WOW!! This is such an interesting thread!! Hot buttons out in force LOL First of all Joanne, I think this is a wonderful idea !!! Full disclosure ... I DO NOT READ MUSIC NOR DO I CARE TO !! I have studied in the past but quickly dropped it. It just wasn't for me. In my view music really comes from the heart. If you can develop a decent ear you hear things that work in a musical context and a lot of times it becomes more interesting. Then it's just a matter of working it out. In my background (RB Bands) there are tons of singers and musicians that I have been associated with that will totally destroy some of the "learned" professionals. And the keyboard players in the churches are just flat out amazing and a lot of them don't know a note on a scale. Now that may be a cultural thing. One thing that a guy told me a long time ago was "Don't write for musicians ... they want to criticize everything you do. Write and perform for the audience" That guy was Phil Collins !! I subscribe totally to that theory. I don't write for musicians. I want them to enjoy what I write but they are not my audience. It's a waste of time. They will always find fault somewhere. LOL Your idea of having a course for people who want to ENJOY music and play a favorite song for friends and family is a great idea and you should go for it. Again, if you have a decent ear you don't need to know the Circle of Fifths. Now don't misunderstand me. If you have formal knowledge it will definitely enhance your skills and that's not a bad thing but lack of this knowledge should not be a showstopper. That's what I like about BIAB. It allows me to explore concepts I have in mind and see how they turn out. I've include a link to a song I wrote and produced a couple of years ago where I created the string and horn arrangements, Played them (by ear) through a MIDI keyboard and virtual synth, and a couple of groups covered this song.

https://youtu.be/Ptvtu-xGJOo

Again, I think this is a great idea and you should go for it !!