Music Tutorial business

[projectlac]

I have no formal qualifications but I am a self taught electronic producer and DJ of 13 years and would say I am at a good standard.

I wish to create a business which offers a tutoring service and I have a few ideas, but do I go down the social enterprise route (I'm thinking yes) and offering my service to people such as underprivileged children and isolated OAPs, with the help of local employment businesses?

My business knowledge is zero but I don't wish to make stackfuls of cash I'd rather use something which started out as a hobby to help other people; that would be, to me personally, more rewarding than making a million.

what do you reckon?

 

[forevergroup]

This sounds like a great idea. Certainly, music and music production helped me focus on something positive when I was younger.

However - we do have clients in the academic sector for music and music production, and I can tell you that it is very competitive and dominated by certain incumbents.

Have you considered creating some tutorial content for Youtube, or online course content for Udemy etc so that people can consume your content at low cost or ad-supported-free?

This may help generate some revenue to support local projects. In fact, it may even be worth speaking to local music college(s) or your local authority asking if they would be interested in providing space/facilities out of hours to support those projects.

 

[paulears]

The things standing in the way of good ideas are often not related to the product, in this case music. Music is a terrible 'product' because most people assume music should always be free. Delivery is a major concern. You need customers - so if you get say just 5, how do you deliver the goods - live streaming? Where you will have to work at the speed of the most demanding student, perhaps boring the rest who got it and want to move on, or do you do it one to one. The difference being one way comms - from you to them, or 2 way comms, where they can say "stop, go back on that again?"

The cooking lessons folk have this - they tend to be focussed on small groups and often lose people who are working slower or faster and can't adapt.

Are you a natural teacher? My view is that for business purposes, music is a lousy therapy. It's like the artist running a course in painting flowers - the talent of his students is out of control. Will any of them be any good?

Music is the same, but even worse, it's reliant on technology - so will you run a course for beginners Reaper for EDM? won't it run on my iPad? or do I need a pair of headphones could be starter questions. Can you cope with running the course? Many musicians cannot speak to groups very well. Is anything equipment specific. Can you do what you need to do with any DAW on any device? They will be clueless.

I remember a zoom type meeting where one delegate was playing Elton John to every participant but nobody knew who it was, including the fella eventually spotted! Can you cope with the uselessness of some people, but their demanding personality?

If you can build a following you have many payment options nowadays, some regular, some voluntary. If you can explain what you think will be on offer maybe we can advise further, but lots of music teachers tried to make a living during covid remotely teaching. Not all managed it.

 

[DavidWH]

I'm having music lessons again after a long break, although not electronic music.

Whilst you may be very good at producing the music, are you very good at teaching? (don't take it the wrong way! I'm quite good on computers, absolutely pants at teaching it)

My teacher is a very good, professional musician, but more importantly is a very good educator, who can explain some of the more complex theory in a way I can understand, not the conventional, stuffy, boring manner.

As above though, start with some youtube tutorials, social media etc, and see if you gain any interest, with minimal risk. I know a few teachers around the world who are teaching over skype/zoom, many I've come across via YouTube etc.