THE MUSIC LESSON

Ok, you've decided that taking music lessons is something that you THINK you would like to do.  You see all the great players smiling and giving a good show and it all looks great.  And it really is great as long as you are that someone who doesn't mind working long hours to make something happen.  That's right, it's a lot of work.  If that's the case, then why do we call it playing an instrument?  I've never heard it called working an instrument.  Well, on the positive side, just remember that everything we do in life is play unless we would rather be doing something else.

The first thing that you MUST  have is the desire and commitment to want to stick to your goals.  Speaking of goals, ask yourself  just what it is that you want to do in studying that instrument.  The avenue that we take together must be the lane in which you see yourself walking.  There are many different musical paths.  Perhaps you know exactly your direction or maybe you'd like to experiment a bit and try a pot pourri of different styles.  Regardless of the journey that you choose, remember to give yourself some time to take in the sights.  The study of music is not one that should be rushed.  There are just too many fun by ways to explore.

You'll want to have a road map so that you will be able to plan your route.  As your tour guide, I'll help you to plan what will be necessary to pack and what might be just a plain old luxury.  We'll have a look at an assortment of  musical locales that will give our journey variety.  Regardless of where we want our musical travels to take us, there are a few things that one must have under control.  This is like having a Euro or AmTrak pass.  The pass or ticket becomes worth more if used properly by being organized and having planned a bit.  Music is not just "by the book".  There will be some very interesting side trips that will come up along the way.  There'll be lots of opportunity for exploration.

The music lesson is not just a block of time to attend.  It is a scheduled time in which the assignments of the past are reviewed and evaluated and future assignments are presented for study.  Preparation, attention to detail and follow-up are the keys to having a successful and fun music lesson.  It takes a lot of "grit" to stay on top of  things and be a winner.  No one likes to loose.  A little success contributes to bigger success.  Devote enough time so that you win each time you have a lesson.  The win doesn't have to be gigantic.  We just don't want it to be a loss.  How much preparation will do the trick.?  That is an individual decision that each of us must determine.

When you arrive at your music lesson, come clean.  Be sure to wash your hands and have your self in a positive state of mind.  It's amazing just how much better you will perform.  Posture is very important to the well being of your musical technique so position your body accordingly.

Have all of your equipment with you and ready to go: Music, reeds, picks etc. I want your lesson to be productive.  Do all of your preparation work outside of the lesson time.  Some lessons are specific to the repair of your instrument.  However, we don't want to spend unnecessary time getting an instrument to work properly.

Finally, don't be afraid to ask questions.  Be inquisitive! Listen to what I have to talk to you about and be interactive.  Your successful musical journey is my goal.  I like to achieve those goals that I have set for myself.  By helping each other, we'll be able to realize our musical travel goals with a 1st Class ticket and won't have to settle for a ride in the "rumble" seat.

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