What Makes a Good Saxophone Teacher?
It’s really important when you decide to start learning a new instrument that you pick the best teacher for you who is going to be focused on getting the best from you and helping you progress. Your saxophone teacher should not only have all the right credentials for the job but also should be the right fit for you and your learning style. Let’s have a look at a few of the things you should be looking out for.
Experience
If you’re serious about learning the saxophone, you want to make sure that your teacher is serious about teaching you. Before you choose your teacher, you should make sure that they have the appropriate accreditation for teaching the instrument as well as plenty of experience as both a performer and a teacher. Why as a performer? Although you don’t want your teacher to be cancelling your lessons due to a last minute gig, previous experience performing the saxophone means that they’ll be able to give you a unique perspective on the instrument in addition to providing you with some inspiration. It will also be beneficial if you check that they teach full-time or at least that this is their primary job; you don’t want to be taught by someone who’s just doing it in the evenings for fun and a bit of extra money. You want someone who is going to be committed to you and your learning. That leads nicely on to my next point…
Focus and organization
It’s imperative that your teacher is organized so your lessons are well structured and no time is wasted during the lesson working out what you should be doing. Preparation on the teacher’s part is the key! This is generally one of the benefits of working with an experienced saxophone teacher; they will be well aware of the importance of organization in delivering a good lesson. If your teacher is well prepared and has organized the structure of your lesson in advance, making sure that they have everything they need, they will be in a much better position for the lesson itself where they will be able to focus entirely on you and your learning.
A good fit for you
Arguably the most important trait to look out for when you’re choosing a music teacher is making sure the teacher is a good fit for your personality and learning style. If you are after a more relaxed style of lesson, look around to find a teacher who can give that to you. Conversely, if you’re after a stricter schedule, possibly working towards grade achievements, then you’ll need to find a teacher willing and able to offer you that. Helpfully, many teachers offer a trial session where you can spend some time with them to discuss what you’re after and what you’re intending to achieve from your lessons. It’s also important to sort out the practicalities: is your dream teacher in a good location for you? Can they offer you the lesson time that you need?
So there you have it – there are lots of things to consider when choosing the perfect teacher to provide your saxophone lessons. Make sure you find out if they have credible experience, an organised and focused approach and, most importantly, whether they’ll be the perfect fit for you and your learning style.
Do not stop with just their credentials. Make sure you also check out how they do in the above aspects. You may interview previous students of your shortlisted saxophone teachers and get their inputs and opinions. It is important to get as many feedback as you can from as many people as you can.