MS Retailer August 15, 2007 - Vol.24 No.8 - Music & Sound Retailer

different directions look for teachersin specific styles. They overhearother teachers and like theirstyle, or have a friend learningfrom someone else. The biggestobstacle of most in-store lessons isnoise from other studios—parentsand students often complain aboutit.How does the cost of musiclessons compare to otheractivities?Student: Guitar lessons are $18per half-hour session. My yoga is$14 per one and a-half hour session.My children’s hockey lessonsare $13 per half-hour class. Mydaughter begged for guitar lessonsfor over a year but we held offbecause juggling four kids and ahusband who travels a lot keeps alot on our plate. I viewed her interestas “non-essential,” but neverthought that way about any sport.I’ve learned that guitar has becometheir art. This experience for themis as important as all the others.Parent: Lessons at home aremuch more expensive than anyother activities. My children’ssports generally range from$300 to $400 per season. Aidan’screw team costs about $1,200 perseason, however, crew is unusuallyexpensive. Colin plays tennis inwinter—$800 for four months. Guitarlessons are $100 per hourAmy Pagnani and sonwhich averages out to$2,100 per semesterper child.Teacher: I alsoteach at a martialarts school, and wecharge about thesame as the localmusic store chargesfor lessons.Michelle VasalloMichael MirtsopoulosHow much doyou rely on the teacher’s advicewhen purchasing products?Student: I appreciate that hedoesn’t “push” merchandise soldat the store. Just by having lessonsthere, we purchase thingsperiodically. We needed an ampfor my son, the acoustic guitarrestrung and cleaned up, a newcase, and service on an electricguitar. The store staff is veryfriendly and knowledgeable.Parent: He has given us lots ofadvice, but mostly about size andtype—electric or acoustic—insteadof particular brands. Heand Aidan built a guitar togetherwhich was a really great activity,and we went with his recommendationon which kit to use. Aidanwants the best quality and thestores want you to spend as muchas possible, so having an objectiveopinion is very valuable!Teacher: They come to me foreducation, and therefore trust isestablished by the nature of the relationship.Right now, I have a studentasking me about a lefty guitararound $1,000. Some are rentingand looking to buy; others wantto know if they should upgrade.Everyone asks about books andaccessories, and sometimes evenother instruments. I also arrangedfor my students to get a specialdiscount at the local store.How can stores make the lessonexperience better?Student: Offer more programslike “Master Class.” The storeoffers a one-week summer classthat looks like fun, but it seemsto be geared toward more seriousplayers. How about guest musiciansand more events or classesthat get more students together?Wouldn’t it be fun to have a teachers’concert where kids couldwatch their role models perform?That was the highlight of the MasterClass for my son. He was ableto play with his teacher on a stage.How cool is that?Parent: For me, the convenienceof lessons at home outweighsany perks from a store.However, I’d want consistencywith a teacher so that my soncould have a good relationshipwith him. Also, nice lesson rooms.Teacher: Better sound isolation—ifit can’t be done physically,do it with the schedule. Haveloud instruments together andquiet ones on other days. It’s notan easy problem to solve, but it’scrucial. Provide technology, suchas a computer, some recordinggear, and even just the basics suchas a great sounding amp—that’simportant for both the teacher andstudent. Don’t put the garbagethat no one buys in studios; putwhat helps excite students abouttheir lessons so they tell theirfriends about it!CURTAIN CALL(continued from page 46)Pritchard: I’m pretty simple.I only have one pedal, which is aBoss Blues Driver. I think we useErnie Ball strings. Quite simple,really. I don’t really know muchabout guitars. I just like to writesongs on them and play them.M&SR: Has being in a bandmade you want to try newinstruments?Pritchard: Yeah, I love trying.I’m rubbish, but I love trying[Laughs]. Even just on the levelthat I’m not a very good guitarplayer but Hugh [Harris] is reallygood. So I always ask himto show me how to play things. Iplay drums a little bit. It’s quitefun to smack the [heck] out ofsomething. For five minutes, justgo mental.M&SR: Do you shop atretail stores often?Pritchard: I buy guitars all thetime. I’m a bit of a guitar collector,so [I’m always in guitar stores] butI wish they’d send us more freeones. [Laughs] I really like vintagestuff, so I often go to a few onDenmark Street in London, whichis where all the guitar shops are.I just bought a really nice Dobro,actually. It’s a beautiful DobroResonator from 1934.There’s a company calledKato. They’re really, really cool.We kind of met them first whenwe were on tour. One of thepeople who works for them isa tour manager as well. So wegot to know him. They’re notreally retailers but they havegear—drums particularly—andthey have rehearsal rooms. Theyhave deals with Zildjian and TamaI think. So Paul gets a lot of hisstuff from there. But they’re alsoa really nice bunch of people.They’ll sort you out with anything.I’ll talk to them and they’llbe like, “We got some new stuffin; do you want to try it out?” Youknow? So that’s really cool.M&SR: What kinds of newthings have they told youabout, or are you looking for?Pritchard: An example is Maton,this relatively new companyfrom Australia. They make theseacoustic guitars and they’re notthe best acoustic guitars, but whatthey are is amazing through a PA.Their DIs are amazing. So theyturned me on to them. Actually,the guy is getting me a littledrum kit, funny enough, for myflat. Because I have jam nights allthe time with my friends.Colin LaneMusic & Sound Retailer 45