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Music By Sarah

  • About
  • Reviews
  • Blog/FAQ
  • Services
  • Practice Tips
  • Resources
  • Tuition
  • Studio Policies
  • Contact

How can I help? Search in the box below for FAQs by topic!

Blog

FAQ: I'm a TOTAL beginner! Do you REALLY focus on beginner students? 

As more adults express a new interest in learning music in recent years, I've gotten this question pretty often, and it's one of my favorites to answer! I do indeed focus almost completely on teaching beginning students - and I LOVE it. Over my years of teaching I've taught students at all levels, and in time, I discovered I loved working with beginners of any age the most. 

Teaching beginners is incredibly rewarding - I'm reminded multiple times per day why I chose to play music when I see the excitement a…

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02/21/2023

in online music lessons, online piano lessons, online guitar lessons, beginner guitar lessons, beginner piano lessons, beginner online music lessons

FAQ: Can we have in-person lessons again? 

I've been getting this question more recently as everyone is excited to move into a post-pandemic world. However, my teaching studio has permanently shifted to an exclusively online model, for a variety of reasons I'll share below. There may be occasional opportunities for in-person "workshop days" at some point, but they will not be regularly scheduled weekly lessons.

Health & Safety

Covid has been very unpredictable and each time I've thought we were near the end of the pandemic, things have moved back…

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05/05/2022

in music lessons middlebury vt, piano lessons middlebury vt, online music lessons, online piano lessons, music education, learning music, music teacher middlebury , guitar lessons middlebury, online guitar lessons, piano lessons boston, guitar lessons boston, beginner online music lessons

What does tuition cover? Are there any other costs we should know about? 

I'm glad you asked! Every studio and teacher has different policies, and it's important to know what to expect when you're investing in music lessons. 

I review what's INCLUDED in tuition costs on my Tuition page - here's a quick rundown of what's INCLUDED in tuition:

  • Reserved regular lesson time 
  • Preparation for each lesson (I spend nearly as much time outside each lesson working on lesson plans & repertoire selection) 
  • Emailed materials (games, free song resources, etc) 
  • Continuing…
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04/13/2022

in online music lessons, online piano lessons, guitar lessons middlebury, online guitar lessons, piano lessons boston, guitar lessons boston

What do I need to take online music lessons? 

Students often ask what they need to get started with online lessons, so here's a quick rundown of the basics!

Computer (or other device with camera)

A computer works best here as you can adjust sound settings on Zoom to make sure I can hear you (more on those settings here: https://musicbysarah.net/blog-faq/blog/optimal-zoom-settings-for-online-music-lessons. If you don't have a laptop available, a tablet or smartphone works too. You'll want to make sure you can set your device up hands-free so I can both…

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02/23/2022

in online music lessons, online piano lessons, online guitar lessons, piano lessons boston, guitar lessons boston

FAQ: What's the yearly schedule? Do you teach during summer or school breaks? 

I get this question a LOT, so let's jump in!

The Basics

  • I take off the week between Christmas and New Years.
  • I do teach throughout the summer, as long as I'm home! Lessons are available year-round.
  • I usually teach through school breaks as I have students around the country with varying school schedules. If you're planning to be away on vacation, that's totally fine - let me know & I'll invoice you for the month accordingly. 

Touring & time away

I am a full-time musician, and I may take time away…

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02/16/2022

in online music lessons, online piano lessons, online guitar lessons, piano lessons boston, guitar lessons boston

UPDATED: Optimal Zoom Settings for Online Music Lessons 

Zoom recently made some audio updates that have made lessons challenging! Here's an update on ideal Zoom settings:

As many of us have discovered, Zoom wasn't designed with music in mind. In fact, Zoom's default settings tend to distort or mute music, thinking it's "background noise" - when we all know music is the reason we're on Zoom together! There are few moments more frustrating in a Zoom lesson than when a student finishes playing a piece and is very proud of their efforts and I heard...three notes…

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11/18/2021

in online music lessons, online piano lessons, online guitar lessons

What's the deal with affiliate links? 

As you have may have noticed, I have "affiliate link" noted on my site when I mention method books I use. As an independent musician and music teacher, I'm part of the Amazon Associates program, where I can earn a small amount of income - at no additional cost to you - if a purchase is made via a link from my site. It's not a huge amount, but every little bit helps me continue to deliver great music and music education - and for that, I thank you!

11/03/2021

Online Lessons 

Technology has allowed me to continue teaching students when geography or health made it impossible, and it's also enabled me to share my love of music with students I otherwise would never have met. I'm happy to use technology to help you on your musical journey.  

Online lessons are conducted via Zoom (best connection). Payment is accepted via check, card, or online payment system (including Square, Paypal, and Venmo - subject to 4% processing fee). 

Starting from scratch with online music lessons works…

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07/29/2021

in online music lessons, online piano lessons, online guitar lessons

FAQ: What methods do you use to teach? 

I'm glad you asked! I incorporate a variety of teaching methods into my curriculum, and often combine more than one in lessons. Learning music isn't a "one size fits all" journey, and I strive to utilize the best materials for each individual student along every step of their journey.

With that said, there are a few different method books I've used with much success over the years, so here's a quick roundup of some of my most frequently-used books!

Full disclosure on affiliate links: if you purchase your…

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05/18/2021

in online music lessons, online piano lessons, music education, learning music, online guitar lessons

FAQ: My child didn't play that piece perfectly - why did you let it slide? 

The title says it all, and I'm overdue to address this question - it's SO important to my teaching philosophy, and I'm happy to discuss in-depth.

My goal as a teacher is to impart a sense of excitement and understanding of music to all my students. My goal as a teacher is NOT - and never has been - perfection. As my favorite fitness instructor says, "there's no such thing as perfection." When it comes to music - especially with younger students - an emphasis on perfection can lead to lost interest…

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05/04/2021

in online music lessons, online piano lessons, music education, practice, learning music, music teacher middlebury , music teacher ripton, online guitar lessons

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