How To Look For A Good Music Teacher

By: Chris Chew

It does not matter whether if you are looking for a guitar teacher, a singing coach, a piano teacher or any music teachers for that matter, finding a good and qualified teacher may not be the easiest thing to do. So why is it so important to find a good teacher?

Well, if you at the beginner level, then you must start off on the correct footing, isn't it? If you are an intermediate musician, it is even more important that you need a teacher really knows his or her stuff, right? So the question boils down to this - are you really getting the right information when looking for a good music teacher?

This issue is further because since the music teaching industry is unregulated, music teachers need not necessary to have any degrees, diplomas or certificates in order to set up teaching classes. On the other hand, many good teachers do not even have any paper qualifications, but are simply very talented teachers. I personally know quite a number of these talented self taught teachers. Hence the dilemma as a music student begins.

Firstly, you must comprehend that a good music teacher may not be the best instrumentalist or singer. You can see this happening especially in the field of sports. For example, football coaches may not be able to play football better than their charges, but yet able to produce world class winning teams. Similarly, whether a teacher can play musical instruments well or can sing like a star is only just one of many indicators of being a good teacher.

Now let us just say that you are an absolute beginner in playing whatsoever kind of music instruments, so what should you do? Well, you can start off by using your own personal contacts. You may have a friend or a relative who is taking music lessons or have taken music lessons before and may be able to recommend you a good teacher.

Music stores and shops often provide music lessons and you can check with them for good recommendations or even just search for a teacher using the internet. You see, it is very easy to find a music teacher this way, however can you count on these sources to provide you with the correct and accurate information?

Here are some guides. Let's say that you now have short listed some teachers teaching in your vicinity and before you interview them, these are some of the questions you may like to ask.

What teaching qualifications do the potential teacher have? Are their qualifications recognized? If so, by whom? How long have the teacher been teaching? How many other students do they have? Can they give you the phone numbers of two or three of your students so that you can verify their claims?

Yes, these questions may seem rude and upfront, but you are the one paying good money for quality teachers. Furthermore, as a new student, you will have absolutely no idea whether your potential teachers actually know their trade.

Now, if you are an intermediate music student, you probably need to rely more on word of mouth recommendations to get the suitable music teacher at your level to take you to another level of your music education. As an intermediate student, you would probably have played professionally or have been mingling in the musician circuit, so you would probably have a couple of good contacts.

Aside from musical expertise, is that your teacher and you need to have good vibes with one another. You see, since both of you will be working one-on-one, any friction will mean the end of this relationship and you will have to start all over again finding and looking for a good music teacher. So ask for trial lessons if you can. However, many good teachers do not give free trial lessons because they are so good that their itinerary is packed back to back.

Music lessons need not be face to face with your teacher. One good way of finding a good music teacher is not to look for one. I mean with today's internet technology, many musically renowned and good music teachers have set up websites and blogs to teach music online, by VCDs, MP3s, video podcast and other means so that you need not have a live teacher present.

Furthermore, you can verify the credentials of these teachers by searching their name online. Another plus factor is that you can practice in the comfort of your own home and save plenty of commuting time. Best of all, because you will be learning from recorded material without the teacher's presence, you will be saving plenty of money. This is perhaps the option most convenient to you.


Author Resource:->  For more free articles by Chris Chew, go to his sites at Music Lessons And Articles and Get Perfect Pitch Ear Training

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