Had to fire my guitar teacher this week

[agentmatt]

Sorry for the long post/rant. I liked some of the things he was teaching(the theory part) but many times we sat as he read me pages about strumming or left hand technique he photo copied from other books & magazines. Hell one time I forgot my binder and he would not give me the lesson despite the fact I knew(he did too) where we left of. So I paid $17 to chat about gear for 30 minutes. GRRR.

The kicker was a few weeks ago canceled my lesson due to weather. I called 24 hrs prior to the lesson. He left message saying no problem if you want to re-schedule call. I did not. Next lesson he states I owe him for the lesson I canceled. Stated it is in the policy page I signed(it is). It really burned me and I told him so. But hey I signed the doc so ok I will pay. I would love to post a copy of his policy here for review. I can't believe I signed it. What an idiot I was.

Last week he calls me 2 hrs prior to my lesson canceling due to weather. States his place is a mess with ice etc. But hey since he canceled I don't owe him anything. Nor does he owe me a lesson? WTF. BTW he also required to be paid 2 weeks lesson up front. Lets call it a $34 security deposit. All cash of course

His policy states to cancel requires certified letter post marked 7 days prior to last lesson 2 weeks lesson. I have never been good at given 2 weeks notice. Why do I want to end something then hang around for another 2 weeks? So this week I show up at my lesson with termination notice and release of contract/policy and the money I owed him for this week & last week. He was also getting to keep the security deposit in lieu of final 2 lesson. The idiot total blew up at me. Stating I owed him more money because it was short notice and not done by his policy. Hell I did it in person. I considered that better then a certified letter. It turned into a heated shouting match with him jumping in my face and chest bumping me calling me an a**h*le. Yes I shouted some choice words back. When I insisted he sign my release he would not and threatened to call the cops if I did not leave his house immediately. I come to find out he has done similar things to others.

This has me really bummed. As stated I was learning somethings & felt my knowledge was improving. This whole thing just has me so disheartened when it comes lesson. I could whine on but will spare you. Thanks for listening.

 

[GLB98]

Fire him? You should hire someone to break his legs.

 

[otaypanky]

That's what I love about music, it brings people together ~

What a whacko. You've got to be glad that's behind you

 

[SPH77]

That is insane! Hard to imagine a business owner would act like that. Wow. I don't understand why people risk their reputation over small dollar amounts.

 

[agentmatt]

That is insane! Hard to imagine a business owner would act like that. Wow. I don't understand why people risk their reputation over small dollar amounts.

So true. I am self employed in sales. I understand why he had a policy/contract. It was so weighted in his favor I never should have signed it. He was so worried about getting his $17 should I miss a lesson he missed the life time value of a client. I am glad to be done with him but back to internet lessons & no-one to jam/play with.

Turns out a female colleague of mine took lesson from him for 3 weeks. He was so condescending & rude to her. According to her she could tell it was because she was a women and based on my experience with him I do not doubt her. If you live in my area I can certainly recommend who NOT to take lesson from.

 

[jb70]

If you live in my area I can certainly recommend who NOT to take lesson from.

where do you live?

 

[agentmatt]

Lancaster County PA

 

[Razorface]

Hmm. Seems ridic BUT there are two sides to every story.

BTW, chest bump? Uh, there is either a fight or a phone call(if I don't think I have a chance) involved. I couldn't let that go.

On a bigger note, let's start talking about great teachers who have inspired us more, and bashing less, as I have noticed a trend here. I think a lot of this talk is more abour reflecting the blame for our own faults.

Every teacher I know is all about helping and sharing the gift of music, and values his/herself by his students progress. I see a lot of "only out for your money" attitudes.

Ya, right. Big bucks. lol

 

[digiTED]

On a bigger note, let's start talking about great teachers who have inspired us more...

I took lessons from a guy named Curtis Nunley in Edmond OK in the late 80's. I was in high school and into various flavors of heavy rock, Curtis was a very accomplished jazz guitarist and drummer.

Basically we turned each other on to stuff and I got heavy-duty theory knowledge that still serves me well. He did give me quite a bit of **** about metal but it was good natured and he even wound up at least respecting some of it LOL

 

[arthur rotfeld]

Maybe I'm not the greatest businessman, but 24-hours notice is good enough for me. People quit lessons...let them go. Many times they return. Why burn bridges like that? This is a service profession.

 

[agentmatt]

Hmm. Seems ridic BUT there are two sides to every story.

