Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What software do you use to conduct online lessons?
A: I use Zoom.
Q: What payment methods do you accept?
A: For digital payments I use Venmo or Zelle, but cash or check works just as well.
Q: What hardware do I need to take online lessons?
A: You will need either a smartphone, a tablet or a computer with a camera and a microphone. I will be sharing my screen a lot, so I recommend a tablet or a laptop so that you don't strain your eyes. I also recommend headphones. Oh, an instrument, you will need one of those too.
Q: How should I have my camera set up?
A: I like speaking to you face-to-face, but more important than anything else is seeing what your hands are doing, so if you only have one camera, make sure I can clearly see your hands.
Q: Do you do in-person lessons?
A: Only for the North Austin, Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock area.
Q: What books do you use?
A: Who uses books? Jks, it differs from student to student and how far along they are in their playing. For beginner-intermediate students I stick to Alfred's for piano and Hal Leonard for everything else. As we get more advanced and the student figures out what it is they really want to get out of the instrument and what style of playing they want to pursue, the literature I use gets more niche, and we could be here all day talking about the books on my bookcase.
Q: How much do you charge for session work?
A: Depends on the session. Genre, work-involved, time-spent rehearsing and recording and whether or not I have to write or help write my part are all factors.
Q: How much do you charge for songwriting help/music production?
A: Depends on the song. What's the genre? How much time will I spend on it? Is it for personal use or are you trying to get it on the Billboard Top 100? Do I have any rights to royalties generated from the song? Will I have songwriting credit or am I a ghost-writer? What level of quality are you expecting? These are just a handful of factors involved.
Q: Will you write for my blog?
A: Depends on how much you pay me. I ran my own personal music blog for a while and I've done freelance writing for PR companies that involved hyping up music on blogs run by and owned by said PR companies, and I can tell you that writing about music you feel strongly about is easier and more enjoyable than music that is just run-of-the-mill-middle-of-the-road-purgatory-gray OK, so believe me when I say that will be a factor in how much I charge. If I already follow your blog (I keep up with a lot of them) then I may be willing to do a guest feature for payment in exposure, which musician's get paid in a lot these days.
Q: What DAW do you teach/record with?
A: Ableton.
Q: Do you use any other DAWs, and can you teach me how to use them?
A: I know Logic and Reason like the back of my hand, but I no longer have a mac so I can't teach you to use them. I've messed with Reaper and ProTools, but I never used them enough to claim proficiency.
Q: I have to cancel a lesson. Will you charge a cancellation fee?
A: No, but for the sake of maintaining my income I would prefer to reschedule the lesson instead of outright cancelling it. I have a reasonable amount of flexibility in the evening time and I am open to doing make-up lessons on weekends, so I'll work with you if you'll work with me.
Q: Did you go to school for any of this?
A: No. I pursued a degree in Computer Science in college, but dropped out like a champ to pursue a career in music. My parents are so proud. Everything I teach you was learned from my own music instructors, self-researched, self taught or learned through real-world experience, which in the music industry is worth a lot more than an arts degree.
Q: What's your email?
A: If I decide to work with you, you will know what my email is after I reply to you.