Music - would you pay for this?

[wishiwasinbarbados]

hi. I'm wondering how to make a bit of money whilst the music industry is closed and we have no money coming in. (This would be from a pro classically trained musician.)

Would you pay for any of the following..

1. an on line brass lesson not from usual teacher
2. an on line theory lesson not from usual teacher
3. a pay-per-view type of access to online practise exercises or tips.
4. assessment of a performed piece on line.

Or any suggestions that you would pay for?

Thanks.

I'm afraid I wouldn't be looking for anyone to do those that weren't already my children's teachers.
Maybe no.4 if we had a particularly difficult audition coming up...but then we'd use the current teachers, or if they weren't available, past teachers.

Is there a reason why your current pupils cannot have online lessons? That's what has happened with all ours.
They're using a mixture of Skype and zoom.
Or is it more that you need to supplement your income from things such as playing live that has currently been shut down?
Can you repair/service instruments? There always seems to be a dearth of good servicing.

Eroica
Thank you for being honest! I need to know!
Our main income comes from performance, and do not qualify for the self employment scheme, so are getting nothing until performances can start up again. We do have a few pupils we're teaching on line so I know it works. But they don't cover our basic expenses unfortunately. We will be through our savings I think before we can get back to work.

Sorry you’re in this situation.

I don’t think most parents of DC learning music would pay for those services: they’d look to their usual teacher for advice.

yeah, it's not ideal.
Would you be interested if the player held a prominent orchestral position?

Is there any way you could liaise with local schools, and offer a discounted rate to new learners? I think the problem with brass is that people often have an un/underused piano or keyboard or recorder lying around, less likely to have a trumpet, horn, or trombone in the loft!
There may be pupils (in schools) whose parents could afford to pay for theory lessons, almost as babysitting while they wfh, but I think it likely they'd look to the current teachers, as they already know them and have a rapport between teacher and child.

I'd be interested in 1) and 2). Dd does 2:1 lessons at school. So no lessons for weeks. And no theory teaching ever.

We have no contact with her teacher, as is employed by the council. Scotland.

I'd possibly consider an online lesson for my DD (piano, not brass, for us, but I'm sure some people would want brass).

Ideally I would prefer her usual teacher. If that wasn't available, then I might consider someone local / personally recommended.

Really you need to give some reassurance that you are ok and know what you are doing; e.g. DBS check, usually teaches for a named organisation, council etc. People will be dubious about letting their children video chat with a random stranger on the internet.

I'd potentially be interested in 1 (for youngest DC whose lessons at school not possible/happening) & 4 (for eldest who just needs encouragement)

Thanks you to all who have responded. I guess I also need to know how much would you pay for these things. £25per 30mins???

Our dc’s music teaching has all gone online, so has the service who provide to their old primary school.
Ours have private 1:1 lessons costing £15 for 30 minutes (in Wales if that’s of interest).

Auntlouisa
Please PM me if you're interested!

Good idea to contact local schools . I think it would be difficult starting up on line and trying to sell online to total strangers.

Our Music Service is doing lessons over Zoom, so no, I wouldn't be interested.

If my children were younger and didn't already have G5 theory, I might have been interested in theory tuition. Or if I had rather different children who wanted to get G8 theory (especially as I suspect that's harder to learn just by reading and listening).

It's probably worth finding out which areas have the peris set up to teach on-line and concentrating your efforts on the ones that don't.

I think thats probably a bit high, sorry. We pay €30 for 45mins for dd’s flute and haven’t received any discount for video lessons. That’s including what I imagine is a hefty cut to the music school and the teacher is also a successful musician (she is often having to rearrange things because she tours internationally).
Personally the most important thing to me would be your teaching expertise and recommendations - some excellent musicians are terrible teachers.

I think you'll need to pitch it lower if you want to pick up custom. People that pay for lessons are also in jobs that are at risk.

Possibly for a more advanced child, especially if looking at orchestral extracts or preparing for auditions. Also if future career heading in a music performance direction.

Probably not for a beginner unless you had previous experience with teaching young beginners...

As an adult in the right instrument, if it were like a masterclass slot (but without audience so even better) absolutely, assuming budget not too wrecked and a mutually convenient time could be arranged.

Theory, yes if not already obtained. If I didn't have DC I'd be very interested in looking at G6 theory while social life isn't a thing. With DC around 24/7 sadly not possible to do much "fun" at all. Might well be a market for theory videos/marking, possibly pay per view.

Online audition/festival training might well become a thing - do you have any teacher contacts in related instruments you could get together with. Market may depend on "name" of orchestra.

Sorry you're in this situation. I think most private pupils will still be having their lessons, it is council ones who won't be and not sure if those parents would even look at lessons that were that price sadly as they are used to much less than £25 for 30 mins. The musicians union rate is £35 per hour, so you might be better starting at that rate till you had got some personal recommendations. The theory lessons might be a better bet as this is a good time to get that knocked on the head. Do you have a proven success rate with grade 5 for example?

Much too expensive for a primary aged / not doing grades type pupil. They would be used to a lower rate from the council (possibly discounted further by group lessons or school subsidising), and would then likely expect a further discount for it not being face-to-face. For those sorts of pupils I think you'd be looking at more like £5 for 30 minutes.

We pay the full £35 for two half hour lessons, haven't changed since it is online but already had a good relationship so much easier. He is an experienced teacher and also plays for a national orchestra so we are happy to keep paying. I think it is harder to build the relationship online. Are there any music schools offering online teaching you could work for? Might be easier but less profitable that way?

Wow - there's some cheap lessons out there! I checked our local County Music Service and they charge £56 per hour. Some of you are very lucky!

teaAdnBiscuits666
£5 for 30mins?? Was that a typo?

No, @houselikeashed not a typo.

I pay more than that for DD's music lessons, but that is when it is face to face, with a qualified, experienced, DBS checked teacher.

From the sounds of OP's posts, while they are an experienced musician, they are not usually a teacher, possibly no teaching experience at all. Realistically, how much value do you think a child will get from a 30 minute video lesson with an unqualified stranger. People with high standards & expectations already seem to have contact with existing teachers, so likely target is beginners / people that are bored and looking to pick up a new hobby. I think a low price would be what is needed to tempt in this sort of customer.

Of course, OP is welcome to charge whatever they feel their time is worth, I just don't think many people will pay at the higher rate.