meep_launcher

So I thought that BlueSky was set up just like Lemmy in that it was fully decentralized into a sort of "terrorist cell" structure that wasn't focused on profits, but then found out that BlueSky has a CEO. Since this is a business, what makes BlueSky fundamentally different from Twitter or Instagram?

I feel like so long as a social media platform exists through monetization (in some form or another private companies need to make money), we are ultimately replacing one dictator with another.

Hey all!

Not sure if this is the right community since it's geared towards private lessons, but I thought in my experience it's helpful to have resources of different exercises you can give to a student when learning an instrument.

Some walk aways I've had-

Direct the lesson towards a practice plan. A student's progress does not happen in the lesson, it happens when they practice. My job as a teacher is to make practicing as easy, accessible, and fun as possible. Always begin the lesson asking "how was practice this week?" and if they say "I didn't practice", do not shame them. I start with "Hey, that's okay, it happens. What do you think made it difficult to get practice in?" Sometimes it's lack of motivation, sometimes they have competing schedules like school and math homework, sometimes it's something else altogether. I had a 6 year old ukulele student who said she didn't practice and when I asked why not, she pointed to the wall where her ukulele was hanging on a hanger 8 feet in the air. Sometimes it really isn't their fault for being unable to practice. Understanding why can open doors for solutions.

When developing a practice plan, I use this 4 point strategy that we create during the lesson.

• Set an intention for their practice. What do they want to walk away with that they didn't have going into it?

• A technical exercise. These should be geared to making the instrument more physically accessible to the student. These could be scales, long tones for horn players, stretch exercises, even simple hand workouts for guitarists.

• Something to perform. Give your student a goal, and see if you can create a date for a performance. I've had my students hold a small concert at a cafe, and it really gave them the push to be better players.

• Something they love. Ask what their favorite thing to do on their instrument is. This may also unearth some issues if motivation is the problem. They should play their instrument, not work it. This should be fun.

I also make sure to send follow up texts to the parents. This is a good way to keep them in the loop, and make sure they are able to be part of keeping your student accountable to practice. Parents have a huge influence over a child's schedule and are also the ones with the pocket book, so it's important they understand the value of the lessons so they keep scheduling you for more. If you are private practice, this is also a good opportunity to remind them to pay you.

If you are going private practice and need some help with the business side of things, here are some things I've found.

I have set my prices in a two tier system. I have a price for one off lessons, and then a reduced price for bundle purchases. This means I give a good 20% off if they book 4 lessons at a time. Even though this may seem like a hit, I've found the biggest hole in my bucket are cancelations. For me, my one off lessons are $100 for an hour, but with the bundle it drops to $80.

If I am offering lessons to someone who is lower income, I have also figured out other ways to help lower the cost on them without reducing my rates. I travel to my students, so if they come to me, I may give an additional discount. Another one would be to offer a group lesson with multiple students with another discount.

For Marketing, Facebook is a great place to post advertisements. Join a neighborhood group and make a post ~once a week depending on the activity of the group. You don't want to spam them, but you also want to make sure you don't fall off the algorithm. If you add in a video of you giving a 60 second taste of what you teach, that also can get you some interest.

In a lesson, I make sure to have improvisation games as it can take the pressure off the student to read music. I reserve the last 5 minutes to cool down where I will lay down a bass line or chord progression, and give the student a few keys they can play to make a solo. As they progress I give them more and more freedom. It's amazing what they can do!

There are some games for technique- I created a little game called "pianist's-monte" where the student has to conceal a small paper ball in a hand and then start playing the piano. I then have to decide what hand is holding the ball. It does exaggerate the "claw" needed to have good technique, but it can really help undo the spread fingers that a kid could develop.

For horns, I play mouthpiece games where we imitate different animals. Reed's can be geese and brass can be ducks. We then have a conversation as a geese or ducks. It's hilarious and it can help with some embouchure practice.

That's all I can think of now! Hope this helps someone!

Hello!

I'm (30m) going on a date tomorrow, which I am excited about, but also very anxious about. I've had a horrible pattern of failed relationships for various reasons. Some ended ugly, some ended civil, some ended and we still get together as friends. Still, my heart feels congested and bruised after so many heartbreaks. I feel broken and poisoned and ruined.

I don't consider myself a witch, and I don't usually think of myself as especially spiritual, but yesterday I felt especially nervous about a future relationship. Am I ready? Will I hurt them? Will they hurt me? Will I pass up the opportunity to find love with the kindest, softest, cutest, happiest person I've met? I thought about how I felt after the 20 years of me falling for people, and all that I've been through.

My friend who is a witch gave me some sage a while ago, so I decided to light the sage and walk in a circle in my apartment. I was improvising, but thought maybe I could do SOMETHING. ANYTHING.

I said the name of all of my exes out loud, with long pauses in between for me to reflect on the relationship, how I felt in the beginning, the middle, and the end of each one. Some I felt warmth remembering how kind they were to me. Some I felt gratitude to what they taught me. Some I cried because of the guilt of how I left them. Some I cried because of the memory of how they left me. The ones who were especially impactful I gave a full 10 minutes of silence and reflection. I said all the names of my partners going back to the initial most innocent "relationship" I had in 4th grade. I felt some relief, and felt better about my date as I was going into it without as much of the baggage that held me down before.

What are your thoughts? I really don't know what I'm doing but I know I want to stop feeling the guilt and sadness of the people I loved. I am so lucky to have loved so many people, but also feel like I need to let go.