allan_evett Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Awww, from such a nice introduction to what looks like something we'd normally flag in a NY second as spam. Hope I'm wrong . . . .so, welcome to the forum but please take a peek at the policy regarding advertising products and services. We're happy to hear about all things beneficial to musicians (and keyboard players in particular), but usually when someone we don't know, posts a link to a service they're "endorsing" on their first or second post, we get a little suspicious. +1 Addendum to previous post: This ^^^says it the best, in terms of diplomacy, yet respect for policy. 'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo. We need a barfing cat emoticon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelandpiano Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 Hi, all - Wow, I'm so sorry. I guess I need to read the forum rules a little more carefully, I didn't mean to cause trouble. I'm kinda new at this whole forum thing. I have been teaching for about ten years, but my studio never really filled up until I started getting some coaching... that's why I was excited and wanted to share. Historically musicians and artists are bad business people and I definitely took the cake on that one. Thank you to the moderator for removing the objectionable content, though... I don't want to break the rules! And I understand this one for sure, since nobody wants to wade through a ton of ads to get to good content. I am totally legit, thanks to Allan for checking it out ! You can visit my website at www.lovelandpianoacademy.com and see what it's like. I would love to hear back from any of you with comments or suggestions too. There is a great variety of teachers here, I love it! So here is a question: several of you noted that you would like to teach full time, but you do other gigs as well. Is that because there aren't enough students? Or because you enjoy performing/accompanying? I know the economy affects these decisions too... Thanks all for your patience with me. Hope to talk more soon! karen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobadohshe Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Apology accepted Karen! Sorry for our suspicious nature but usually it's justified. In this case we all wanted to believe you and we're glad that you are who you say you are. It's not uncommon for many musicians to make a living off a combination of performing and teaching. For many of these, teaching is the last resort that these players would rather NOT have to deal with, but is a 'necessary evil' to supplement their income. Lots of teachers wouldn't teach if they were busier with performing. Personally, I really enjoy teaching. My income comes from three things: performing, composing/producing, and teaching. And even if I was a rich dude or the other two arms of that tree were bringing in all the money I needed, I would still do some teaching. Though I have a couple young students, I teach mainly adults and weekend warrior types who want to learn how to solo or how to play from a lead sheet or dive into jazz. This is great as it often exposes me to new music I'd have never encountered otherwise, and it forces me to dive into these things in a rigorous way so that I can truly teach about them. At its best I get paid to hang and geek out about music and do what I'd be doing anyway except in a more fun way. It's also a great way to meet people. Many of my students are friends now and good/useful people to know with their various professions. Kawai C-60 Grand Piano : Hammond A-100 : Hammond SK2 : Yamaha CP4 : Yamaha Montage 7 : Moog Sub 37 My latest album: Funky organ, huge horn section https://bobbycressey.bandcamp.com/album/cali-native Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogmonkey Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Hi Karen! Nice website Serious cuteness! I do love to teach, but I view it as a supplement to my performing career. Later in life I plan to take on a higher number of students, and hopefully to charge more. Knock on wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Apology accepted Karen! Sorry for our suspicious nature but usually it's justified. As a mod, I can absotively, posilutely confirm this. I clear at least 8-10 spam posts per week scattered about these forums (well, not this one - Dave takes care of business here!) - a lot of it is presented in the form that happened (inadvertently) here - where the poster shows up, makes a couple posts that may or may not be helpful, then either adds a spam link to the next post or goes back and edits in spam links to the originals. That said, I'm very glad to find that Karen is not such a poster. Welcome aboard! A bunch of loud, obnoxious music I USED to make with friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Loving Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Glad you're legit Karen - see, I said we needed some music teachers around here. "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 So here is a question: several of you noted that you would like to teach full time, but you do other gigs as well. Is that because there aren't enough students? Or because you enjoy performing/accompanying? I know the economy affects these decisions too... For me, it's quite the reverse. I've been teaching for 30 years and I totally love it, but I am a performer first and