How to Find Out the Average Math Tutor Hourly Rate?

How to Find Out the Average Math Tutor Hourly Rate?If you are looking for an average math tutor hourly rate then this article is for you. I will try to help you understand how to find out the correct rate for a tutoring program that will help you on your way to learn.Tutoring should be something that anyone can do if they want to. However, it has become very difficult for many parents to pay for tutoring. So if you are looking for a way to make sure that your children get good grades in school, then it is best that you find someone who has proven track record.The first thing that you need to do is to get a resume of their previous students and their success rate. Another way that you can help yourself is to get a recommendation from someone who has been his students before. If you want to know the average math tutor hourly rate of someone, then you need to understand that there are people who are really good at their job and some who are not. What matters is how well you have learned from them.After having a list of potential tutors you can choose from, the next thing that you need to do is to compare the rates of those tutors and then find out which one can give you the best deal. By comparing the rates of these tutors you will be able to get an idea of the skill level that each one has.The main thing that you need to remember when looking for the tutoring service is that you must be able to focus on what you want from them. You need to concentrate on getting to know a tutor before you get into their working sessions. When you know how much your tutor charges, you will be able to take the right decision when you are in search of the right tutor.Also you need to remember that while it is better to start your lessons with someone who is new to you, it is also best to make sure that you get an experienced tutor. So if you think that you will be spending time with him for a long period of time, then it is best that you get a new tutor, especially if you will be do ing some advanced lessons.Getting an idea of the rates that different tutors are charging you will help you decide which tutors you will pick up and which ones you will avoid. Moreover, you need to know the average math tutor hourly rate of the person who you choose to work with so that you can know how much they charge for their services.However, you have to remember that you have to put some effort in getting the help that you want because you will be able to improve your knowledge and skills if you are able to learn new things. If you really want to find out how to find out the average math tutor hourly rate of someone, then you should consider signing up with a tutor who offers a money back guarantee, so that you can be sure that you will get value for your money.

Early Years Teaching Jobs Abroad

Early Years Teaching Jobs Abroad Teach Away is hiring Early Years teachers in countries around the world. Early Years teachers with a variety of experience are encouraged to create a profile with Teach Away at any time - even if you don't see your dream job advertised now. IB teachers, Montessori teachers, and instructors experienced in standard American, Canadian, or British curriculum are in demand for schools across the globe.Requirements will vary by position, so interested teachers should take some time searching the Teach Away Job Board for current job openings and their minimum requirements. In general, though, teachers applying for Early Years teaching jobs abroad should have a valid teaching license with a specialization in Early Childhood Education. Many jobs - though not all - will also require 1-2 years of previous related experience.*Teaching jobs for Early Years teachers may be in private schools or public schools abroad. Your expertise and experience could lead you to a new adventure teaching overseas !*Previous related experience generally refers to full-time experience (not student teaching or substituting), teaching children of the relevant levelCurrent Overseas Teaching Jobs for Early Years TeachersTeach Away's current openings for Early Years teachers include the following opportunities:English teaching positions in Hong Kong, starting July 2013This private school in Hong Kong uses a bilingual co-class teaching approach, and is looking for English teachers for students from nursery years to upper grade levelsRequirements: Teaching license; Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education; 1 year of experienceView more detailsKindergarten Teacher in Kuwait, starting  September 2013Teach Away is looking to hire a kindergarten teacher for this private international school. The school uses an American curriculum and provides its students and staff with state-of-the-art facilities.Requirements: Teaching license; Bachelor's degree in Education; 2 years of experience with American c urriculumView more detailsEarly Childhood Coordinator in Thailand, starting August 2013Providing a beautiful environment for its young learners, this private international school is hiring a coordinator for its Early Childhood program.Requirements: Teaching license; Bachelor's degree in Education or Early Childhood Education; 10 years of experience; past experience working with the Reggio ApproachView more detailsKindergarten Teachers in Saudi Arabia, starting August 2013Teach Away is accepting applications for kindergarten teaching positions in this private international school, which uses a curriculum focused on comprehension and creativity.Requirements: Teaching license; Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education; 2 years of experienceView more detailsEarly Years English Teachers in China, starting July 2013This private school, which operates with an IB PYP curriculum, is hiring English teachers for children aged 2-6.Requirements: Teaching license; 2 years of experience OR a 120-hour TESOL/TEFL certificateView more detailsView more teaching jobs for Early Years teachers abroad.ApplyTo apply online with Teach Away, please create an online profile at /teacher/register.Have you already applied with Teach Away and want to be considered for one of the positions above? Email una(at)teachaway.com directly to state your interest.

