I had THAT frustrating conversation with the parent of a potential student today about what they think is a reasonable price for a lesson and why my lesson fees are "so much higher". From time to time this topic comes up and I always cringe when it does. This is not a rant to educate these people, this is my honest opinion of how cheap and stupid I think these people are. I am worth paying for, get over it!
As a musician who has made it to the point in my life where it is possible to live off of my teaching and performing earnings, trying to explain to 'mom of the next big child star' why the lesson fee is 'so high' is easily the most irritating part of the process. I hate feeling like I have to justify why they must come to my studio and I can't come to their house, that I am in demand and I can't drop everything to give them the one specific time slot that they feel is easiest for them, why the accompanist is not free, why they must buy their own repertoire books, or any other fee that is reasonable. These things make me want to drop them before we even begin. I am certain to love teaching your kid but you, parent, are souring the lessons with your attempts to nickel and dime me out of every cent that I deserve.
I find it difficult to tell this person that they should find another teacher. I know what they will get for the price they are looking to pay and I don't want to see anyone suffer like that. I find it disrespectful to my profession. I've paid big bucks to some wonderful teachers over the years and they deserved every penny. Mostly, I find it insulting to me personally when strangers think I should be charging less. With my education and years of experience my fees are VERY reasonable. If you think my price is too high you need to look for another teacher and leave me alone. You are hiring me to help you develop a skill and discover the potential talent within, and to foster a passion for life not just a passion for right now.
In the interests of being a kind and levelheaded person, I do my best to not get irate and explain calmly to the ignorant jerk of a parent that when you sign up for lessons in my studio you are getting not just something for your child to do for a half hour to an hour a week, but someone who is passionate and serious about something that is worth being passionate and serious about. Music and art is the quality in our lives. When you ask these questions it makes me think you are not worth the effort I put into my studio. You will get every cent back you pay to me in my sweat and your results. I have spent a life time of sweat, anxiety, heart, and money into my education. Based on that, my performance experience, and my previous students history I will not teach your daughter for $10/hour. I can't live off of that wage and it is insulting to me that you expect me to, that you think I even should. If you are looking for that kind of fee then feel free to take lessons from the hack up the street without a decent education, that will have your child frustrated and sounding horrid in very short order. Good luck getting into my studio then to fix that stuff.
I'm also NOT interested in teaching pop music to you or your child. I am so tired of justifying this to the narrow minded. If you want to be entertained once a week with some karaoke tune, then go hang out with your friends in your basement or local bar and let-er rip. You are hiring me to teach, not to entertain. The lessons are fun and stimulating but I'm not a babysitter or a buddy, I'm your teacher. Mine is a big picture studio. Like anything that is worth doing, this takes some effort. Your effort and mine. I have already put in that effort into my own voice so I know what is to be expected of a student. I believe pop music is about bending the rules of singing to attain a certain aesthetic. I intend to teach you the proper rules and processes of singing first though. After that you can bend them to your own will for years to come. I know then that my lessons involve challenging the student on many of their preconceived notions of what they think must happen to achieve a beautiful voice. I want to foster good musicianship in you to help you find your voice, to develop your creative listening skills. I will not do this with in the idiom of popular song. You came to me to learn how to sing. That is what I intend to do. For that I deserve to be compensated accordingly. If you want me to teach pop music then expect my lesson fees to go through the roof. I need to be much better compensated for my time if I'm to be subjected to listen to that all day long.
I can't help but to add a rant about how you seem to forget that the stupid fee you pay to me is WHAT I LIVE OFF OF. It is my only source of income. It is not only the music related expenses I need to cover with your fee. I pay taxes off this fee. I buy groceries and gas for my piece of crap car that gets me to your lesson off this fee. I pay healthcare off this fee. I still have to cover the rental of the studio/building, even if you decide to flippantly cancel, off this fee. It is not just the time in your lesson that this fee covers either, but all the lesson planning, scheduling, and appropriate repertoire research for your lesson that I do when you don't see me. There is a significant amount of lesson planning and mental sweat that I spend on each student. My partner constantly complained that I spent all my time in front of the computer lesson planning instead of with him. Well, guess that means I get to listen to you complain that my fees are too high as well.
