
Making the Adult Audience Visible
Clarinet Ninja already served adults. I made that established audience central to the website messaging.
Before
Get better at the Clarinet
After
Master the Clarinet with a Community of Music-Loving Adults
The copy immediately connects Jay’s professional experience with the people he teaches and introduces the community as part of the learning experience.
Reframing the Cause of Slow Progress
One of the most important additions to the homepage was:
The Problem Isn’t Practice
The copy acknowledges that an adult musician can practice consistently and still remain stuck. It then introduces expert feedback and the right learning environment as ways to make that practice more productive.
It creates a natural bridge into Clarinet Ninja’s programs. The value of the instructor becomes clearer because the website has first identified the situation in which instruction matters.
Connecting Jay’s Expertise to the Student
Jay had an exceptional professional story to work with.
His experience includes Broadway, orchestral performance, major venues, professional collaborations, and teaching at respected music schools.
I reorganized the story around the experiences that shaped the way he teaches.
The revised page begins with a clear statement about the audience:
Most clarinet instruction is designed for children. That never made sense to me. Adults learn differently and deserve a method built specifically for them.
From there, I divided Jay’s story into sections:
- Hitting the Wall
- A Better Teaching Approach
- A Flourishing Career
- Discovering a New Passion
The new structure makes his biography easier to follow while showing why each stage matters to the student.
His own experience of practicing for hours while feeling that he was regressing connects his professional history with the frustration experienced by serious adult musicians who work hard without getting the results they want.
Turning Credentials Into a Reason to Choose the Teacher
The rewrite also changed how Jay’s performance background functions on the website.
His credentials still establish authority, but the copy connects them directly to his teaching:
You Get Real Feedback and Real Community
The surrounding message explains that students receive the same professional techniques Jay developed through his training and performance career, adapted to adult learners.
This makes the credentials useful to the prospective student.
What This Project Demonstrates
This project demonstrates my ability to identify the strongest ideas within an established brand and make them more visible in the copy.
Clarinet Ninja already knew whom it served and why adult instruction was different. My role was to turn those ideas into sharper positioning, connect the founder’s expertise to the needs of the audience, and give each offer enough specificity for the right prospective student to recognize themselves.
Skills Demonstrated
Brand positioning · Website copy · SEO copywriting · Offer messaging · Audience-focused copy · CTA strategy