French @ Italki Challenge halfway there!

French @ Italki Challenge halfway there! Siskia L. runs a popular language learning blog called The Polyglotist and is taking part in our New Years Language Challenge to learn French. We found this great post about her experiences with the language challenge and wanted to share this with other Challengers!  Reprinted with permission. Original post here. Incredibly, last Thursday I did my 12th hour of French for the italki Language Challenge (out of 20 required to complete it). More incredibly, I also got pretty sick this very week, so I didn’t actually do as many hours as I had expected to. Anyway, here’s… A QUICK UPDATE I think it’s the first time I’ve put such intensity into one language. I don’t mean to say I’m more interested in French than I’ve been in any of my other languages (both serious attemps and light dabbling), but since I started this language I’ve progressed in a very natural way. Putting in one hour of conversation and anywhere between 30 min and 3 hours of self-study into this project just feels right. This reminds me that as of late, I’ve been more conscious about my study hours than usual. This is not because I suddenly felt I should be more mathematical about my study methods, but rather because I am currently participating in the 6 Week Challenge, which requires its participants to log their study hours through a Twitter bot. In the beginning I thought this wouldn’t really influence me to study any more or any less than I was in the first place, but the effect of participating in what’s in essence a “race” has been quite interesting in the sense that knowing I’m in this with other people stimulates me to try harder. I’m not so interested in knowing in what place I am currently (although it’s fun to race other people learning my language as well, haha) rather than knowing how I’m distributing my study hours, doing what, and how. All these things one can keep track of through the challenge, so it’s good statistical data. Partly because of participating in this challenge, partly because I’ve realized structure and form lead to better results, I’ve been trying to improve the way in which I administer my time and agenda. (Not that I did a very good job at that this week, what with work and school and more work and feeling pretty damn under the weather, but anyhoo…) TALKING THE TALK! I’m actually talking in French for about 75-80% of my italki sessions, only going back into Spanish or English when I am absolutely at a loss for words: I’ve noticed that this isn’t when I try to use regular words: for the most part, it’s when my mind tries to translate a colloquial expression from English into French. Unless I’ve heard that expression before and know its French equivalent, my brain’s language monitoring center usually goes on full blown red alert and tells me not to use that expression. I have got to stop being so cautious and just dive in. I know better than anyone that making these particular mistakes is essential for the learning process, but old habits die hard. The funny part is, this doesn’t happen with regular words, only with expressions where I mean to imply something figuratively or where cultural references come into play. Speaking of words, I’ve noticed two interesting things about my French: my source for words I haven’t heard before tends to be English (knowing that a good deal of the English lexicon derived from French), while my reference for correct French grammar tends to be Italian. By this I mean that when I speak in French and try a new word I haven’t used before, my first impulse is to look for it in my mental English database, and only when I notice the word doesn’t sound French, do I look for it in a dictionary. While I’m hard pressed to say this always works, several English words have turned to be the same in French, so while I build a better lexicon in this language, this may not be a bad method to keep the conversation in French territory (instead of jumping back into English every so often) . My theory now is that as a language student, one will use whatever one’s got in the pantry to hold on to the language while at the same time creating a more accurate linguistic base through classes, study, tutoring, etc. Maybe that’s the reason why we tend to translate our thoughts literally? SO MANY RESOURCES, SO LITTLE TIME… After some hits and misses, I’ve run into incredibly good teachers that focus on monitoring both my vocabulary and pronunciation. Getting the pronunciation right has been a gruelling task, and I’m incredibly far from having it down pat, but at least I’m being pointed in the right direction all the time. Probably one of the things I’m enjoying the most about this language project is the HUGE resources gap between French and my last language, Nahuatl. After spending most of 2014 pretty much doing detective work, looking everywhere for hints of where to learn Nahuatl and how, finding self-study resources in French is turning out to be a walk in the park. Right now I’m enjoying several different listening-comprehension resources. I’m planning to summarize the best and most effective ones in a later post, but here’s just a little bite of what I would recommend to anybody wanting an ear-workout in French: Apprendre le français avec TV5MONDE and 7 jours sur la planète: level-graded videos, with transcripts, exercises and explanations of recent, up-to-date and useful vocabulary. 7 jours has an app (available for both iOS and Android), excellent for taking your comprehension exercises on the road. FluentU: although officially in beta right now, it’s an excellent video-based resource to listen to French (also available for Chinese, Japanese, German, Spanish and English). It’s based on phrase-by-phrase video segments, using a type of “subtitle” technology that stops the video when you hover over a word you don’t know. It also has vocabulary exercises available, and when you use these, the system remembers what words you remember and what you don’t. Since these are saved in your account, your word database applies to all the videos in the system, meaning that the system is able to suggest videos perfect for your vocabulary level! Français Authentique: this is a very complete site and I honestly recommend Johan’s learning materials to ANYONE, but the part that I use the most is his podcasts. In these, he explains complex concepts and ideas in slow, easy-to-understand French, and they’re available completely free of charge in his website and in the Podcast section of Itunes. Well, that’s it for now. I have several very interesting ideas and projects lined up for The Polyglotist, and I’d love to share them with you… but not yet! ;D French @ Italki Challenge halfway there! Siskia L. runs a popular language learning blog called The Polyglotist and is taking part in our New Years Language Challenge to learn French. We found this great post about her experiences with the language challenge and wanted to share this with other Challengers!  