Frequently Asked Questions
9How much do you charge for piano and bass lessons?
I currently charge $90 per month for piano or bass lessons. Looking at a calendar you will notice that some months have 5 of any given day. Another month may include a holiday, or spring break, etc. on same given day, so the student may only get 3 lessons that month. These months balance each other out for an average of 4 lessons per month. Having said all of that, I fully realize there are those magic days that occur 5 times in a month and have no holiday or break to balance them out. They are rare, but I do keep track of them and may opt to use them as a break for the teacher, or if I go ahead and teach on them, an adjustment will be made to the bill. $90 per month keeps the payment simple; you are actually paying $22.50 per half hour lesson.
How may I pay for lessons?
I accept cash, checks, credit cards, debit cards, and Paypal. Credit card, debit card and Paypal payments are charged extra for processing (2.9% +.30) for each transaction.
Where are the lessons?
The lessons are in my home. I have converted a sun porch on the back of my house to a studio. It has a heated tile floor, lots of windows, seating for parents, or the next student. If the weather is nice, some people like to sit out on the adjacent patio/entry area, where I have a table and chairs and large umbrella. I have a small Baldwin Acrosonic piano in the studio.
Is my child old enough to start piano or bass lessons?
I get asked this a lot, usually by parents with children who are in the 6-8 yr old range. I have very successfully started children who had just turned 4....on piano. I would have to say that they are even more teachable at that age, and it is my favorite age to work with. Having said that, I would say that the child should be able to at least count to 10, and know their ABC's. Understand that the most basic music lessons are going to require counting to 4 (repeatedly) and knowing the alphabet letters A through G (even backwards from G to A is extremely helpful). Attention span is another factor to consider....can they sit and be occupied without their mind "wandering" for a half hour piano lesson? To be fair, the brightest 4 year olds I have ever taught had at least a little difficulty with attention span. As to bass lessons, the size of the instrument is the most limiting factor. There are basses as small as 1/16 size, so it can be started very early. However, I recommend starting young children with piano lessons. Once they have a solid understanding of reading notation, rhythm, steady tempo, etc, bass lessons will be much easier, and by the time such fundamentals are learned, they will most likely be at a physical size that will allow the use of a normal sized bass (1/4 and larger).
I have seen the following scenario too many times: an excellent bass (or any other instrument) student who is heading off to college to possibly major in music, but is scrambling to get piano lessons in their senior year so they can do well on the piano requirements that music schools insist upon. Do yourselves a huge favor.....START WITH PIANO LESSONS! A student learns both treble and bass clef reading when taking piano lessons....this opens them up to playing every instrument in existence with ease (except for viola, which for some bizarre reason initially reads in the alto clef)
How long will it take to learn the piano (or bass)?
My favorite answer to this question is actually the title of a jazz tune by Michel Legrand...."What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life"? I try to establish up front with any student that it is nearly impossible to play everything that exists in a single lifetime, and even if it was possible, there would still be more to learn. Embrace music as a lifelong companion that, like the proverbial fine wine, gets better with age. "How soon will the playing sound like it has substance" may be a better question. My answer is....it varies. Some students pick it up very quickly, others take longer. On average I would guess 2-3 years of lessons.
What is your lesson cancellation policy?
If a student has to miss a piano or bass lesson due to illness, school events, etc., please let me know as soon as possible. Letting me know allows me to adjust my schedule accordingly. I will do everything I can to "make up" the lesson in a timely fashion, but I can not promise any more than 1 make up lesson in the fall session (Sept-Dec), and 2 make up lessons in the spring session (January-May). If the absence is unexcused, no makeup will be given. Under no circumstances will a refund be given. I like to teach, but it is more than just enjoyment for me.....it is a huge part of my income. Therefore, I have to avoid the situation (and I have seen it before) where each week nearly half of the students cancel and want adjustments to be made to their bill. In short, you have paid to reserve time with a professional, so show up. Besides, consistent attendance at music lessons builds strong foundations that will not happen if attendance is sporadic.
