Do Students Buy Books From You, or do you direct them to a musicshop? Options

[kentmusiclady]

Hi,

I just wanted to find out what other Teachers do....

Do you have a number of books available to buy at the lesson (ie your home if you are a private tutor) or do you direct students/parents to a music shop etc to buy their practical and theory books?

I always thought that having some books available to buy, means the student has them immediately, rather than waiting one or two weeks (sometimes more!) until the parents buy them...

What are your thoughts? :rolleyes:

[sbhoa]

I get the books for them.. the ones I use most I sometimes have spares already.
I have one adult student who like to order her own online.

[Appassionata]

I always buy the books and then my students pay me for them. At least that guarantees they get the right book and can start using it immediately.

[maggiemay]

For children I provide the books - I keep a small stock of likely ones. The book gets added on to the next invoice.

Adults sometimes like to get their own and have a browse at the same time.

[anacrusis]

My kids' first piano teacher kept a stack of books and lent these out - it meant she could dip in and out of books to get the most suitable pieces for them, and get the best of each book rather than working through just the one, weak and better bits all in...it worked well for her, and she didn't have a problem with music disappearing as far as I'm aware, but reading some of the posts about the more chaotic folk, this might not work for everyone. My recorder teacher will lend me music until I can get it ordered, and mercifully my music supplier is the height of efficiency. My pupil prefers to get her music in, so yes, I do sometimes have to wait a week or two until it arrives for her.

[sbhoa]

My kids' first piano teacher kept a stack of books and lent these out - it meant she could dip in and out of books to get the most suitable pieces for them, and get the best of each book rather than working through just the one, weak and better bits all in...it worked well for her, and she didn't have a problem with music disappearing as far as I'm aware, but reading some of the posts about the more chaotic folk, this might not work for everyone. My recorder teacher will lend me music until I can get it ordered, and mercifully my music supplier is the height of efficiency. My pupil prefers to get her music in, so yes, I do sometimes have to wait a week or two until it arrives for her.

The weakness in doing pick and mix in this way is that they don't actually own the copy to play over things previously learned for fun.
I like having my own copies anyway and still have my beginner books as a sort of record of what I did.

[amanda41]

I generally leave it up to the pupil to get the book they need, although I do lend books out as well (and make a record of who has what!)

I was always responsible for buying my own books as a pupil, so I've gone along with that. Reading these posts though, has made me think I should buy some extra copies next time I'm out, to sell to students who have trouble getting to the shops, or who I know will keep forgetting to buy the book themselves!

I still have all of my old music books, and they come in uselful for sight reading practise :)

Amanda xx

[chocolatedog]

I lend out a lot of music as I use odd pieces from various books and rarely work through them unless it's an early tutor book. Although occasionally a pupil really wants to keep the book in which case I let them purchase it off me. And if I need pupils to get music, I usually get it myself and then get them to reimburse me (especially if it's a school pupil.) For private pupils, sometimes they get their own, and sometimes I order the music.

[ringaringa]

I keep a supply of first flute books because nobody who has just been to the music shop to buy a flute wants to go back and buy a tutor book once they have found a teacher!

I also keep theory books and theory tests and sell those to pupils as necessary.

I encourage adult pupils to have a mooch in the music shops, but if it's not for them then I get the music in and on charge. I make 10% on my music sales because I charge the shop sticker and get a teacher discount.

I also look out for things on Ebay I know would suit a pupil and then on charge + 10%. Music in NZ is expensive, so I make money whilst saving them money - everyone is happy.

[Kflute]

You are obviously all very certain that you'll get the money back!!!

[jpiano]

It depends on pupil's efficiency/lifestyle-or those of their parent's! We've recently had one music shop close near where I teach-and there aren't any others so convenient-ie the middle of a shopping centre where people go anyway. And I do understand that parents, especially those with several children all doing different activities, don't have time to drive to the back of beyond where there is still a decent music shop. Increasingly I'm ordering online and putting it on the next invoice-if I pay on my credit card, by the time I get charged, I've received their payment. It all goes on their next invoice anyway, so they pay automatically. And I wouldn't do it for anyone who didn't pay their bills promptly anyway, or I'd be out of pocket! And I agree with the point that it's important to have their own books. I've still got all my books, including my very first one, which is just nice to keep-I've used them occasionally for sight reading. And I get 10% if order enough, so make a little bit of money for the extra trouble.

[akp]

I give them the option and 9 times out of 10 the parent says "oh you get it then!".

I usually order online and get free postage and packing or go to my local music shop where they give a discount. Although I wouldn't hike the price up I do make sure i'm not out of pocket!!! I bill half termly so it goes on the next invoice - seems to work.

Also, if i see a second hand book that I know I'll use with pupils eventullay I pick it up and offer that - again, most people say yes, particularly to the grade books. I also give the option for pupils to sell to others - I accept that it means they don't have the music to look back on and play for fun as other posts have pointed out, but when you learn a woodwind instrument it can be mighty expensive to buy all necessary books for exams etc!!!

[sillysaxist]

You'll probably not agree with this, but I send all of my pupils to their local music shop.

1. It gets them used to the idea of browsing and buying their own music.

2. It gets me free advertising because I make sure that they say who sent them, I also get them to check out if my card is on the notice board or my poster.

3. I make sure that they have final say as soon as I think that they are able to do so.

Works for me.

[noodle]

I let my students provide their own music. I give them about 3 weeks notice in case they have to order it.

I don't agree with teachers lending books - is it really legal?? there doesn't seem to be much difference to photocopying to me.

[sarah-flute]

Surely no more or less legal than lending a friend a book or video?