foremost, so I like to keep a balance between playing and teaching... at present, I'm teaching too much, in order to earn my supper, just because playing work has been disappearing in the last few years. In Italy, where I live, the situation for music and arts in general has reached a point where a lot of very good performers are seeking work abroad, or even think to move permanently to some other country. Luckily, i like teaching enough to keep a certain sanity (for now) about the whole situation. I teach mainly piano, but also jazz improvisation, keyboard programming and performance, and some harmony/compostion classes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_tour Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Private teaching can be a tricky market. And historically artists sometimes haven't been the best business people, to which I can well relate. +1 I haven't even gotten around to ordering more business cards since I moved a while ago, and don't advertise. Just word of mouth and it turned into a good thing. I enjoy my little core group of a dozen or so students (lots of people have been cutting back I noticed about 8 months ago from finances, but generally my "regulars" tend to still come in, just less frequently), but they tend to be about my age and just want to learn some little tunes or licks or tricks from someone they can relate to. The reason I don't actively try to grab more students (not literally!) is (a) I'm lazy and as long as rent's paid, I'm all good and happy to spend time on my other interests (b) my web presence is extremely poor -- I don't even have any recordings made in the past ten years, even though it would be easy enough to record something solo or bribe some of my crew with pizza and cash to crank out a few tunes or borrow a wave recorder and set it up live and © even though I know correct technique from as a kid and could teach little kids, I don't really want to deal with mommy sitting in my bachelor pad/studio and wondering why they're paying some poor-ass Gen Xer what they could be paying ol' lady Cramswell down the street, who offers cookie and tea, and all this guy has to offer is warm Pabst and a month-old opened can of Pringles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mul Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Don't no guys. Have read all da posts and I smell a fish also. Hopefully I'm not insultIng you Karen but this forum is for people who gravitate around keyboards and there use. Good for sharing info, debating technique and kanker keeping us in our place!!!!! Failing that I'd try somewhere else. O and welcome to the forum!!! Korg kronos, casio px5s, studiologic sl 88 studio, korg m50,korg triton, yamaha moxf6, hammond xk1, korg sp200 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mul Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Just read latest posts and now I feel so bad. Sorry Karen Korg kronos, casio px5s, studiologic sl 88 studio, korg m50,korg triton, yamaha moxf6, hammond xk1, korg sp200 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobadohshe Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Just read latest posts and now I feel so bad. Sorry Karen Then edit your original post. Kawai C-60 Grand Piano : Hammond A-100 : Hammond SK2 : Yamaha CP4 : Yamaha Montage 7 : Moog Sub 37 My latest album: Funky organ, huge horn section https://bobbycressey.bandcamp.com/album/cali-native Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelandpiano Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 © even though I know correct technique from as a kid and could teach little kids, I don't really want to deal with mommy sitting in my bachelor pad/studio and wondering why they're paying some poor-ass Gen Xer what they could be paying ol' lady Cramswell down the street, who offers cookie and tea, and all this guy has to offer is warm Pabst and a month-old opened can of Pringles. You crack me up! And there, you just named your ideal student... someone who will enjoy the warm Pabst with you and play around with cool music! We all have our fav students... I'm aiming to get my studio filled with them! I love teaching high schoolers and young adults myself. It's more "guidance" and less "teaching", if you know what I mean. You guide their exploration, but don't have to tell them exactly what to do. And they ask tons of questions and make me think too... Karen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelandpiano Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 I'm teaching too much, in order to earn my supper, just because playing work has been disappearing in the last few years. In Italy, where I live, the situation for music and arts in general has reached a point where a lot of very good performers are seeking work abroad, or even think to move permanently to some other country. This is just too sad. It's weird that the arts are disappearing here and there and everywhere, and yet they're some of the most important ways of communicating (and learning) that we have. I hope it starts picking up there again in Rome and that you can move back toward performing full-time. I'm glad that most of you here enjoy teaching, even if it isn't your main passion. I think I figured out something that has been bothering me for a while; why do so many adult students have a horrible view of their early childhood piano lesson days? It may be that they had a teacher who