Voice Teacher Interview Topics: Money Matters

When looking for a voice teacher to help you improve your singing the financial implications of the relationship have to be taken into consideration. It is important for you to have all money matters clearly spelled out and understood.

Cost

The cost of voice lessons varies depending on location. The price of voice lessons in New York City or San Francisco may be $100 and up for an hour-long lesson, but you may pay only $50 for an hour’s instruction in a small town in the Midwest.

You may also want to ask the teacher whether you can opt for a half-hour lesson (or an hour lesson every other week), if that fits your budget better.

If you’re a beginner, you may prefer taking a half-hour lesson anyway. Your muscles are just figuring out what to do, and your voice and brain may be quite tired after a half hour of work. When your skills improve, you can increase the time.

The fame of the voice teacher can also affect the cost. Voice teachers who’ve had successful performance careers or famous students charge more than teachers just starting out.

The famous teacher may be able to help you with contacts in the business as your technique advances, but high prices don’t guarantee better results or a better teacher. You have to try some lessons to know whether it works for you.

The price of lessons doesn’t guarantee the best or worst teacher. You may find a young teacher just starting out who has terrific rates but doesn’t know anything yet about teaching.

The famous teacher who charges more than your rent may not be the right teacher for you, either, if you resent having to shell out the dough for lessons. Shop around and ask plenty of questions.

Payment policy

Ask about the teacher’s payment policy. If you agree to set a specific lesson time each week with a teacher, the teacher may require that you pay in advance. This policy is common with teachers who have large studios. Other teachers may allow you to set up a lesson whenever you find enough money. Ask about scheduling during your initial conversation so that you don’t encounter any surprises.

You also want to ask about the method of payment. If your teacher requires cash, you need to make sure that you hit the ATM before lessons. Checks are usually acceptable, and many teachers accept credit cards in their studio or via an online account.

If you pay in advance, keep track of the number of lessons. Most teachers are good about keeping up with lessons, but you want to know when that next payment is due.

Cancellation policy

You need to know the cancellation policy. You don’t want to be surprised when you call in sick and the teacher requires you to pay for the missed lesson. Most teachers require that you give 24 hours’ notice if you plan to cancel a lesson.

Other teachers require that you make up a lesson within a certain period of time to avoid being penalized. Teachers who have very full studios may not even offer a cancellation policy. Be sure to ask so that you know going in whether getting sick can cost you big bucks.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/voice-teacher-interview-topics-money-matters.html