Paying for lessons

nrubel · #1 03-16-2011, 11:29 PM

Hi everybody,
After having posted a tread on a bad subforum (its difficult from my iPhone to see the right way to do it) and since the moderator asks me to post something, I do it on this right place, repeating my disapointment relating to the new no more free lessons. The Jazz Guitar site is an excellent one but allready sponsorized and the sponsors could have done some efforts to avoid this.

Banksia · #2 03-16-2011, 11:51 PM

I can understand that but Dirk has said from Day One that he is a guitar teacher - as in teaching people for money. The lessons are only $1.50/week!?!?!?!?

There is still a massive pile of information available free on this forum as well as many, many links to other free resources. If Dirk was the only teacher on Earth or if this site was the only available jazz instruction on the Interwebz, then you might have a legitimate complaint. He isn't, this site isn't, and you don't.

nrubel · #3 03-17-2011, 12:33 AM

Hi, dear australian member !

Thanks for your reactivity. I am not convinced : Why could not Dirk be supported by the regular sponsors of the site, since this site is succesfull and shows specialized advertizing annoucements which provide with no doubt money from jazz guitar "amateurs" ?

Have a good day

Nicolas

Jazzpunk · #4 03-17-2011, 01:10 AM

I don't know the details but I'm impressed that you had actual correspondence with a moderator. You're more likely to see a jackelope than hear back from a mod!

nrubel · #5 03-17-2011, 01:33 AM

What is a jackelope (my english is not so good!) ? What I understand is that we have an australian moderator alltough the site is .be !

Banksia · #6 03-17-2011, 02:19 AM

I'm not a Mod. I was just expressing my opinion. (Why would a Moderator need to be in Belgium?)

"The jackalope is an antlered species of rabbit, unfortunately rumored to be extinct, though occasional sightings of this rare creature continue to occur, suggesting that pockets of jackalope populations continue to persist in its native home, the American West.

The jackalope is an aggressive species, willing to use its antlers to fight. Thus, it is also sometimes called the "warrior rabbit."

Jackalopes possess an uncanny ability to mimic human sounds. In the old West, when cowboys would gather by their campfires to sing at night, jackalopes would frequently be heard singing back, mimicking the voices of the cowboys. Jackalopes become especially vocal before thunderstorms, perhaps because they mate only when lightning flashes (or so it is theorized).

When chased, the jackalope will use its vocal abilities to elude capture. For instance, when chased by people it will call out phrases such as, "There he goes, over there," in order to throw pursuers off its track. The best way to catch a jackalope is to lure it with whiskey, as they have a particular fondness for this drink. Once intoxicated, the animal becomes slower and easier to hunt."

The Jackalope

robertm2000 · #7 03-17-2011, 03:00 AM

Have you looked at the lessons? He had one of them posted at no charge recently - Wes Montgomery's "Four on Six." It was a wonderful lesson - covered the song and Wes's treatment of it more deeply than anything I have seen elsewhere. It is worth the money! I subscribed to the lesson series, and it is all of a similar high quality. The fact that Dirk has put out a website as full of good instructional material as it is should tell you - he's an excellent teacher. I have no problem with his very modest price. And his willingness to share his knowledge makes it a really good resource for students.

nrubel · #8 03-17-2011, 03:41 AM

Hi guys,
Thanks for your answers. Perfect the Jackalope ! As for Banksia, glad to see that also our opinions are different : as we say in France "you need all in order to build the word". As for Wes MTGMRY lesson, thanks to robert, I allready catched it.

Have a good guitar jazz day

Nicolas

ajh10036 · #9 03-28-2011, 02:53 PM

If anyone is thinking about paying for online lessons, I highly recommend Dirk's "Jazz Guitar Gazette Premium" lessons. Very reasonably priced, high quality lessons.

mr. beaumont · #10 03-28-2011, 06:14 PM

I learn stuff everytime I simply read the posts here...haven't even looked at the lessons...

JohnRoss · #11 03-28-2011, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I learn stuff everytime I simply read the posts here...

Ditto, several times over (I'm not just here for the argey-bargey, fun though it is - I've made almost as much progress from what I've picked up on this forum over the last year as I had in the entire previous decade). I don't feel the need to pay for the lessons, but I'm sure they're well worth buying, and the idea that it is in some way wrong for Dirk to charge for them is absurd. Note my stance, my sympathies lie very much on the side of the "Internet should be free" camp, but not in this instance.

JonnyPac · #12 03-28-2011, 07:25 PM

The forum members have a ton on good info. Always ask before you buy. You might get a heated session, but good answers nonetheless. Dirk's stuff is good too.

Dirk asked me if I'd sell my book to benefit the site with some financial support when I first showed up as a "spammer". I mailed it to Belgium (it cost me $17USD out of pocket), and he refused it because it is without a play-along CD. I could have saved myself the hassle. I never mentioned a CD. It's just a book, big deal. If you can't read through it and gain something, a CD won't help. I'm not sure about him...

Other than that, the mods/webmaster seem to not give a rats rump about the forums. They slip in to kill spam when we're asleep and leave no trace.

I love the jackelope jokes...

Jeremy Hillary Boob Ph.D · #13 03-28-2011, 08:52 PM

Mods? Mods? We don't need no stinking mods!

...actually, I'd appreciate them stepping in a bit more... as trollish as I am. I've seen a lot of good topics go south...