really didn't like teaching, but had to in order to make ends meet when they weren't performing. This is too bad, since all these adults are out there thinking they hate piano, music, etc. I tend to like teaching better, as it's a lot more interaction. Actually, some days I like the interaction and other days I really don't wanna talk to ANYBODY! But of course that's work for you... put on a happy face and pretty soon the kids have me cracking up and laughing. Karen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobadohshe Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Thanks for keeping the convo going everybody. Friendly assist Karen: to quote someone you want to put the backslash [/] only in the SECOND quote box, not in both. If you edit your above post where you quote Marino and take the backslash out of the first quote box, the whole thing will show up the way it should. Carry on. Kawai C-60 Grand Piano : Hammond A-100 : Hammond SK2 : Yamaha CP4 : Yamaha Montage 7 : Moog Sub 37 My latest album: Funky organ, huge horn section https://bobbycressey.bandcamp.com/album/cali-native Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelandpiano Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 Thx, Bobadohshe... I was wondering! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montunoman Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 why do so many adult students have a horrible view of their early childhood piano lesson days? Karen I think this happens because so many private music teachers have no real training or understanding how to effectively teach children. Being able to keep a child engaged in the learning process is quite a challenge. Its totally different (and much harder) than teaching an adult. A great beginning childrens piano teacher is worth their weight in gold! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle ggurl Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Hi Karen, glad to see you are sincere and participating. Sorry I was one of those who questioned you. As for your question, why do many adults have bad memories of piano instruction, I have my thoughts on this: The adults who say this to me are the ones who were FORCED to take lessons as a kid. So as a teacher, I always tried to make learning fun. For the younger set (I really wasn't comfortable teaching students younger than 7), I tried to find the thing that kept students engaged and having fun for that half hour. I feel it was pretty easy to find that groove most of the time, because I let them bring in songs they wanted to learn as soon as they could finger a simple melody, and before that, I would teach them how to make up a song with the simplest of tools (rhythm, a few fingers placed where what comes out makes sense). I think I had a pretty OK retention rate. One thing that happens out here where I live (I served an affluent community at the studio I rented) is that kids are overscheduled. They are in a sport, in band, in theater, all this extracurricular stuff, and the older kids are on a rigorous college-prep academic track. These kids can be just burnt out when they get to me. It takes educating parents: "This is not glorified, high-priced babysitting. And to get results, your kid's involvement doesn't end when he/she walks out the door; In fact, it's just beginning, because unlike those other activities, the real practice happens at home, not during a scheduled time on, say, a baseball field." Of course I delivered this message when it was a concern in a diplomatic, tactful way. But I recall addressing with some parents my concern that their child was becoming bored with lessons because they would not practice at home (the kids would admit this). Whether it's because of overscheduling or because the child and I did not "click" no matter what I tried, on a couple of rare occasions I actually would drop a student. Maybe another teacher would better serve them, or maybe the student just really does not want music lessons. I didn't want to be the one to taint that pursuit for them, LOL. But seriously, I think if a teacher is supportive, addresses frustrations as they come up, and that the child is not being forced to take lessons after the interest has faded, those things will avoid the recollection later of, "I hated music lessons." I'm not as experienced as some teachers here, but that's my .02 FWIW. Original Latin Jazz CD Baby "I am not certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur." Patti Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 My old guitar player's oldest daughter showed an aptitude for music. She even figured out "Breakdown" on her own (just the one riff on Wurly), and at one of our jams, I let her play it with the band. I think she was seven or something. I was very impressed that she kept going, even when she messed up at one point. She continued and dropped back into the right place. They decided to get her piano lessons, and she lost all interest. Her parents weren't the problem, they aren't pushy nor anything like that. Somehow, the teacher they found sucked all the fun out of it for her. I'm sure she didn't mean to. But it's a very common tale. Kids that age need to have fun doing this. "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I have a 14 year old high school freshman that wants to learn piano. That is much older than I was when I started. I learned the old fashion way. Started on