When I was selling a Muramatsu DS (Which is like their top of the line model,) I actually had a mother who wanted to buy it for her daughter who was in the fifth grade and had been only playing a year and a half because her teacher said she needed to upgrade! She was playing on a Yamaha silver plated open hole flute. The mother (yuppie) wanted a big discount on the flute and I was already selling it for an amazing price. After a lengthy phone conversation with the mother, I ended up telling her that I couldn`t in my right conscience sell it to her and there was NO WAY I was going to sell that flute to a fifth grader! Of course I was nice about it,but this lady had no clue! Maybe for her daughters 14th birthday she will buy her a Platinum Powell. Lol! But hey...it is her money.

Now, FCF I don`t mind having students upgrade as long as it`s the proper thing to do at the time and they will make good use of the new flute. I always am inspired to practice more if I get a new flute. They seem to ring better and the pads usually seal properly. What I don`t like is students who over upgrade. I`ve seen kids who use a pro model, ($10,000) flute in the HS band. To my thinking, that`s just dumb. Like owning a brand new $500K Ford GT for driving to work and back. -Just plain dumb.

Recent peeve, Students/parents who think that they can reschedule every week because they ae too busy to come in at their regular time. This morn it was a student who scheduled in an eye exam during her lesson. These people cancel every other week anyway. Last thursday, the parents went out to dinner and wanted to reschedule. I don`t mind if it`s a legit excuse but it`s becomming more common and the reasons are not all that imperative. If you have an appointment, make sure that you commit to attending.

Today, I actually told a student that the reason they pay me for the lesson is to compensate me for interfering with my practice time with a lesson.

~Bilbo

I get a bit annoyed when an orchestra piccolo part has loads of rests the flute parts don`t and I`m the one having to play it! Also having to play piccolo lots and not getting much chance to play flute.

I know it can`t be helped, but in a perfect world I`d get an equal balance of both, or there`d be another piccolo player to alternate with!

Bilbo, I have had students like that also. That is why I have a written contract that the student and or parent must sign before taking lessons with me. It states, they pay for a months set of lessons at the beginning of every month. If they miss their scheduled lesson, then they still pay. They don`t seem to understand that I have to plan my life around their scheduled lesson. I also start the clock on the time they are scheduled to start, if they are late 15 minutes late, then that is 15 minute that they lose for their session. Call it harsh, but it works. I don`t think that I will be teaching next semester though, if I do it will be out of my house.

Kara, I do exactly the same thing, have to protect yourself, I have it in my contract that "lack of practice is no reason to cancel, and the student will be charged" one can always learn something

Kara,
I basically have two rules that I enforce when the students? parents stray. I charge for uncancelled lessons or late cancelled. I automatically charge if a student misses more than one lesson a month. They usually attend.

I have considered charging for the month in advance and have been paid that way but I don`t find that all in all, it has much advantage. Some can``t do that very easily. Some that can, start paying late. I prefer to be paid before each lesson, that way it just seems to work better for me.

~Bilbo

"do you still refer to jeans as tube trousers?"

Has anyone ever done that?

Now, FCF I don`t mind having students upgrade as long as it`s the proper thing to do at the time and they will make good use of the new flute. I always am inspired to practice more if I get a new flute. They seem to ring better and the pads usually seal properly. What I don`t like is students who over upgrade. I`ve seen kids who use a pro model, ($10,000) flute in the HS band. To my thinking, that`s just dumb. Like owning a brand new $500K Ford GT for driving to work and back. -Just plain dumb.

Hahaha...good point Bilbo...I think this girl will just brag "Oh look at me". I think overupgrading from a student flute to a silver plated flute is a little bid ridiculous (only if you can`t get a good tone...like her...out of her student flute and this starts her third year of playing).

Meanwhile, one who wants to be a professional musician, that gives it some logic...although my mom won`t let me upgrade because "too expensive" but thank goodness my private lesson teacher thinks I should upgrade at the end of this year.

Now when the kids are upgrading to Muramatsu and such and spending barrels of bucks to become great players, remember that Ian Anderson learned and performed through his rise in popularity with an old, used, beginner model flute.

It ain`t always the flute. It`s the player.
~Bilbo

Exactly, Bilbo

I am the highest non-open hole flute in my whole school!!!

One of my best friends who plays clarinet got first chair in a wind ensemble with a plastic clarinet.

is ppl who use 1st chair flautist as a screen name.

Now let`s not even get started on the who`s a Flutist and who`s a Flautist issue.

Personally, I prefer
"a woodwind musical instrument performer specailzing exclusively in edge-tone,air-reed, transversely manipulated, analog musical instruments."
~Bilbo

Bilbo, when DID you join Pedants R Us?

i was only kidding by the way

No problem,
Well, I haven`t joined as yet but they did say that they are going to invite me to speak at the national convention if I pass their mandatory, pre-initiation, mulit-faceted, pre-requisite auditions. My verbage is all a twitter with excitement. One can always hope....Please, wish me luck

Had a a nice day teaching, The one student blew her best note (Bb2) in her student career with me. I even told her so. After 5 years, she finally is starting to get somewhat of a tone. The swim lessons are paying off and she has some pipes..
NOw if only she doesen`t stop blowing like that. Hoorah!
~Bilbo