Re: Building up a teaching business

"jeffb" <jeffbonnyREM@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:avdid2durjl0od6pob6fmcrc9ou8n701eu@xxxxxxxxxx

Jimmy-jim-jim the bottom line is that you're pissed that the players
you wanna take lessons from aren't bending over backwards to cater
what you perceive as your "needs". You're making the mistake of
viewing yourself as the "customer" and music teachers as being in the
"service industry" when really the student/teacher relationship is a
unique circumstance which requires much humility from the student and
acceptance of the teachers terms.

You're right except that I don't think my viewpoint is a mistake.

Somewhere in this thread somebody pointed out that most instructors - even
if they derive most of their income from teaching - don't consider it their
"vocation" or calling. What they really want to do is play gigs for enough
money so they can quit teaching. That hardly inspires me to humble myself so
that someone might teach me.

Now, if the teacher is making a good living performing and wants to *mentor*
me for free, that's completely different. However, we're not talking about a
mentoring relationship. Mentors don't post tear-*** flyers that read "Bass
Lessons - $25/hour". There's no mention of an audition or what's expected of
students. The only requirement listed is they that need to pay monthly.

If the student/teacher relationship is such a unique one, then why did many
of the ads I ran across *only* list the price and phone number? If in fact
the relationship is so magically unique, then why don't the teachers include
*more* information about themselves like I've argued? You don't start a
special relationship by saying, "I charge $25/hour for bass lessons. All
styles. All levels. Call me." If you put money first, it's a service.

I see lots of evidence that it's a service industry. Nothing I've seen has
convinced me otherwise. However, it is a poorly operated service industry.
Piano teachers, however, have it figured out. They are much more organized
and professional. I've suggested nothing that piano teachers aren't already
doing.

I guess they have all been corrupted by the almighty dollar, eh?


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