Lessons via Skype ?

[mandodan1960]

Who has tried it ? Pros ? Cons ?

I'm looking for someone who can teach me "How to learn by ear" I still consider myself a beginner. I can find good people semi-locally but just not close enough to home. Is there someone who is just really great. I need the feedback that a teacher can give. I want to get away from tab and start developing my ear.

[Mike Bunting]

Talk to Fred.
http://fredkellermando.com/lessons/

[Rob Gerety]

I want to get away from tab and start developing my ear. Man, I agree with this 100%. Keep us posted on your progress. I swore off tabs a couple of years ago and I am on the same mission. I have made a good deal of progress - still a long long way to go.

[mandroid]

a session amongst a few widely separated players seems a good innovation,
given sometimes there are international borders and oceans separating like minded people..

Ive been teaching myself for decades, [head tunes as a psychiatric problem] ,
because there have been people who only will play with you till the lesson time is over or watch other people in a band which will exclude you just like a sports team ,( or jobsite), who don't want any but top flight players..

[blueron]

If you are interested in blues style mandolin, Rich Delgrosso does online lessons. I have not tried them, but I know one or two people who know Rich personally, and they only have good things to say about the man. You can find out about his online lessons here (http://www.mandolinblues.com/lessons.html).


ron

[Geiss]

John McGann out of Boston (Cafe member) is an amazing player and teacher. I met him at a workshop and he is really stellar.
He teaches via Skype but I have never tried it. Likely decent cam, speakers, monitor and mic will make it all the better....
David

[Newtdude]

Mike Compton offers skype lessons on the Monroe style. I have taken several lessons and they are wonderful -- he's a great teacher!!

[MLT]

I too take on-line lessons (with Randy Torno (http://www.musiclessonsource.com/profile.html)) we have used Skype, but mostly we use SiteSpeed (just another avenue).

I have been doing on-line lessons for some time and find that they are not only very convienent (Saturday Mornings at 9:00 am--my time) but that they work very well. I run my broadband via DSL and I even do wireless on my Netbook (running Windows 7). While there are occasional blips, for the most part it works flawlessly.

The biggest Pro is that you have access to any instructor regardless of location and time-zone that is willing to deliver lessons with this method. Several have already been mentioned. The hard part--picking just one (if need be) that meets the need you are trying to fill.

There are two things that could be seen as cons, depending on your (and the instructors) viewpoint. 1) It is very dificult to play together due to the delay; 2) The instructor is only able to see what you are doing from the camera angle (they are unable to walk, or peek around to see how you are holding the neck, etc.).

While lesson delivery over the internet is not for every student, it works for me. I recommend that you give it a try.

[MadMarine]

I too take on-line lessons (with Randy Torno (http://www.musiclessonsource.com/profile.html)) we have used Skype, but mostly we use SiteSpeed (just another avenue).

I have been doing on-line lessons for some time and find that they are not only very convienent (Saturday Mornings at 9:00 am--my time) but that they work very well. I run my broadband via DSL and I even do wireless on my Netbook (running Windows 7). While there are occasional blips, for the most part it works flawlessly.

The biggest Pro is that you have access to any instructor regardless of location and time-zone that is willing to deliver lessons with this method. Several have already been mentioned. The hard part--picking just one (if need be) that meets the need you are trying to fill.

There are two things that could be seen as cons, depending on your (and the instructors) viewpoint. 1) It is very dificult to play together due to the delay; 2) The instructor is only able to see what you are doing from the camera angle (they are unable to walk, or peek around to see how you are holding the neck, etc.).

While lesson delivery over the internet is not for every student, it works for me. I recommend that you give it a try.

+ 1 with MLT. This is a great opportunity to get lessons with some of the best. I've had lessons with Evan Marshall for over a year. It works for me as well.

[blueron]

A good, one-off youtube lesson from blues mandolinist Bert Deivert is here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyUZtfYJ1ow&playnext_from=TL&videos=YdmYMj78xF0). I have been pestering Bert to put up some more, and he promises me he will think about it. I hope he finds the time, because this one has been really useful for me.

br

[mandodan1960]

First I would like to thank everyone for their input. I have just read the replys and realize I need to probably clairify the type of music that I want/try to play (bluegrass) I'm also really not sure if a top notch instructor for 80ish dollars an hour is necessary for a beginner. You get what you pay for I guess, but I wonder if that sort of instructor might be more appropriate for the seasoned player who needs specific advice or an experienced eye to help sort out things that may be holding them back. Thanks again to all who gave me recommendations. I'm going to post this however, to bump back to the top in hope of getting more responses from personal experience. Mandodan1960

[Nelson Peddycoart]

Hi,

I have found lessons with Mike Compton to be a great benefit. Visit him at mikecompton.net to look into it. I think he is in line with your needs.

Nelson

[Gelsenbury]

This is an interesting thread! I've been thinking about taking online lessons because there don't seem to be many teachers around here (especially for those like me who don't own a car). But I've never understood how the teacher in an online situation could possibly notice the important details for which the student would take lessons in the first place, rather than relying on books and videos. I'm thinking about pick grip, left-hand technique and all those other things for which a close look is needed.

So, those of you who have taken online lessons, please give us some more information. Don't just say "it's great" - how, and why, did or didn't it work for you?

[MadMarine]

This is an interesting thread! I've been thinking about taking online lessons because there don't seem to be many teachers around here (especially for those like me who don't own a car). But I've never understood how the teacher in an online situation could possibly notice the important details for which the student would take lessons in the first place, rather than relying on books and videos. I'm thinking about pick grip, left-hand technique and all those other things for which a close look is needed.

So, those of you who have taken online lessons, please give us some more information. Don't just say "it's great" - how, and why, did or didn't it work for you?

Gelsenbury:

Here's my experience FWIW. There are two things that a good instructor can't do well. 1) walk around and look at your hand positions 2) do duets. However, I've had my teacher admonish me for not using a rest stoke to "bounce off" a lower string when executing a 1/16 note. He could see my right hand clearly enough and hear my sound to know that I had not done the rest stoke. That's pretty good in my book.

There are lots of hand position questions that come up and we seem to find a way to work through them. I've not had a lot of experience with chords. As we started working through those, I noticed that I was using a "classical" guitar approach with my thumb behind the neck. I mentioned that I was having problems with execution. He took one look at my left hand, showed me how he did it and I then modified my approach to having my thumb extending out more above the fretboard. That was the ticket for me.

If it were me, I would have a lengthy discussion with the prospective teacher and talk about your concerns. Then make a decision about the value you might get from lessons vs continuing on you current course. I've been doing this for over a year on a weekly basis and I'm making good progress. That is to say, that it appears to be working for me. YMMV.