BTW, chest bump? Uh, there is either a fight or a phone call(if I don't think I have a chance) involved. I couldn't let that go.

On a bigger note, let's start talking about great teachers who have inspired us more, and bashing less, as I have noticed a trend here. I think a lot of this talk is more abour reflecting the blame for our own faults.

Every teacher I know is all about helping and sharing the gift of music, and values his/herself by his students progress. I see a lot of "only out for your money" attitudes.

Ya, right. Big bucks. lol

In my younger days a chest bump would certainly have lead to a fight. I like to think it was wiser to not fight a guy in his own home and cops just aren't my thing.
I think this teacher enjoys teaching/sharing music but based on his contract/policy feels justified in getting paid $17 for a service he did not provide. Now he has nothing instead of $17 dollars from me every week for what could have been months or even years.
I really liked the 1st teacher I had when I was 15. Kool guy and very knowledgeable. I could have learned a lot. But I was young & dumb and thought I didn't need that stuff.

 

[ldizzle]

Sounds terrible ... But $17 for 30mins.... You get what you pay for.

 

[gigs]

I might hire him just to fire him.

 

[agentmatt]

Sounds terrible ... But $17 for 30mins.... You get what you pay for.

I suppose that is true but $34 dollars an hour does sound like good money to me. I wish someone would pay me $34 dollars an hour for all the hours I work. So what is the going rate for lessons in your area? My wife originally got me 6 weeks lesson as a surprise b-day present from an ad in the local paper.

Anyone know any sane teachers in Lancaster County?

 

[jb70]

I took lessons from a guy named Curtis Nunley in Edmond OK in the late 80's. I was in high school and into various flavors of heavy rock, Curtis was a very accomplished jazz guitarist and drummer.

Basically we turned each other on to stuff and I got heavy-duty theory knowledge that still serves me well. He did give me quite a bit of **** about metal but it was good natured and he even wound up at least respecting some of it LOL

crazy! i transferred to bowling green state university in ohio for my junior year and curtis was a grad student there. he was a cool guy and a great player! do you know what he's up to now?

 

[SPH77]

In the Dallas area most studios charge between 120-135 per month for 4 1/2 hour lessons. Of course you can private lessons for... well real cheap if you want to search craigslist.

Just a little different perspective on the missed lesson policy.

I teach out of my home and 60 % of my income comes from teaching. I charge on a monthly basis and students do not get a refund for missed lessons. I tell my incoming students that they are reserving a block of time, and when that time is allotted to them I can't then give it to somebody else. That's a pretty standard practice in this area. I teach a lot of kids and most parents understand if they have their kids involved in any thing else (like gymnastics, martial arts etc.)

Like I said, everything else you said was crazy, but it might be hard to find a decent teacher who refunds missed lessons.

I suppose that is true but $34 dollars an hour does sound like good money to me. I wish someone would pay me $34 dollars an hour for all the hours I work. So what is the going rate for lessons in your area? My wife originally got me 6 weeks lesson as a surprise b-day present from an ad in the local paper.

Anyone know any sane teachers in Lancaster County?

 

[Razorface]

I suppose that is true but $34 dollars an hour does sound like good money to me. I wish someone would pay me $34 dollars an hour for all the hours I work. So what is the going rate for lessons in your area? My wife originally got me 6 weeks lesson as a surprise b-day present from an ad in the local paper.

Anyone know any sane teachers in Lancaster County?

34 bucks an hour is not 34 bucks an hour. I'll let you figure that out.

Still the hate on POOR teachers trying to make a buck. And I do mean A BUCK. One!

BTW, that is cheap!

 

[gtrgene]

That doesn't sound like this guy doesn't care about his reputation. I do a lot of teaching and it makes up a good chunk of my income. I can understand having standards for cancelations but you also have to be a human being sometimes too.

 

[guitarjazz]

That's 1978 dough there. I love to teach but the longer I do it the more I want to jack the rate up to 'you'd better be serious enough to bring a pad of paper and pencil and maybe record you lesson rate'....which is somewhere between $75 and $100 an hour. I don't have time if the price isn't right. However if I see rabid desire to learn guitar I'll teach you free. I've done that before.

 

[EDS]

Sounds terrible ... But $17 for 30mins.... You get what you pay for.

This teacher in question sounds like a nutjob, but I just want to say that there ARE good professional teachers out there that charge this rate or less (like me)!