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Thread: question for anyone taking lessons online at artistworks

  1. #1
    Registered User AndyPanda's Avatar
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    Default question for anyone taking lessons online at artistworks

    Hi ... I am thinking of signing up for the Mike Marshall lessons at artistworks. The ability to upload videos and get a personalized video response is what makes it seem really worthwhile to me. But, please correct me if I'm wrong, I think you spend most of your lesson time watching and working with pre-packaged video lessons... and the video exchange with the teacher is more infrequent, right?

    So what's bugging me is the pre-packaged video lessons are only available online and only while you are subscribed. I mean if I buy a DVD course, I have the videos to watch whenever I want (even years from now) but they tell me the video lessons cannot be downloaded for me to watch offline or after my subscription is over.

    Seems like once I've paid $280 for 12 months I ought to be able to watch the pre-packaged lesson videos again anytime I want even after the 12 months is up. (obviously not any new videos that get released after the 12 months - but I should be able to re-watch the videos I've already paid for).

    Or am I just fussing over nothing?

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    Default Re: question for anyone taking lessons online at artistworks

    Your assessment is correct. Good course, not frequent enough exchange with instructor. If you want a course that you can download and view anytime, you might check out one of Matt Flinner's courses
    http://www.mattflinner.com/2017/02/b...-curriculum-3/
    He does many other courses as well

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  4. #3
    Registered User AndyPanda's Avatar
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    Default Re: question for anyone taking lessons online at artistworks

    I took a look at the sample lessons with Nathan East (I'm interested in bass lessons as well as mando) and his video response had a length apology for taking so long to respond due to being on tour. I got the impression several months had passed (though he didn't specifically say how long - just going on intensity of the apology).

    I know Mike Marshall has specifically talked about how he can easily respond to videos from hotel room while on tour - so maybe it's just Nathan hasn't figured that out yet.

    Can anyone who has taken the course comment on how long it typically takes from submitting a video to getting a video response from the teacher? I ask because the video exchange is the most compelling part - and I had planned on buying the 12 month course because the video exchange is unlimited where the three month plan only allows 5 videos to be uploaded. But if the response time is long - you might not even be able to do 5 video exchanges in 3 months (they tell me you don't upload another video until the first one has been responded to).

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    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: question for anyone taking lessons online at artistworks

    If interaction with the teacher is really important, then perhaps in person lessons or individual Skype sessions will work better for you. there is a tradeoff in price/individual service. I doubt Artistworks is setup to handle each student submitting a video weekly and expecting a response. That would seem to be overwhelming for each instructor.
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    Default Re: question for anyone taking lessons online at artistworks

    I found exchange with Mike Marshall was about every 3-4 weeks. By that time, I had already moved on to 2 or 3 other lessons.
    You're also restricted from posting a new video until your return video arrives

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    Registered User dwc's Avatar
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    Default Re: question for anyone taking lessons online at artistworks

    You are correct. You are buying a subscription that allows access to content; you are not actually buying content. In addition, most of the learning is done by watching pre-made video content and working through packaged lessons. I never submitted a video lesson, but my feeling is that response times vary significantly by instructor. Mike Mashall seems to do responses in batches every couple of weeks.

    There is nothing wrong with the material, I just find that I don't learn well via intenet videos.

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    Default Re: question for anyone taking lessons online at artistworks

    Not only does he seem to respond timely and with detail, but all submitted videos and his responses to those are available for to see. I probably learned as much from others videos. But nothing beats a group of private lessons - in person or otherwise - because you can usually tailor the lesson to your needs/wants

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    Default Re: question for anyone taking lessons online at artistworks

    Overall, I still liked Artistworks. I thought it was worth it for about 6 months. The quality of the video exchange was good, but not frequent enough. I think Artistworks is a victim of its own success. Too hard to keep up with submissions

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    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: question for anyone taking lessons online at artistworks

    Quote Originally Posted by AndyPanda View Post
    So what's bugging me is the pre-packaged video lessons are only available online and only while you are subscribed. I mean if I buy a DVD course, I have the videos to watch whenever I want (even years from now) but they tell me the video lessons cannot be downloaded for me to watch offline or after my subscription is over.?
    I would be, to me, a good thing.

    I like situations where it's "learn it now". Having a DVD that I can play anytime in the future means that I never have to play it right now. I can always get to it tomorrow.

    My analogy would be - I really like it when someone is teaching me a tune in person. I resist the temptation to record them for the future, because it will hijack my motivation to learn it in the present. So I pay attention harder and work harder because who knows when I'll get this chance again and now is the time and this is the chance I have to learn it.

