[Church Drummer]

This is a great thread, Gimme you've given us a great example about adapting lessons to the students. I also think it's great you start students out with how to take apart and put together and tune the set. The first thing guitar players need to learn before they tackle there first chords is how to change strings, and tune their instruments, but it amazes me that few beginning guitar teachers do that. I've had a couple of students come to me frustrated because they can't get their guitars to sound right, to find out their teacher hasn't taught them to tune, and tunes the guitar for them at their lessons.

The local music scene here isn't anywhere near what it used to be. DJs and Kareoke here like everywhere else have killed the market for live music, both for clubs and weddings. We have another thing to contend with here also. We have the Eastman School of Music which is a great community resourse, but with the wealth of music instructors and students they get a lot of the work that is out there. It has become the practice now when someone needs players for a show they call the college first (one stop shopping).

I've always had a day job, so I've never tried to make a living playing music full time. I got tired of the bar scene, and weddings got to be pretty boring (if I ever have to play the macarena or the chicken dance again, please take me out and shoot me first). Not to mention the older I got the harder it was to go out playing and get up for work the next morning. Being in an Army reserve band until I retired a few years back, also kept me playing and practicing too. So since it has always been more of a part time job / hobbie for me. I practice as much as I can, and take lessens from time to time when things start to get stale. There are opportunities out there for the hobbiest (someone who plays for the love of it, and not for the money), besides playing for church I've played piano and guitar as a solo performer (and sometimes when available I'll put together a small jazz ensemble use a drummer, and bass player, and sometimes a sax or trumpet) for senior centers, nursing homes, I've played in community orchestras, summer festivals, etc. If you love music and just want to get out there and play with and for people you can find ways to do it. At this point I'm just glad that I don't have to rely on music as a source of income. If I pick up enough paying jobs to help defer the cost of strings, heads, sticks, and the occasional instrument upgrade I'm happy!!