 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2016-07-13 12:17
After many years of traveling between two different music stores with a rolling cart and computer backpack I'm finally in the process of setting up a lessons studio that will be mine full-time for teaching and practicing. I'm greatly looking forward to being able to have most everything I need close at hand, but need to be efficient. The room is only going to be 8'10" x 7'.
I'm starting to shop and hoping some of you might have ideas to offer based on experience, either as a teacher or a student, of things that seemed to work particularly well in such a situation (or things to avoid).
I'll be purchasing a computer and printer, speakers, chairs, storage space for music and supplies, music stand, etc. One idea I have is to put the computer monitor on an extendable swivel mount so that it can be swung into position for easy music reading.
Thanks in advance for your input!
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2016-07-13 12:36
Several sturdy music and instrument stands. You can't always rely on students to bring their own. A backup instrument for whatever you teach. The students would use their own mouthpieces. A video recorder, to ensure that every lesson is on record. This is partly for your own protection and partly for reference. Give some thought to the room acoustics and furnish it accordingly.
Tony F.
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2016-07-13 17:19
Piano/keyboard..space for a parent to sit...climate control..clarinet pegs or devices to stabilize musical instruments when not in play...
medieval torture devices for non-complying students and their parents?? ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif)
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Author: Nessie1
Date: 2016-07-13 18:21
Sounds like quite a lot to get into a room that size Therefore I would second your idea of making as much as possible wall-mounted - you could get magazine/brochure racks to use for music, for example. There are also modular systems for smaller items - e.g. your boxes of reeds etc. Look in stationery places or hardware stores. I'm thinking of the kind of thing where a basic panel fixes to the wall and you can then choose add-ons of little shelves, drawers, pots for pencils etc.
Again, to make the most of space, how about a fairly basic bench-type seat (by bench I mean fairly flat and plain in lines, but not necessarily wooden) which is both suitable for a parent or other observer to sit on and for people to put their cases on to get their instrument out.
I suggest you make sure that lighting is good for music reading as well!
Have fun kitting out your space and hope the teaching practice develops well.
Vanessa.
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Author: Nessie1
Date: 2016-07-13 18:31
One other thing - do bear in mind that if you are doing a block of teaching, at some points there will be three people with instruments out, cases open etc (You, pupil A, pupil B) which can be quite difficult - I have been in studios where it is quite hard to decide where to put your case down! I would say not to underestimate the space needed for unpacking and packing instruments.
Vanessa.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2016-07-13 20:55
*** Keep it simple. ***
You don't need to video lessons. Why? I don't get paid to spend time looking at videos. Nor do you need a chair for parents. I don't allow parents in the room, or younger siblings. They can go to Starbucks across the street, go shopping, or wait in their car. Most of them drop the kids off then split for 45 minutes. Most of the older high school students drive themselves.
2 chairs (metal folding chairs, similar to what they have at school), 2 good music stands. A clarinet stand for the student.
A light stand between the student's and teacher's chairs.
A clock right in front of me on the wall so I don't run overtime.
A box of tissues, a trash can, a box of bandaids, a bottle of Tylenol. Students occasionally need these items.
Spare reeds - I keep some in various sizes around. I have a box - you put in a new reed, you can take one to try (of a different brand or strength).
A box of spare mouthpieces in case I want the student to try out different mouthpieces. A selection of different types of ligatures, same reason.
If they need the bathroom, great, go inside and use it. My spouse doesn't bite.
I have some bookshelves on the wall with boxes of music. (solos, duets, trios quartets, etc., organized by difficulty level). Or at least they're organized at the beginning of the school year. By the end of the year, right after solo & ensemble contest season, its a mess...
A folding stool, higher than a chair, for bass clarinet players.
A file folder with commonly needed handouts (scale sheets, names of music stores, repair shops, etc.).
I don't use a computer in lessons, except to occasionally print off a piece of sheet music. I keep a computer (in another room) and printer booted up, just in case I need to print off a scale sheet or something. There is one in the studio, but rarely used. Once in awhile I make one of the kids look up something online - audition music, something off their band's calendar, etc. I used to use one extensively, but some years ago came to the realization that I should spend most of the time having the kids play - and me commenting on their playing, and not fooling around with computers in the lessons. YMMV. Some teachers use computers extensively in lessons, some do not.
Piano? Why? Not needed for clarinet lessons.
A cd player. I'll play a recording for the student once in awhile - usually when we're first looking at a solo.