I currently charge $90 per month for piano or bass lessons. Looking at a calendar you will notice that some months have 5 of any given day. Another month may include a holiday, or spring break, etc. on same given day, so the student may only get 3 lessons that month. These months balance each other out for an average of 4 lessons per month. Having said all of that, I fully realize there are those magic days that occur 5 times in a month and have no holiday or break to balance them out. They are rare, but I do keep track of them and may opt to use them as a break for the teacher, or if I go ahead and teach on them, an adjustment will be made to the bill. $90 per month keeps the payment simple; you are actually paying $22.50 per half hour lesson.
How may I pay for lessons?
I accept cash, checks, credit cards, debit cards, and Paypal. Credit card, debit card and Paypal payments are charged extra for processing (2.9% +.30) for each transaction.
Where are the lessons?
The lessons are in my home. I have converted a sun porch on the back of my house to a studio. It has a heated tile floor, lots of windows, seating for parents, or the next student. If the weather is nice, some people like to sit out on the adjacent patio/entry area, where I have a table and chairs and large umbrella. I have a small Baldwin Acrosonic piano in the studio.
Is my child old enough to start piano or bass lessons?
I get asked this a lot, usually by parents with children who are in the 6-8 yr old range. I have very successfully started children who had just turned 4....on piano. I would have to say that they are even more teachable at that age, and it is my favorite age to work with. Having said that, I would say that the child should be able to at least count to 10, and know their ABC's. Understand that the most basic music lessons are going to require counting to 4 (repeatedly) and knowing the alphabet letters A through G (even backwards from G to A is extremely helpful). Attention span is another factor to consider....can they sit and be occupied without their mind "wandering" for a half hour piano lesson? To be fair, the brightest 4 year olds I have ever taught had at least a little difficulty with attention span. As to bass lessons, the size of the instrument is the most limiting factor. There are basses as small as 1/16 size, so it can be started very early. However, I recommend starting young children with piano lessons. Once they have a solid understanding of reading notation, rhythm, steady tempo, etc, bass lessons will be much easier, and by the time such fundamentals are learned, they will most likely be at a physical size that will allow the use of a normal sized bass (1/4 and larger).
I have seen the following scenario too many times: an excellent bass (or any other instrument) student who is heading off to college to possibly major in music, but is scrambling to get piano lessons in their senior year so they can do well on the piano requirements that music schools insist upon. Do yourselves a huge favor.....START WITH PIANO LESSONS! A student learns both treble and bass clef reading when taking piano lessons....this opens them up to playing every instrument in existence with ease (except for viola, which for some bizarre reason initially reads in the alto clef)
How long will it take to learn the piano (or bass)?
My favorite answer to this question is actually the title of a jazz tune by Michel Legrand...."What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life"? I try to establish up front with any student that it is nearly impossible to play everything that exists in a single lifetime, and even if it was possible, there would still be more to learn. Embrace music as a lifelong companion that, like the proverbial fine wine, gets better with age. "How soon will the playing sound like it has substance" may be a better question. My answer is....it varies. Some students pick it up very quickly, others take longer. On average I would guess 2-3 years of lessons.
What is your lesson cancellation policy?
If a student has to miss a piano or bass lesson due to illness, school events, etc., please let me know as soon as possible. Letting me know allows me to adjust my schedule accordingly. I will do everything I can to "make up" the lesson in a timely fashion, but I can not promise any more than 1 make up lesson in the fall session (Sept-Dec), and 2 make up lessons in the spring session (January-May). If the absence is unexcused, no makeup will be given. Under no circumstances will a refund be given. I like to teach, but it is more than just enjoyment for me.....it is a huge part of my income. Therefore, I have to avoid the situation (and I have seen it before) where each week nearly half of the students cancel and want adjustments to be made to their bill. In short, you have paid to reserve time with a professional, so show up. Besides, consistent attendance at music lessons builds strong foundations that will not happen if attendance is sporadic.