Question about ArtistWorks lessons

[Mark Miller]

Does anybody happen to know, if I sign up for a year of the ArtistWorks lessons, do I have to pick only one teacher? I'm interested in the Mike Marshall mandolin lessons and the Michael Daves vocal lessons. But doubling up the cost is too much. Just thought I'd ask here in case anyone has done this and already knows.

[ssjk]

As of a couple of years ago the answer is you must buy both.

I suggested just such an arrangement and got a nice response thanking me for the thought but saying that didn't match their model. They did not say so directly but my reading is that the instructors are basically independent contractors and artistworks is the broker. They have no way to combine offerings for their instructors.

[Rob Beck]

Hello Mark, I registered for Mike's course last year, and to the best of my recollection, your subscription allows you access to a single teacher/course. I don't think it would make good business sense to them for a single subscription to allow access to multiple courses. I'm sure they will advise you if you email them though. Cheers :)

[Mark Miller]

Thanks. That makes sense. I just have to figure out how to prioritize. Do I go for mandolin lessons to improve on something where I at least have some idea what I'm doing, or do I go for vocal lessons where I have no idea what I'm doing beyond just "I've heard that song a bunch and sung along to the CD"? I was leaning towards the vocals now that I actually sing in front of people a little, until I took a look at one of Mike Marshall's sample lessons and already picked up an exercise that I think will help with an issue I've been struggling with. Too many areas to improve on!

[dschonbrun]

Michael Daves also teaches mandolin and guitar... so given your interests, I'd work with him.

[jasona]

One does now appear to be signed up for a second music theory class--or at least I am now since I resubbed to Mike.

[Northwest Steve]

Both Peghead Nation and Artistworks you choose only one instructor. You can go month to month and change instructors but it will cost more than a yearly subscription. The one thing I really like about Mandolins Heal the world is you can access all lessons from any instructor. They have a two week trail if you want to try it and $50 off for café members for the yearly membership. My main concern is since it is fairly new that there will be somewhat limited lessons, but I think as they go on they go on and have more lessons it will be very good.

[KarlinJackson]

ArtistWorks let me change teachers midway through my 6 month membership, but it was a one time thing, so you could do 6 months of one class and the. 6 months of another

[Tony Dillingham]

I've been taking Marshall's lessons for a couple of years now and when Michael's came out I had the same dilemma. I saw one lesson (it's not the free preview one, might have been a post on the mandolin site) where he is teaching "playing what's in your head" and how to mimic vocals on your instrument. Just from that one lesson I'd say if you want to work on good technique and how to play the notes, double stops, pull offs etc.. go for mandolin lessons but if you want to work on "music" and "what notes to play" and need to sing go with Daves. Marshall also covers a lot of theory and you do get access to a good theory course with either, if you get the year long lessons you also get a few VIP lessons from other schools. If I had to sing in front of people I'd switch but that's just because people wouldn't be able to hear my mandolin with their fingers plugging their ears anyway.

[CES]

Thanks to all who chimed in on this one. I've been considering signing up for one of these services for a while, and am now leaning towards Mr. Julin's site for the flexibility, at least initially. All of the positive things I've heard about MM's course still gives me pause, though, admittedly...

[Josh Levine]

I started with MM, was subscribed to both for a little and now am just on MD school. You won't get the Mando technique but you will get the singing technique and learn melodies, which will impact your ability to play mandolin lead and generalize music theory.

[Mark Miller]

I signed up for MM's course, and it is fantastic. He gives great feedback. It's worth it just to watch other people's submissions and his responses to them. I have so much to work on, only now I know what some of it is and have a concrete plan for moving forward with it. Especially technical stuff, which is the hardest to figure out by yourself.