Eisboch wrote:
"Just wait a frekin' minute!" wrote in
message ...

We have a small music shop here in town that does that. They have several
rooms in the back and a group of teachers. They do everything from flute
to piano but you wouldn't have to. I assume that this is the actual bulk
of the shops income.

Also they cater to beginners with the lessons and of course in that, must
keep a small inventory of cheap guitars, lot's of sheet music, and
associated supplies... I suppose if someone wants a better guitar, they
send them to Guitar Center. I doubt the kind of folks you cater to would
walk in either of these places...

My son in law who would make a great teacher if he was closer used to work
there part time for extra money for about a year. He is a bit young but if
you wanted to pick his brain a bit about the operation, I could arrange a
call. He is a very well educated guitarist, runs a recording studio, and
is a straight up kind of guy, if not a bit young and "fresh"...

I think my point is if you start giving lessons, you will need to carry
more stuff that "beginner" musicians need to support them...

Maybe you could "broker" lessons with a few teachers who do in home/studio
sessions.


Your points are the reason I haven't moved forward with the lessons thing.
Actually, the lessons are not a major cash generator for a music shop.
Typically, beginner type lessons are around 20 bucks per half hour.
The fee is divided up between the instructor and the shop ... usually 12 to
the instructor and 8 to the shop to help cover overhead. You need
additional liabiliy insurance to do lessons on site that is not required if
you are only doing equipment sales.

The idea is that the lessons hopefully lead to equipment and supply sales
from the shop.
In my case, you are correct. The type of customers that have been coming in
should be giving lessons, not taking them. The one exception is the guy I
have gotten to know at Berklee who has suggested that he and an associate
conduct guitar clinics at the shop. These aren't guitar lessons. They are
geared for semi-pro and professionals and deal more with issues of advanced
technique and other style nuances.

Eisboch



That sounds better, I like the idea of clinics. Get a few guys in for a
couple of hours, close the front doors and let the "pro" move around the
shop with a short seminar and q and a at the end using whatever happens
to be on the wall. Might sell a guitar or two there too

The Mouse took a course Monday which worked like that sort of. The track
pro started with "gate drops" (starts) and went over it with the
students for a bout an hour and a half. Showing them, watching them,
correcting them. Then they did a couple hours of left turns, then right,
then dragon backs, then jumps. Over and over again the students would
run a circuit with the pro there pulling them off to talk to them
individually while the rest kept going. The last two hours was up to the
students. They decided among themselves what they wanted the pro to work
with them on as a group.

Just sayin' sounds like you are having a great time, wish I was closer.
Good luck and if you ever want to open a branch down here, I got the guy
for you...