So if I go cross eyed and start twitching when you ask me to justify my rates, trust me I can justify my rates. Aaaaaand welcome to my studio.... you big jerk.
As a musician who has made it to the point in my life where it is possible to live off of my teaching and performing earnings, trying to explain to 'mom of the next big child star' why the lesson fee is 'so high' is easily the most irritating part of the process. I hate feeling like I have to justify why they must come to my studio and I can't come to their house, that I am in demand and I can't drop everything to give them the one specific time slot that they feel is easiest for them, why the accompanist is not free, why they must buy their own repertoire books, or any other fee that is reasonable. These things make me want to drop them before we even begin. I am certain to love teaching your kid but you, parent, are souring the lessons with your attempts to nickel and dime me out of every cent that I deserve.
I find it difficult to tell this person that they should find another teacher. I know what they will get for the price they are looking to pay and I don't want to see anyone suffer like that. I find it disrespectful to my profession. I've paid big bucks to some wonderful teachers over the years and they deserved every penny. Mostly, I find it insulting to me personally when strangers think I should be charging less. With my education and years of experience my fees are VERY reasonable. If you think my price is too high you need to look for another teacher and leave me alone. You are hiring me to help you develop a skill and discover the potential talent within, and to foster a passion for life not just a passion for right now.
In the interests of being a kind and levelheaded person, I do my best to not get irate and explain calmly to the ignorant jerk of a parent that when you sign up for lessons in my studio you are getting not just something for your child to do for a half hour to an hour a week, but someone who is passionate and serious about something that is worth being passionate and serious about. Music and art is the quality in our lives. When you ask these questions it makes me think you are not worth the effort I put into my studio. You will get every cent back you pay to me in my sweat and your results. I have spent a life time of sweat, anxiety, heart, and money into my education. Based on that, my performance experience, and my previous students history I will not teach your daughter for $10/hour. I can't live off of that wage and it is insulting to me that you expect me to, that you think I even should. If you are looking for that kind of fee then feel free to take lessons from the hack up the street without a decent education, that will have your child frustrated and sounding horrid in very short order. Good luck getting into my studio then to fix that stuff.
I'm also NOT interested in teaching pop music to you or your child. I am so tired of justifying this to the narrow minded. If you want to be entertained once a week with some karaoke tune, then go hang out with your friends in your basement or local bar and let-er rip. You are hiring me to teach, not to entertain. The lessons are fun and stimulating but I'm not a babysitter or a buddy, I'm your teacher. Mine is a big picture studio. Like anything that is worth doing, this takes some effort. Your effort and mine. I have already put in that effort into my own voice so I know what is to be expected of a student. I believe pop music is about bending the rules of singing to attain a certain aesthetic. I intend to teach you the proper rules and processes of singing first though. After that you can bend them to your own will for years to come. I know then that my lessons involve challenging the student on many of their preconceived notions of what they think must happen to achieve a beautiful voice. I want to foster good musicianship in you to help you find your voice, to develop your creative listening skills. I will not do this with in the idiom of popular song. You came to me to learn how to sing. That is what I intend to do. For that I deserve to be compensated accordingly. If you want me to teach pop music then expect my lesson fees to go through the roof. I need to be much better compensated for my time if I'm to be subjected to listen to that all day long.
I can't help but to add a rant about how you seem to forget that the stupid fee you pay to me is WHAT I LIVE OFF OF. It is my only source of income. It is not only the music related expenses I need to cover with your fee. I pay taxes off this fee. I buy groceries and gas for my piece of crap car that gets me to your lesson off this fee. I pay healthcare off this fee. I still have to cover the rental of the studio/building, even if you decide to flippantly cancel, off this fee. It is not just the time in your lesson that this fee covers either, but all the lesson planning, scheduling, and appropriate repertoire research for your lesson that I do when you don't see me. There is a significant amount of lesson planning and mental sweat that I spend on each student. My partner constantly complained that I spent all my time in front of the computer lesson planning instead of with him. Well, guess that means I get to listen to you complain that my fees are too high as well.
So if I go cross eyed and start twitching when you ask me to justify my rates, trust me I can justify my rates. Aaaaaand welcome to my studio.... you big jerk.
No comments:
Post a Comment