Simple repair tools - kid's instruments are always breaking. I keep sand paper, screwdrivers, and a few other items handy. A small supply of Valentino pads is helpful.
A piece of glass, a reed knife, reed clipper, and sandpaper.
A small table (for cases and music) and 1 extra chair for the next student, whom I expect to arrive a few minutes early. Sometimes I have siblings or friends with back to back lessons, so the table is useful for them to study when waiting.
A backup instrument? What for? If a student shows up without their clarinet, they go home, without refund. Or they spend the time clapping and counting out rhythms. If they don't own a clarinet, they need a different teacher.
Start out simple, add stuff over time as you decide you need something else in the studio.
I'd attach a photo, but the studio is a mess and in bad need of cleaning...
I hope that's helpful to you.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: kdk
Date: 2016-07-13 21:00
If you're going to be doing any reed work (either for students or in your own practice time), you'll need some kind of stable, flat surface to work on with its own lighting. I have a desk in my studio, but your space may not be big enough for even a small one, so some kind of small table would be enough.
Is this a room in your home or in a commercial rental space? If it's in your home, sitting areas for parents can be outside the studio itself, in a hallway or an adjacent room where parents can be comfortable but within earshot of the lesson. If cases become a problem, they can be left with the waiting parent. If a parent insists on sitting in the studio, a simple chair is enough.
If you're using the room as a practice studio as well as a teaching area, I've found it convenient to have two music stands - one for my music and a separate one for the student so I don't have to move my material every time I teach a lesson.
Karl
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Author: grenadilla428
Date: 2016-07-14 07:49
Folding chairs are great - they get out of the way easily if you want the student to stand. Test them out in the store though; you're going to spend quite a bit of time sitting on it.
I personally need a piano for a fair amount of the year. But then I often accompany my students as they work on literature in their lessons. Plus, I tend to compose at the piano. There are stretches of time when it isn't played much. We also sometimes use it for theory. The bench doubles as a work surface, a seat for a visiting parent (or me and the second folding chair is stashed for parents), and a practice chair for me since I like its height better than the folding chair.
A book case is a must, and you might be able to find one that would accommodate your computer. You may also look into a laptop if space is going to be super-tight.
Enjoy the new setup!
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2016-07-14 07:59
"You don't need to video lessons. Why? I don't get paid to spend time looking at videos."
Watching videos isn't what I had in mind. In todays litigious society I would want all lessons recorded for my own protection. While I've never had such a problem I have friends who offer coaching who have had problems in the past. Call me paranoid if you like.
Tony F.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2016-07-14 08:43
Climate control has already been mentioned above, but I cannot overstate how critical that's going to be in such a small space. Two musicians working out in such a small room are apt to make the room uncomfortably warm (with tuning going haywire) well before a lesson is over. Add a computer and there's even more BTUs being spewed into your small space.
I would add to the list an actual hi-fi bookshelf stereo, with discrete speakers properly installed on the longest wall relative to the listening position of the student--not a Bose Wave system. Computer speakers just don't cut it when it comes to listening beyond the nearfield position of the person sitting near the monitor.
A four-drawer file cabinet in the corner of the room can store oodles of music and gear.
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2016-07-14 15:29
I'd replace the computer with an iPad or similar tablet and wi-fi, unless, as mentioned above by Paul, you're in your home and have your computer/printer nearby. My studio is in my home, and my studio is an 8x8 room with a piano (small upright console), a 4-drawer filing cabinet for sheet music, two chairs, two Manhasset music stands, and all the instruments I use less frequently. I also teach in 2 other places so I have a bag full of stuff that travels with me to those locations in addition to my main instruments (these live closer to my front door because I teach in the other locations more frequently).
Katrina
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2016-07-16 00:40
Thanks to everyone for your input! It's interesting to me how much our choice of what to have and not have in the room while we work reveals about personal teaching philosophies.
As for me, I love having parents sit in - especially when the students are in their first year or two of study. If the parent takes a real interest in the process it almost always bodes well for the student developing their own serious and long-term commitement to music making.
My studio will be one of four in a commerical space with a communal waiting area, internet, a bathroom, and yes! - central heating and air with vents in each room. The design and build out are being done by a recording engineer/guitarist/teacher who has done this kind of work well in the past. It's about 5 minutes from my house. For a middle aged guy who's been at this for several decades, I'm quite excited!
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The Clarinet Pages
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