All posts by Rob
My Totally Awesome FREE Christmas Carol Songbook
To download, join my free music teacher support mailing listI’ll have you caroling before you can say “Wenceslas”. One-click unsubscribe any time. What’s InsideThis updated 2023 edition is a free* 33 page PDF ready to printProfessional-quality guitar chord charts for youLyric sheets for singersInstructions for reading chartsTips for leading sing-alongsHints for playing each song* Shameless […]
Continue reading10 Tips for Teaching Tough Rhythms
What’s the hardest lesson you’ve ever had? Here are some of mine: * Telling a very funny, witty, bright teenage student that her banter was was making it difficult to teach her. * Exercising patience while a 6-year-old who was hiding her anxiety about making mistakes by pretending to be so exhausted she couldn’t stay awake. * Making […]
Continue readingBring Sloppy Students Under Control by Finding the Notes
Note: This is the first post in my Six Favorite Music Teaching Techniques series. You can download my one-page printable cheat sheet of all six techniques here. I’m sure this has happened countless times in your music lessons: You put a piece of challenging new music in front of your student, and, curious to see […]
Continue readingFeeling Unqualified to Teach Music? Join the Crowd. Literally.
Do you ever feel like an imposter teaching music? Maybe you’ve got a student who you just can’t reach, or you’re creating your first Facebook ad and you can’t even find your account. To me, these moments feel like I’m trapped in the cockpit of a space shuttle, and it’s suddenly taking off. “Where’s the […]
Continue readingThe Surprising Secret to a Flourishing Music Teaching Business
Giving my students great experiences on stage is the most important thing I do as a music teacher. Once they tap into the magic of making honestly good music for an appreciative crowd, the crappy aspects of teaching music evaporate. You know the crappy aspects I’m talking about: Sure, they’d like to practice “Norwegian Wood,” but they’re just […]
Continue readingHow to Talk to an Upset Student
A powerful listening skill that helps you get to the heart of the matter.Ella shuffles into my studio, half-size guitar dangling in one hand, and Mattie, her doll, in the other. Just six years old, Ella is one of my youngest students. She’s usually bubbly, and last week she left excited to work on the […]
Continue readingHow to Email Your Music Students About a Rate Increase
OK, you’ve decided to raise your rates. Time to email your music students. You sit at your computer. Your heart accelerates. You type a few words, and nausea churns in your gut. How do you write this without sounding like a douchebag? And what if it drives away your students? Could this one email destroy your business? I […]
Continue readingThe Golden Lesson Plan: The formula I use for 95% of my music lessons
Check out my Facebook Live broadcast on this topic. I am so excited to share this with you today–the lesson format I use for almost all my lessons. Make it a habit to structure your lessons in this way, and you will never have to stress about planning again. If you’ve ever launched into a music lesson […]
Continue reading4 Reasons to Stop Competing With Other Music Teachers
Check out my Facebook Live broadcast on this topic. I was gushing to my mom earlier this week about my upcoming course for music teachers, and as is often the case when I hyperventilate about something, she had some words of caution. “Aren’t you kind of shooting yourself in the foot though, honey? Helping other teachers?” she […]
Continue readingRun Your Business Like a General
The greatest battles of life are fought out daily in the silent chambers of the soul. – David O. McKay This tree-hugging pacifist has joined the military. Not literally, of course. The army wouldn’t want my bad eyes, bad back, and (as soon as the shooting starts) bad attitude. But I’ve been applying some military discipline to […]
Continue reading