I was just wondering if anyone was taking Keyboard, Piano, Accordion, Arranger kb, lessons etc, privatly or in a group and how has it changed regarding instructions vs years ago when there were no Arranger keyboards?
I used to pay $3.00 per half hour in 1964

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 01-08-2006).]

i dont

Thankyou for the very informative reply

Dnj,
Good topic! Personally I wish that I could take lessons. My problem is I must have something wrong with my brain For whatever reason my receptors shut off or go haywire when I try to learn to read music.

So over the years I just taught myself to play. Wish I could read sheet music though. It would make my life a hell of a lot simpler

Squeak

Hi Donny,
You started a very interesting topic.
The first music instrument I was taught was the violin. The teacher charged my mother $1 per half an hour in 1984.
I used to take private piano lessons twice a week. I changed many teachers. The last one (1991) charged me $2 for a 45 minutes lesson. I don't believe instructions have changed over the years, if I understand what you mean.

Nowadays a piano lesson goes at $10-$12 per hour. I am tempted to give piano/keyboard lessons for an extra income. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time. Too much work, too many hobbies.

Regards,
George

[This message has been edited by George V (edited 01-08-2006).]

I've probably taken 'too many' music lessons over the years. Once you have the basics down, the BEST way to improve musically is by gigging REGULARLY. Nothing beats on the job training (and learning from seasoned pro musicians onstage) in this business. - Scott

[This message has been edited by Scottyee (edited 01-08-2006).]

I got paid $3 per 1/2 hour lesson in 1964.[Actually we were paid half the amount]..

Scott, my teachers were seasoned pros..

My favorite accordion teacher was the best accordion player I have ever heard,,,and I have heard many great ones..

He was a great jazz and theory teacher...he passed away a few years ago..

Teaching the basics and theory are important, as well as practicing techniques..but the better teachers show how to apply what we know, with some experienced voicing and substitute chording..

I think learning to play accordion was the strongest foundation to learn music. Our left hand buttons are circle of fifths..And most accordion students learn classical accordion with the ability and understanding of theory and chords...The same can not be said for trained classical piano...

Matter of fact , my 5 years of accordion lessons taught me most of what I know today, it even prepared me as a music major in college...It even helped me get straight A's in my music classes.

[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 01-08-2006).]

In 1963 when I first started piano lessons it as $3 per half hour. Took for about 3 years. Then 2 years no lessons when I started lessons again it was $5 per half hour, when lessons ended in 1975 it ended up at $6 per half hour.

I never learned to sing, but based on some advice I got here at the forum I started voice lessons about 6 months ago. It's now $16 per half hour.

Orignally posted by Fran Carango
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Fran you're right on the money with that comment. I was trained at the piano with classics no circle of fifths. Wasn't till I started a little (very little) jazz theory that I got exposure to the circle of 5ths.

Fran ... What was the name of your accordion teacher? ...

Dnj ... I took accordion lessons for about 6 years ... and taught for a while as well ... $2.50 per 1/2 hour back in the day ... mid- late 50's ...
A number of years ago I started piano lessons here in RI ... paid $10 for an hour lesson every two weeks ...

t.

Taking lesson is always a good idea, more information. As you advance I feel Scott is right, gig or just play alot to perfect what you have learned.
I will always take a few lesson preiodically, there is someone who can always add a thought to my playing.

Everytime a well know pro came to New York City I would arrange a for a lesson. It was rewarding just being in their company.

John C.

My learning experience is only just little similar to Fran’s. Back in the early ‘50’s, like many others, I took accordion “lessons”. After two years, I got a job with a wedding band, quit lessons (thought I knew everything). I played in some really low-life dives as a three chord merchant in the early Rock days. Then just dropped music, 4 yrs. in the military, 41/2 years of college after which I had one semester of eligibility on the GI bill. I attempted to scratch an itch I had always had for studying music by enrolling in the Neupauer Conservatory. At that time, kids and a mortgage etc. only allowed me to do that one semester. Shortly after that, I started to do children’s entertainment with the accordion which graduated to group homes, frat orgs., country clubs, trade shows etc.; then from the clown act it turned into regular restaurant gigs. So, after 35 years in the mental health business, I was able to return to music full time. I called the old Conservatory number (now defunct) and Dr. Neupauer accepted me as a private student. This is a long winded way of answering your question. I really don’t “take lessons”, it’s more like 3 to 4 hour weekly sessions that include theory & harmony, writing/arranging, and of course performance-pretty much based on the conservatory curriculum. Frequently, after the sessions, we go to dinner where the lectures continue. I must admit, it is extremely difficult, at my age, to absorb what the maestro is trying to teach although he says he’s going easy on me.
Fran, who was your accordion teacher?
Ciao,
Jerry

The great I was referring to, was Jimmy Wood..My other mentors, Sam Spezzano[also gone] and Dick Proccacino...

Amen to that... and that's exactly why so many SZ members (including you, Scott) are sounding so much better now than they were at some time in the past.

