Music lessons can be one of the most rewarding experiences you ever undertake, whether you are teaching the lessons or receiving the lessons. There can be pitfalls along the way, however, and some thought should be put into what to expect both as a teacher and a student. In my conversation with Lisa Smith, who has been playing and teaching music for more than 30 years, learn what some of these pitfalls are and how you can avoid them to make the most of your experience.
Carl Hose: Thanks for talking with me, Lisa. My goal here is to get some good advice to those who want to teach music as well as to those who are seeking lessons. You've been giving lessons for how long and how did you get started?
Lisa Smith: I have been teaching off and on for over 30 years. I started teaching right out of college. Took a few short breaks when my living situation didn’t allow me to teach and now am teaching with The Music Room studio. My degree is in music education. Teaching and performing are my passions but I have always had to have another full time job to pay the bills.
CH: What instruments do you teach? Give us a little bit about who you are.
LS: I teach piano, voice, and flute lessons. I also teach classes called Music Discovery, which are kind of like the “mommy and me” classes. I teach one class for babies and one for toddlers. Currently I am also teaching as a “mentor” with a middle school after school program. These classes are 8 weeks long and 45 minutes per week. The topic of the class changes with each session and right now the class I am teaching is called “The Roots of Rhythm.” I stole that from Paul Simon’s song that says, “These are the roots of rhythm and the roots of rhythm remain.” That lyric has always spoken to me. I am really excited about this class. We will learn “cups," do some African drumming, body percussion, and some “Stomp” type playing.
CH: Do you write individual lesson plans and try to teach in a way that is customized to each student, or do you find there's a structured approach that works well with almost every student?
LS: For the very beginners on piano and flute I use a standard method book. When we move from that book to more student directed literature depends on the student - usually after the second book. For voice students we start right at the beginning, with the folk songs I select and a song they select in any genre they choose. I think it is important for students to learn the standard literature for their instrument, but to also have the chance to do the music that speaks to them.
CH: Is there any particular age restriction you feel is too young for someone to begin taking music lessons?
LS: For piano, no younger than 4, and for flute it depends more on the size of the child and their arm and finger reach, but generally around 7. Serious voice lessons should not begin until the teen years because the vocal chords have not developed and can lead to physical issues, but I will start students as young as 4 or 5 if they and the parent understand that we are not going to try to develop an operatic style or use the full voice until they are much older. Just as a side, no matter what instrument you want to play, or if you want to sing, I try to push for at least 1 year of piano lessons. Chord structure, scales, and modes are much easier to see on a keyboard.
CH: On the other side of the coin, any advice for someone who wants to start giving lessons for a living, or as a side income/ Is there a reasonable fee that should be charged? What criteria goes into what an instructor should charge for lessons?
LS: It is very hard to make a living by teaching alone. Mostly because your teaching time is generally limited to the hours between when school gets out and when the children need to get to bed. Most of my students want lessons between 4PM and 7PM. I do have some adults and home-schooled students who can come during the day, though. I think you have to determine the fee for lessons based on where you live, your level of expertise, education, and your experience. The best way to establish what you will charge is to find out what others in your area charge and how they compare to you in expertise, education, and experience. You want to charge something reasonable compared to others. If you charge too much you won’t get students and if you charge too little you are doing a disservice to yourself.
CH: What do you think of those ads that say "learn guitar overnight" or "play piano instantly?" You know what I'm talking about.
LS: Can’t be done! Even if you can learn the mechanics of playing an instrument quickly, learning musical styles and nuances takes years. I am still learning to play and sing. There is so much more to playing or singing than just the mechanics. You also need to learn theory, history, sight reading, ear training, and improvisation to really be a musician.
CH: What are some of the red flags someone should look out for when searching for a music teacher? Any steps that can be taken to minimize the risk of wasting money?
LS: First and foremost, always require that you are allowed to sit in on at least one lesson that the teacher is teaching with another student. See how they interact and if they seem to know what they are doing. Ask if a recital is coming up and, if so, go to the recital. If they tell you they have a degree, ask for proof. If they tell you they perform, ask if you can come and hear them perform. If not, ask them to play or sing something for you. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard a teacher sing or play and found that they have the mechanics down but nothing else and sometimes they don’t even have the mechanics down. Finally, if you can sit in while your child is having their lessons do that. If not, pay attention when they are practicing. You will be able to tell if they are learning and improving or not. Of course, if the student doesn’t practice, there will be no improvement.
CH: What are you up to and where can people see you perform? Also, how can you be contacted for music lessons?
LS:I play with a concert band in St. Louis called Band Together and I sing with the band at The Connection Church in St. Louis. I also direct the children’s choir at The Connection. Other than that, my performances are generally weddings and funerals or background music for social event like dinners and fundraisers. I can be contacted at Syrinx0813@yahoo.com.
The Music Room
http://themusicroomstl.com/
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