    I find learning, learning anything, uncomfortable. And, to my discredit, I often try to put off what is uncomfortable. A presentation in real time, or that I know will expire, kind of keeps me in the game even when it gets a little uncomfortable.

    Of course what is uncomfortable is that I am uncomfortable with my ignorance. So I would rather resolve the discomfort by fighting the ignorance, rather than backing away from the discomfort by putting off the experience with the rationalization that I can always get to it in the future.

    Better for me to be learning, than to be planning to be learning.

    Just my personality type.
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    Registered User Freddyfingers's Avatar
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    Default Re: question for anyone taking lessons online at artistworks

    It was very cool getting a video from mike Marshall. It took about two weeks for the first response, and a little less for the second. He is very good at watching your video and nailing some strengths and weaknesses. The lessons they offer are great, but yes, you can only get them while subscribed. My three month ran out and I had not funds to renew. That didn't stop them from sending me many please come back emails with decent discounts. At the end of last year they offered a 50% coupon, which I was unable to take advantage of because the holidays tapped me out. If cash is in hand, well worth the investment. As much as I enjoyed mike, I would even consider taking the blues harmonica class they offer. I give them high regards overall, and would recommend it to many. I still have a email from mike that I saved. When ever I am down on playing, I go back and read it. Very encouraging!
    Its not a backwards guitar.

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  19. #11
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    Default Re: question for anyone taking lessons online at artistworks

    At Artistworks, for $23.50/month for a year or a bit more for one month, you get two lessons/month (in some cases a bit longer if Marshall is unusually busy) and access to hundreds of other peoples' lessons. If you wish, you could take lessons 24/7. I've learned as much from watching others' lessons as I have my own. I love it.

    Not for everyone, of course; not downloadable and not one-on-one in real time. If I were the OP, I'd try one or two on for size. There are options, all of a sudden.

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    Default Re: question for anyone taking lessons online at artistworks

    I started these in December and am very pleased. I also take an occasional lesson from a local teacher, and the two of them don't always agree in approach;-) I played Guitar prior to taking up the mandolin.

    The Artists Works lessons are MUCH MORE VALUABLE than they first appear. The number of pre-packaged videos is indeed rather limited, but I figured out two things that more than make up for it.

    #1 I probably get more value from watching Mikes responses to everyone else's video submissions than I do the pre-packaged lesson. If you just watch the pre-packaged lesson, you are missing most of the value. When you are working on a lession, if you watch several of the video responses, he will almost always answer the nagging question that you have been asking yourself.

    #2 I cheat pretty regularly and watch videos that are in the intermediate section. It is amazing how often Marshall will refer back to the very earliest lessons and say something like "you remember that pickup line from the Old Joe Clark lesson?" or "remember how we tagged the ending on Liberty in one of your first lessons?". What this tells me is that by following the curriculum, and learning some simple old standards, the system is preparing me to re-use that learning to take bigger steps in the future. The curriculum is well thought out (can you tell I am an educator?

    In any case, I am also a big believer in any system, local or online, that forces you to play for someone else, mistakes and all, and hear feedback from someone who is experienced.

    I still search YouTube for tidbits, and I still rely on my local teacher, but most of the time when I see contradictions among them, I end up trusting Mike Marshall. In short, it has been very worthwhile for me. If your learning is important to you, splurge and try Artist Works for a few months. I suspect you will be pleased that you did.

    Hope this is helpful

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  23. #13

    Default Re: question for anyone taking lessons online at artistworks

    I've been taking Artistworks Flatpicking Guitar with Bryan Sutton for about a year and a half and have found the format to work very well for me. In that time, I've submitted 3 different videos to Bryan. This has been transformative as I get super nervous playing for others and the idea of submitting a video to a Grammy awarded artist kind of blew me away. His positive response and the feedback I've received from other players has really made me feel more at ease and with each one I'm more relaxed. I have a goal to submit more often this year. It takes roughly one to two weeks for him to respond depending on his schedule, but when he does, I get a thoughtful analysis of my submission that is normally about 13 to 15 minutes long. Bryan always gives me areas to improve and exercises to help. As others have mentioned, a lot of the benefit is watching others submissions as you can usually identify some of the same areas you struggle with. It's also been interesting to note my improvement from my first video to now.
    I've found that for my busy life, this format works pretty well and have been considering Mike's mandolin lessons. As far as cost, if you wait for any holiday(President's day, Memorial Day, etc) they will usually send out a 25% to 30% off code if you are on their mailing list.

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