David Carr Glover then proceeded on to more advanced texts then a 2nd teacher then on to college. I am thinking I need to get a 3rd party to teach my child. I would suck all the fun from it and we would probably get frustrated with each other. Since she is older I would if this guys approach has merit. He is a local teacher. At the bottom of the page is an article. Any thoughts? http://www.spfldpianist.com/fr_instruction.cfm Thanks "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Pierce Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Just got to this thread, very nice. Karen, welcome to the 'Corner. If we all seem like a bunch of cynical, suspicious mofos, just hang out for a while -- you'll see why. You wouldn't believe the trolling, spammy crap that gets posted here all the time. But the mods are great, and they get rid of it. So this is a really great place to hang out. There is an amazing variety of experience here, and we mostly have a lot of fun. Although, speaking for myself, I am a cynical, suspicious mofo. --Dave Make my funk the P-funk. I wants to get funked up. My Funk/Jam originals project: http://www.thefunkery.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montunoman Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Somehow, the teacher they found sucked all the fun out of it for her. I'm sure she didn't mean to. But it's a very common tale. Kids that age need to have fun doing this. So true. I think too many piano teachers give kids lessons because they know to play the piano. There is a huge differnce between knowing how to play and teach, especailly teaching little the ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Loving Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Well none surpass the greatness of Ms. Thormann, when I am 6 years old, smacking me on the hands with a red rhythm stick to correct me and rewarding me with little red-hot candies when I got it right. I have taken the piano very seriously ever since, thanks to her. "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelandpiano Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 Well none surpass the greatness of Ms. Thormann, when I am 6 years old, smacking me on the hands with a red rhythm stick to correct me and rewarding me with little red-hot candies when I got it right. I have taken the piano very seriously ever since, thanks to her. Lol I doubt I could get away with that! But hey, the method worked You all bring up some good points, and ones that I have struggled with too. Either kids are forced to take lessons to fulfill the parent's guilt or desire, or they are so over-booked that there is no time or energy. I try to give them fun songs so that they will be drawn to the piano when they have a few spare minutes here and there. And a lot of times, it works pretty well. The parents tell me that they practice often, even if they only have 5 or 10 minutes before they run out the door again. I give rewards to the kids if they practice 5 or more times in a week... and I never have them set the egg-timer. Do what ya gotta do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle ggurl Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Yeah Karen, that's what I found too,even 5 or 10 minutes multiple days a week does wonders for students' progress! What do you do when you find a kid seems uninterested or doesn't practice, repeatedly? Do you drop them, let them continue on with no intervention other than mention to them and/or the parents? Do you have a waiting list of students and keep only those who "work" (in parens because the value is put on fun even though they are learning something)? Original Latin Jazz CD Baby "I am not certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur." Patti Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelandpiano Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Michelle, I've struggled with this one too. I don't feel right about continuing to take the parents' money without addressing the problem with them. A lot of parents will help by setting guidelines for the kids (i.e. you earn 30 minutes of computer/TV time for every 15 min that you practice, etc.) The thing that matters the most, I think, is whether the student is actually interested or not. If they're uninterested, even practice won't get them that far. If they want to play but are too busy, I try to assign really fun pieces so that they can't wait to play during the five minutes they have before dinner Most of my students are way overbooked, and we just make it work the best we can. In terms of letting a student go, i have definitely done that and will continue to do so when needed. I was really scared to do it, but got a lot of help from www.musicacademysuccess.com in terms of dealing with problem students, knowing what to say so that they don't take it the wrong way, and choosing new students that I will enjoy teaching. You know those students that drain you emotionally? They need to go, but obviously you can't say "I don't like teaching you, so I'm giving your time slot to someone else". If only we could be that honest... but think of your reputation after a few of those clients But I have to say, I have a studio full of students that I really enjoy and it's soooo worth it! Do you still teach? What is your studio like? Karen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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