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nightmare music teacher (1 Viewer)

T

thegovernator

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I just wanted an opportunity to vent this. And whether anyone else has had a similar bad experience with a music teacher or tutor or whatever.


Before the 1st lesson had begun:

(1) complained about last student, and a whole string who had pissed him off
(2) upon realising i studied law, asked for legal advice about his divorce. he complained for at least five minutes about his life and current personal circumstances which I thought was a rather rude way to start a music lesson.
(3) was very displeased with me that I had gone through an agency which took 50 dollars out of his 4 lesson fee of $220 upfront.

during the lessons themselves:

-non-sexual physical touching, including hand on knee, on chest, on shoulder which made me feel uncomfortable. could cope with him touching my hands showing me where to put them on the guitar/fretboard etc, but the
other stuff just weirded me out.
-lent me cd's, made me feel uncultured and stupid because i didn't have a broad musical taste, or express any interest in jazz which
is his genre of specialty. was displeased and rude when i didn't enjoy his cd that he lent me (of his own playing)
-asked personal questions which i didn't want to answer relating to the cost of my university degree for fee paying. he pushed me for how much
it cost when i made it fairly clear that i didn't want to divulge that information etc.
- he brought up politics during the middle of lesson, and had a rant about george bush and john howard. I pay for music lessons, not to listen
to his political views.
-boasted that he was the best guitarist in australia.
often talked about how low his fees were, and complained about the standard of music teachers elsewhere.
-wanted me to buy blank tapes so lessons could be recorded. i brought a blank cd but he told me 'no i want you to bring a blank tape'. i don't
even have a tape player... when I told him this he told me to go get one from a pawn shop for 20 dollars.
-insulted me when i kept dropping my guitar pick (which was partly due to the fact that he was making me uncomfortable).
-insulted me personally by asking whether i was slightly schizoid when he asked me a question about my uni degree when i gave him an
answer which he couldn't (out of his own stupidity), understand.

3rd lesson:

went to set in a date for the 4th lesson and told me 'i'd be up for fees for 220 dollars' (for a further 4 lessons), i disagreed to this saying i wanted to assess the situation at the end of the next lesson (whether I would continue or not). i said that it was a financial matter because i was paying out of my own pocket.
he was offended and suggested rather rudely just to get my parents to pay the money. he was saying how he 'had to live too' (implying that he really needed the money). started getting depressed saying how
he was over teaching. he was rude again saying 'you drive around in a bmw don't tell me you can't afford it'. 'im the best guitar player in sydney
you won't get a better teacher for the price you're paying. 'all the other teachers are crap' etc.

am i justified in being pissed off and annoyed at this guy? i still have 1 lesson left to go to which i've paid about 55 dollars for but i don't even think it's worth the trouble.

/end rant
 

jazzmuzik

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find a new teacher, the guy sounds like a prick.
you'll end up hating the lessons, and then end up hate playing..
there are plenty of genuine music teachers who are there fore the music not the money like this guy.
good luck
 

~kiki

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His name isn't Dennis is it? He sounds very similar to a guitar teacher I used to go to.

He sounds awful! I would definately suggest you find another music teacher.
 

S M i L E

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You really need to find a teacher who is not there for the money, but there for the music. I had a teacher that really killed my enthusiasm to play in 3 short weeks (I had been playing for 8 years) and is the reason I changed my mind about studying music at uni... I found a new teacher (after I moved away from the area) and his passion for music alone was enough to make me realise what I've been missing! Now I'm back preparing for my fellowship *runs and hides*

Talk to other students and make sure what you are getting is genuine before you spend too much money. Any musician who says they are the best are generally not worth the time and effort... after all... we are always learning and perfecting our skills =)
 
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