Grab a lesson before I go

[Amanda Gregg]

Hey folks,

Here's a bittersweet post: in about a year, there is a good chance I will no longer be living on the East Coast, because I'll be done with graduate school and starting a job who-knows-where.

Before I go, I thought it would be fun to try to grab a lesson in person with a few folks in my area, broadly construed. I'm looking for recommendations. Who would be your dream teachers? Who is actually available? Lately I play mostly bluegrass, but that's not constraining.

I was thinking about asking Andy Statman, but I have no idea if he would take a student out of the blue for a lesson or two.

Will be curious to see your responses.

[Don Grieser]

Definitely Andy. One of these days I'm going to make it to the big city and take a lesson from Andy. I've also taken a couple lessons from Frank Wakefield, a little farther from you, but worth the drive IMHO. Those are the 2 I'd recommend, but definitely Andy.

[David Smith]

Adam Steffey is in Johnson City Tennessee and might be willing to give it a run.

[Amanda Gregg]

I've also taken a couple lessons from Frank Wakefield, a little farther from you, but worth the drive IMHO.

Don, where does Frank hang out these days? Do you know if he is still taking students?

[Don Grieser]

Saratoga springs ny. He's on Facebook--I'm sure you could find out if you could get a lesson. It's worth the $ just to hear that Loar from a few feet away for an hour and watch his right hand up close.

[Josh Levine]

I took a lesson from Andy last summer and am about to be out there again and will contact him to see if he is free. I also had a great lesson from Michael Daves -- he is also a mandolin player -- he is pretty expensive though.

[bart mcneil]

"I also had a great lesson from Michael Daves -- he is also a mandolin player -- he is pretty expensive though."

Out of pure curiosity: Roughly how much is "pretty expensive" for like an hour lesson? I have never had a lesson, and probably never will, but Michael Graves is really impressive and I think we might speak the same language music-wise. What little I have seen\heard of his mando playing I like very much. This is probably just a pipe-dream on my part and I wouldn't want to be embarrassed by asking him and then having to reject the idea for financial reasons.

If the above question is out of line I apologize.

[Amanda Gregg]

JWalterWeatherman, if you don't feel like sharing Michael's rates on the public forum, I'm sure Bart and I would appreciate a PM. I'm also curious about how much is "pretty expensive."

[Jim Garber]

Another one to consider is Barry Mitterhoff. He is an excellent teacher and plays in many genres.

I took a few lessons from Andy Statman way back in the 1980s -- it might have been from even before he got into Klezmer -- and he is a real phenomenon but i wasn't quite sure what i wanted to learn from him at that time. I was not really into bluegrass and I am not sure he could figure out what he could teach me. no reflection on him or his teaching style.

As for teaching rates from top notch players: I am planning on taking some lessons from a prominent irish fiddler and his rates are $40 per half hour and $80 per hour, which seemed reasonable for the greater NY area and for the quality of teaching and the experience of the teacher.

[yankees1]

Quote "$40 per half hour and $80 per hour " No discount for one hour ?

[bart mcneil]

Regarding Michael Graves.. One if the coolest things about him is his mando. While others play several thousands of dollar Gibsons, he plays an old pre-war(?) Harmony and it sounds just fine.

[Amanda Gregg]

Nevermind, JWalter, I see that Michael has actually posted his rates on his site: http://www.michaeldaves.net/lessons/policies.htm

[Jim Garber]

Regarding Michael Graves.. One if the coolest things about him is his mando. While others play several thousands of dollar Gibsons, he plays an old pre-war(?) Harmony and it sounds just fine.

Who is Michael Graves? Do you mean Daves? I can't find any online photos of MD playing mandolin but he seems to be into cheapo Harmony guitars.

[Amanda Gregg]

I think he must mean Daves. In any case, Michael Daves does indeed play mandolin. Check this out:

[Nathan Kellstadt]

[bart mcneil]

To Kim Garber:

Sorry!! My mistake. Of course I meant Michael Daves.

[Josh Levine]

Sorry to be cryptic about Dave's pricing. When I took a lesson from him his rate was 90/hour as the posted prices are for regular students that commit to a month at a time. He was also only offering intensive lessons (2+ hours). However, I must say that the lesson I had with him has been extremely influential on my playing over the past year. He is extremely talented.

Andy on the other hand charges $100 for a lesson, which in my case exceeded an hour

[Jim Garber]

To Kim Garber:

Sorry!! My mistake. Of course I meant Michael Daves.

To Mart BcNeil: Apology axcepted!! Kim

[bart mcneil]

Were I a beginner that would sound like an awful lot of money, but a single one hour of critique and suggestions to improve my playing would be well worth the money I suspect... It is definitely worth considering... (as long as I don't tell my wife)

[fatt-dad]

these are legends of the mandolin and they're cheaper than my plumber.

f-d

[SincereCorgi]

these are legends of the mandolin and they're cheaper than my plumber.

f-d

That's a great way of putting it. If I had Andy in my backyard, I'd plop down my $100 every month or so and think it was money well spent.

This is a really good idea for a thread. I should start one for the bay area.

[bayAreaDude]

That's a great way of putting it. If I had Andy in my backyard, I'd plop down my $100 every month or so and think it was money well spent.

This is a really good idea for a thread. I should start one for the bay area.

Please do - not really clear to me if Mike Marshall does lessons anymore, but he used to do them in Oakland for $100/hr.

[LongBlackVeil]

If I was close to Daves I would totally be getting a lesson. Though I didn't even know he played mandolin.

I first heard him on the album he did with Chris Thile, honestly that's the only album I like that Chris is in. He's an amazing mando player, not a fan of most of his music though. But michael daves, I love all his stuff.

Like others said, those rates don't seem so ridiculous for such high profile musicians

100/hr for a personal lesson with mike marshall? He could charge twice that and people would take him up

[Killian King]

I was looking into taking guitar lessons from Daves when I lived in NYC 5 years ago. Unless things have changed quite a bit, he doesn't have a lot of openings for new students. It is also easier to get a lesson if you travel to him in Brooklyn.

[bart mcneil]

fatt-dad wrote:
"these are legends of the mandolin and they're cheaper than my plumber."

Yes but these "legends of mandolin" don't have to stick their hands in places your plumber does.