Music Lessons the pros and cons about the infamous lessons:

These are my humble opinions about the biz., it is not gospel, just some food for thought.

What is the cost of a lesson?

There are some teachers that only charge 60 to 75 cents a minute.

What is the difference?

In some cases the cheaper teachers are the ones who are just starting out. It is their way of breaking into the business. But most of the time it is experience, schooling and years in the industry that demands the price. In short, you will get what you pay for.

In my humble opinion, ask about their background. College Degree, Life experience, are this performers, working musicians? Are they in the business of music, or is it a hobby? You can learn a lot about a potential teacher with asking these questions.

What is a time slot?

In the past teachers tried to accommodate the busy lives of students in our time. This was an admirable effort from the teachers. The usual outcome was conflict and sad but true, it hurt the teacher and ultimately the student. What happened is that the student had a dentist appointment and needed to reschedule their lessons. Then, the teacher tried to fit them into other time slots of their already busy schedule and pang disaster was in the making. The solution was very simple and for as long as there are schools and universities we will use this system.

Students buy a fix time slot (example Wed. at 2pm) for one month or more in advance and this is their time. If you miss the appointment or are late, the solution is very easy; like a good friend of mine always said: "You snooze you loose." But joking aside, It teaches the student responsibility and you can tell real fast who is serious about it and who's not.

Which Instrument is right for me?

That is a million dollar question. The right one is the one you love and like with everything else, what you love takes work.

I am a multi Instrumentalist and practice every instrument almost daily.

Should you start out with the Baritone Saxophone? I do not recommend it. Start with something that is, in this case, a little smaller and also a lot cheaper, for example the Eb Alto Sax. After a year or two you can switch to the Bari. By that time your lungs and your face muscles are used to it. Plus it has pretty much the same fingerings (except low A key).

I have students that take One year of piano and learn all the scales and then switch to what they really love. It gives the student a good visual and a better understanding of the chord system. It is especially good for Horn players to get a basic understanding of playing multi notes compare of singular.

Buying or Renting?

I am a little bit torn about this. Renting is very good if you're trying an instrument and your not sure if you will like it. Most of all the rentals are a minimum of three to six months. This is money that you loose one way or another. But it is definitely cheaper than buying.

Buying an Instrument is an investment. According to a poll from the NAMM Association, 92% of individuals never regret buying an instrument. I also believe that it teaches the younger student responsibility and his/her interest is deeper compared to the rental student. In our days are student models available that are more than reasonable priced. Plus the resale value or trade in is also a factor to consider.

Conclusion

Find a good teacher where you can develop a good rapport. One who demands discipline and fun and has a good environment will give you years of joy in learning your instrument. Setup a consultation lesson (usually for the price of a one hour lesson). Ask questions, find a time slot that suites both of you and have years of fun learning. I do not know of anyone who regret taking music lessons. But I do know of hundreds of people who regret quiting or not taking lessons at all.

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