Saxophones New Tenor = No Teacher

[Amaranth]

A few weeks ago at a lesson, I mentined that I was looking to replace my tenor.
My teacher was at a Gig the following week so I didn't see him but I got an email referring me to a rather beat up Yam yts 62 that needed some work on ebay plus a recommendation towards a German company that he had purchased a Soprano from. In the meantime, I had been to Reading, fallen in love with and purchased my Cannonball (that I don't regret for a second - I love it), I received the email a few days later. I replied explaining about the Cannonball and thanking him for his email and asked when would be convenient for my next lesson and have heard nothing I have sent 2 further emails but to no avail - do you think he has taken umbrage?
Shall I email him again?
I feel a bit like a told off schoolgirl right now which is ridiculous at my age!

 

[half diminished]

Hmm, a tad disappointing for you.

Question - were you getting on well with this teacher before this? If so I'd ask again and specifically 'is there a problem?' If not maybe it's time for a change.

I changed teachers after a 'fall out' though to be honest I wasn't that happy before then and have not looked back - current teacher is brilliant.

 

[Amaranth]

Well I'd only had a couple of lessons so far and he seemed OKish.
But I don't really know him well yet.
Grrrrrr, why is stuff like this difficult - not like I underpaid the man (the opposite actually!).

Aly

 

[Phil Edwards]

Got a phone number? Ring him and ask him direct about your next lesson. Or if you're not bothered about him just find a new one. Do you know of any others locally?

Phil

 

[Taz]

If he doesn't have the decency to answer your emails, then I'd start looking for another teacher. This one obviously doesn't value your custom. Its important to feel comfortable with someone that's trying to teach you, otherwise you wont relax and you wont take in as much.

 

[TonyMoroney]

I agree, you should call him, my teacher checks email once a week, so in the beginning I got frustrated, but came to the realisation that some people (especially some musical people) live and breathe music rather than technology and email.

Try the phone and leave a message if you need to, much of the world is very casual about email.

Hope this helps.

T.

 

[Basil]

When I first started my teacher gave me his card which had all of his contact details, mobile number, e-mail etc.

A few weeks later I e-mailed him....no reply. Tried again. Same silent response.

When I next saw him I asked about my e-mails. Turns out that his daughter designed his card, and that he has no idea how to use e-mail, never mind read one. So, Tony is right. Ring him. Not everyone spends their life looking at this site. Some go play music :shocked:))

 

[jadoube]

And just a thought - might he have taken a short holiday? Especially if there was no specific lesson time already arranged?

 

[Amaranth]

I'll look him up in the phone book - he has a website that he advertises on though so I'd have thought he was pretty switched on net wise, plus he recommended an Ebay purchase to me.
Perhaps I'll have to look into finding someone else although they seem few and far between around here.
Thanks very much for the replies folks

Aly

 

[kevgermany]

Maybe he's sick.

 

[Amaranth]

Maybe he's sick.

Or just sick of me!

 

[Pee Dee]

If he doesn't have the decency to answer your emails, then I'd start looking for another teacher. This one obviously doesn't value your custom. Its important to feel comfortable with someone that's trying to teach you, otherwise you wont relax and you wont take in as much.

Yeah, I agree with Taz, tell him to take a long walk along a short pier! You got any piers there? Or maybe he doesn't check his Emails regularly.

 

[Amaranth]

I spoke to someone who knows him last night at our fortnightly Pub Houseband gig and he said he was just a disorganised Scot!
I think that even if I have to travel a distance, I'll start looking elsewhere. The monotony of learning scales, tones etc with no feedback or informed direction is getting a bit disheartening. I don't want to view my sax practise as a chore.
Thanks again for all your feedback folks.

Aly

 

[kevgermany]

Or just sick of me!

Lol, I thought of saying that, but decided not to.....

 

[DaveW]

with no feedback or informed direction

To me that says it all. What's the point in having a teacher if you get no feedback?

Find another one.

 

[Amaranth]

He came back to me and his email was blocking my home addy so I yeilded and went back.
He makes me concentrate wholly on tone and air column which is so good for me as I tend to hurry stuff and not tongue where I should so I think I'll stick with it - it's sort of a challenge to please him tbh. He insists on quiet playing which is another of my faults so it's probably wise to stick with the moody bugger for now.
He gave my Cannonball a thumbs up - in fact I could hardly get him off it!
Mind you his loves are the 1950's King and Conn Saxes he plays.

 

[kevgermany]

Maybe you'll move on to other stuff once you satisfy him with tone and volume.

 

[Amaranth]

Maybe you'll move on to other stuff once you satisfy him with tone and volume.

True and besides, I have my band stuff to amuse me