Steel guitar instruction

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 11 Feb 2002 10:16 pm

During recent months, I've been encouraged to start teaching......but I have no idea what lessons around the country are going for these days. How much and how long are typical lessons these days? A full hour lesson; or, only 1/2 hour? Would appreciate your sharing your input.
If this has been discussed recently, I do apologize for having missed it.

Larry Behm · Post by **Larry Behm** » 12 Feb 2002 5:11 am

Ray try Free. Others helped me, I help others. The friendships you create are worth more than the money.

Your home town friend
Larry Behm

RON PRESTON · Post by **RON PRESTON** » 12 Feb 2002 5:54 am

My friend, I teach for free, but, I have paying customers as well. And I only teach Hour (sometimes 2 hours at a time) lessons because by the time you set up, the lesson is over.

And, Belive it or not, I always run WAY OVER AN hour, because I love watching a new student learn and glee with happyness when he or she,(yes, I have 2 female students)when they just learned a HOT lick or COOL chord progression. My price is $17.50 an hour. I love teaching music,because when I was starting out, NO ONE was there to help me.

Tony Orth · Post by **Tony Orth** » 12 Feb 2002 10:13 am

Allow your students to videotape the lesson if they wish. My mentor allows that and, that way, he can show me much more in an hour or so. Otherwise, I would forget.

Tony

John Knight · Post by **John Knight** » 12 Feb 2002 10:29 am

Hi Ray,
The lessons I give go about 90 min on average and that works out to about $15-$17 an hour. Like some of the other posts it ends up being more fun then anything else and the time just speeds on by.

------------------
D 10 Thomas with 8&6
Nashville 400 and Profex II
81' Fender Twin JBL's
Asleep at the Steel

Jack Byrd · Post by **Jack Byrd** » 13 Feb 2002 8:44 am

In a very recent communication with Jerry he said he charges $25 a lesson. A lesson does not have a time limit. It goes until the skill that is being worked on for that lesson is completed. Jerry said most of the time the student says "I've got to go". He said he has never increased his fee since he started teaching back in the early 1970's and has no intention to do so. He ended with "I'am not in it for the money" and as many of you know his intentions are to teach as many as he can to keep the steel guitar alive and well in its native land concentrating on the younger people rather than the old grayed haired folks. Many of his students have received scholarships through the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association.

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 13 Feb 2002 9:15 am

Jack: Perhaps you missed my post a few months back but I had asked about a young student of Jerry's that I had read about some where. The story I recall was that he was 8 years old and played a song to a packed house; that there wasn't a dry eye in the place when he finished. I was wondering if the story was true and if so, where is that young man now ?? Of course Jerry is passing the legacy down but maybe some names and bios on these students would be a heads up for those of us who value the Byrd Tradition. An index, if you will, of who to look and listen for.

Best Regards, Paul<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Paul Graupp on 13 February 2002 at 09:17 AM.]</p></FONT>

Richard Shelley · Post by **Richard Shelley** » 13 Feb 2002 2:45 pm

I'm closing in on the big "six-oh" & have only since last summer been attempting to learn to play psg. Had I been able to find a teacher forty-five years ago, I'd have jumped on the bandwagon, then. I haven't learned any of the instruments I've learned through any traditional methods. It's been mostly reading up on the basics & "jumping in with all four feet", learning more than anything else from simply playing along with records, tapes & CDs. I'd be more than glad to use a teacher.....if he (or she) didn't insist on my reading either music or tablature. Obviously, we don't all learn through the same methods; I play strictly by ear & have absolutely no interest in changing at this stage of life. Wouldn't it be nice if there were some kind of universal listing of teachers that could be accessed through this wonderful web-site? How about it........teachers?

Jack Byrd · Post by **Jack Byrd** » 13 Feb 2002 7:10 pm

Paul,

Your referenced post has been sent to Jerry for his comments. I have never heard this story, but there are many about him I haven't heard. I am sure I will have a response from him soon. I will work up a list of his students that I can find for you and will post that here.

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 13 Feb 2002 7:15 pm

Jack:

Chuck Norris · Post by **Chuck Norris** » 15 Feb 2002 4:24 am

Hi Ray, My father has been teaching at Norris Family Music since the Lord invented dirt. We charge $60.00 a month for lessons with the occasional 5th lesson free baring holiday`s or vacation`s, they are 1/2 hr. lessons and he teaches on a Mullen D-10 8X5 set up in the studio. I know of teacher`s that charge as much as $35.00 a 1/2 hr. I guess it just depend`s on what you think your worth. He teaches on tab in the beggening and once he start`s teaching theory, then he goes to note. Without written music its hard to get a program going, it get`s quickly into the old where do I go next. Also any longer than 1/2 hr. and your either teaching more than they can remember in a week or there paying for practice time. These are all proven teaching practices that are used by the majority of experienced teacher`s everywhere.
Chuck Norris NFM
P.S. Good luck, it can be very rewarding.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 15 Feb 2002 2:26 pm

I used to charge $25 for a lesson of one and one-half to two hours, but I suppose that if I found someone who was very "motivated" who couldn't pay, we could work something out. (Lotta yard work around here, 'ya know

) I do believe that if someone can afford to pay, that they should. That's only right...in my book. I believe that if it's costing them something, be it money or some "service in trade", they'll be more serious about it.

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 15 Feb 2002 3:48 pm

If I could kick myself in the @ss (real hard) I would. In the late 70's I used to see an ad in one of the local papers "Steel Guitar Instruction" by Roy Smeck. He lived only 10 blocks away from me. I was only interested in learning bluegrass dobro so I never gave it much thought. Well, I've given it plenty of thought since then and do you know what I think? Please refer to the first sentence of my post.

Jim Eaton · Post by **Jim Eaton** » 15 Feb 2002 4:01 pm

When I was more "actively" teaching, the first lesson was always free.
If they came back for the 2nd lesson, then we would talk about a fee.
JE:-)>