Reprinted with permission. Original post here. Incredibly, last Thursday I did my 12th hour of French for the italki Language Challenge (out of 20 required to complete it). More incredibly, I also got pretty sick this very week, so I didn’t actually do as many hours as I had expected to. Anyway, here’s… A QUICK UPDATE I think it’s the first time I’ve put such intensity into one language. I don’t mean to say I’m more interested in French than I’ve been in any of my other languages (both serious attemps and light dabbling), but since I started this language I’ve progressed in a very natural way. Putting in one hour of conversation and anywhere between 30 min and 3 hours of self-study into this project just feels right. This reminds me that as of late, I’ve been more conscious about my study hours than usual. This is not because I suddenly felt I should be more mathematical about my study methods, but rather because I am currently participating in the 6 Week Challenge, which requires its participants to log their study hours through a Twitter bot. In the beginning I thought this wouldn’t really influence me to study any more or any less than I was in the first place, but the effect of participating in what’s in essence a “race” has been quite interesting in the sense that knowing I’m in this with other people stimulates me to try harder. I’m not so interested in knowing in what place I am currently (although it’s fun to race other people learning my language as well, haha) rather than knowing how I’m distributing my study hours, doing what, and how. All these things one can keep track of through the challenge, so it’s good statistical data. Partly because of participating in this challenge, partly because I’ve realized structure and form lead to better results, I’ve been trying to improve the way in which I administer my time and agenda. (Not that I did a very good job at that this week, what with work and school and more work and feeling pretty damn under the weather, but anyhoo…) TALKING THE TALK! I’m actually talking in French for about 75-80% of my italki sessions, only going back into Spanish or English when I am absolutely at a loss for words: I’ve noticed that this isn’t when I try to use regular words: for the most part, it’s when my mind tries to translate a colloquial expression from English into French. Unless I’ve heard that expression before and know its French equivalent, my brain’s language monitoring center usually goes on full blown red alert and tells me not to use that expression. I have got to stop being so cautious and just dive in. I know better than anyone that making these particular mistakes is essential for the learning process, but old habits die hard. The funny part is, this doesn’t happen with regular words, only with expressions where I mean to imply something figuratively or where cultural references come into play. Speaking of words, I’ve noticed two interesting things about my French: my source for words I haven’t heard before tends to be English (knowing that a good deal of the English lexicon derived from French), while my reference for correct French grammar tends to be Italian. By this I mean that when I speak in French and try a new word I haven’t used before, my first impulse is to look for it in my mental English database, and only when I notice the word doesn’t sound French, do I look for it in a dictionary. While I’m hard pressed to say this always works, several English words have turned to be the same in French, so while I build a better lexicon in this language, this may not be a bad method to keep the conversation in French territory (instead of jumping back into English every so often) . My theory now is that as a language student, one will use whatever one’s got in the pantry to hold on to the language while at the same time creating a more accurate linguistic base through classes, study, tutoring, etc. Maybe that’s the reason why we tend to translate our thoughts literally? SO MANY RESOURCES, SO LITTLE TIME… After some hits and misses, I’ve run into incredibly good teachers that focus on monitoring both my vocabulary and pronunciation. Getting the pronunciation right has been a gruelling task, and I’m incredibly far from having it down pat, but at least I’m being pointed in the right direction all the time. Probably one of the things I’m enjoying the most about this language project is the HUGE resources gap between French and my last language, Nahuatl. After spending most of 2014 pretty much doing detective work, looking everywhere for hints of where to learn Nahuatl and how, finding self-study resources in French is turning out to be a walk in the park. Right now I’m enjoying several different listening-comprehension resources. I’m planning to summarize the best and most effective ones in a later post, but here’s just a little bite of what I would recommend to anybody wanting an ear-workout in French: Apprendre le français avec TV5MONDE and 7 jours sur la planète: level-graded videos, with transcripts, exercises and explanations of recent, up-to-date and useful vocabulary. 7 jours has an app (available for both iOS and Android), excellent for taking your comprehension exercises on the road. FluentU: although officially in beta right now, it’s an excellent video-based resource to listen to French (also available for Chinese, Japanese, German, Spanish and English). It’s based on phrase-by-phrase video segments, using a type of “subtitle” technology that stops the video when you hover over a word you don’t know. It also has vocabulary exercises available, and when you use these, the system remembers what words you remember and what you don’t. Since these are saved in your account, your word database applies to all the videos in the system, meaning that the system is able to suggest videos perfect for your vocabulary level! Français Authentique: this is a very complete site and I honestly recommend Johan’s learning materials to ANYONE, but the part that I use the most is his podcasts. In these, he explains complex concepts and ideas in slow, easy-to-understand French, and they’re available completely free of charge in his website and in the Podcast section of Itunes. Well, that’s it for now. I have several very interesting ideas and projects lined up for The Polyglotist, and I’d love to share them with you… but not yet! ;D