Glenn

I'm selftaught, but when I was 13 I wanted to take lessons to understand concepts I couldn't figure out on my own, such as modes, scales and theory (this was pre internet era for me) so I went to a teacher, he asked med to play something, so I did a short blues tune, the teacher shook his head and said "Boy oh boy... you stink, we have to start all over again!" so I got stuck playing "Mary had a little lamb" for six months... so I gave the lessons up. A couple of years later I started giving lessons, and I charged about 40$ for 45 min.

Doc-Z

[This message has been edited by doc-z (edited 01-08-2006).]

Until 6 months ago, I was taking advanced Jazz Piano training. I have worked with this teacher for the past two years. He initially charged me 50 an hour, but he has raised his rates. I now don't pay him anything since I barter my web design skills with his music teaching skills. I stopped taking lessons due to my schedule and his schedule as he is now touring the world with a major musical talent.

In the early 70's, when I was in graduate school, I ran the music instruction portion of a large local music store. Actually, I paid a commission for each guitar/bass /drum lesson delivered. I think we got $5.00 per lesson an the store got $2.00 of that.

Two buddies helped with the lessons. We had up to 75 students in the winter. That went to slightly under 50 in the summer.


Now, I give "no charge" lessons to 6 kids who are serious about jazz guitar. Some come from Cincinnati, Dayton and Knoxville. These are more like "sharing experiences" between people with a common love for the instrument and the art form.

Sessions are rather unstructured. We work on one thing, and I tell the person to contact me when he/she feels comfortable with that portion of the training, and we then schedule the next step. Over the years, several of these folks have progressed to the point whenre they blow my old butt away.


And that makes me proud!


Russ

Here I am In 1964 at a Concert playing the Accordion....The World Famous & my Teacher Prof. John Maggio in the rear.

Cool Supro guitar in front of the photo!

Russ

How about that Honer CLAVINET player next to him

I started taking piano lessons in 1937 and had the same teacher for 5 years. I think the lessons were 50 cents and went on as long as the teacher felt necessary. After the lesson we used to play duets from the Etude magazine.
Bebop

I started to take lessons when i was 6 years old...and in Romania the music school is free - I didn't pay anything - you just need the talent and you to be willing to work!

regards,

claudiu

I do teach now...if anyone wants to travel to South Central kansas for lessons...

I have been teaching privately for over 20 years and taught in a class/ school setting approximately 6 years. I teach keyboard/piano/voice/theory, ear training and about anything else people want to learn about music. I am with a very contemporary ministry and church so most of what we do is just chord charts and lead sheet formats. Many of my students are adults who want to learn to play by ear and develop their improvisation and ear training, although I stress the importance of reading music as well.

I charge $40/ month for a 30 minute lesson a week so it is approximately $10 a lesson. I also serve as an officer in our local piano teachers association, the Walnut Valley Music Teachers Association.

Jeff

Doc-Z ... I can relate to that ...
A number of years ago I started taking 'piano lessons' from a GREAT self-taught piano player here in RI (SteveM ... it was Diamond) ...
I told him I only wanted to learn 'chord substitution' and the like ... He said "Are you sure you don't want to start with the fundamentals .. scales and such?" I said "NO THANKS" ...the first week he wrote some chord subs for a tune and I went home to practice .. got nowhere ... go back and he simplifies it, and again asks the same question about 'scales, etc.' ... "NO THANKS" ... I go home and again get nowhere with the tune ... third lesson, same question .. this time it sunk in that without those fundamentals, I was going NOWHERE !!! ... so we started with the Berkely System he followed in teaching himself ... Unfortunately, some wrist/forearm problems came about, as well as a more demanding work schedule and I had to stop the lessons .., BUT ... retirement is only 12 months away, and I am considering restarting ...
t.

Another thing to beware of are teachers that string you along week by week by only giving you a little bit to learn at a time which will take forever .....
which in turn = more money for them !!

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 01-10-2006).]

i guess no one cares

.

This is kinda spooky. After all these years and moving to California I sure never expected to hear about the Neupauer Conservatory again. I went there in the '70s, majored in guitar. I have heard from about five or six alumni on this board. Not bad for such a tiny school.

Now I am returning to my piano studies and I find that the programs made by PG music are outstanding for learning. They make Band-in-a-Box, which most of you probably already have. They also make a large number of other programs that will help you to play better. I have the Jazz Piano Master Class, Jazz Guitar Solos, Flatpick Guitar Solos , The Blues Pianist and many others. All are helpful, fun and very good value-for-money.

Google on PG MUSIC and check their werbsite.

I have not seen any teaching materials that are specifically for arranger keyboard. Have you?


.

Fran,

Like you, my first lessons were on the accordian . . . and yes, they prepared me for a lifetime of music. Glad to hear from all of us old accordian players.

Regards,
Steve

Beefing up your left hand skills is the greatest challenge coming from an Accordion background.........but with much practice success can be achieved for sure when makingthe switch to an arranger KB.

The Pointer system works for arranger teaching..It is easily adapted to the arranger keyboard..This is the series I used to teach keyboard and arranger keyboard..

[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 01-13-2006).]

I think the worst thing they ever came out with to screw up peoples playing ability is the ONE FINGER chord method YUK!!