What Type of Science Is Chemistry?

What Type of Science Is Chemistry?Chemistry is a very interesting science that deals with the nature of atoms and molecules. It deals with the properties of all the atoms, molecules and a single nucleus in the matter. It also covers many other properties, which are not just limited to atoms, molecules and nuclei. And chemistry is the only branch of science, which is the basis of all other sciences.Chemistry is the subject that has been around for centuries. It is very popular as a subject, even today. It has existed since before recorded history. It is the oldest of all sciences in the modern sense of the word.A particular experiment might be performed to make the properties of a substance, to ascertain its chemical structure. Then this material is subjected to tests, in order to determine whether it is a gas or liquid. The process of testing can be of two types. They can be a chemical test, or radiometric test.It is necessary for the students to understand some common and similar qu estions in relation to the subject. There are other related questions, that you must answer, if you wish to study this subject at school. The type of chemistry that you learn at school will decide your future.It is very important to know that every science has many sub-types. Chemistry is one of them. Once you are into chemistry, you will never leave it, unless you join a graduate school.Another aspect that you must know is that science in general, is very essential, because it is responsible for producing a whole lot of things in the world. Chemists are the ones who discovered the principle of evolution. Some of the other scientists have discovered the origin of life, the atomic theory of matter, the formation of stars, life on earth and so on. The list can go on. If you want to become a chemist, the training provided by the school should be of great importance.You need to study the subject, if you want to qualify for a doctorate in the science. Many universities now offer training for various subjects, in order to provide high quality education to their students.

Algebra 2 Complete the Square - Tips To Help YouStudy For It

Algebra 2 Complete the Square - Tips To Help YouStudy For ItAlgebra 2 Complete the Square can be a tough challenge for a student. Here are a few tips and strategies to help you get through this tough math class.First, find a quiet place in the classroom. This helps your body relax, because in a stressful environment it can actually make you tense. If you feel stressed out during algebra, try to avoid going to class.Second, try to stay organized. When you are finding solutions to problems, consider giving yourself enough time to practice solving different directions.The best way to stay organized is to keep a notebook with you. Make sure that you have one at your desk or in your bag so that you will not forget to write down your solution in a safe place.One tip that helps when studying for difficult problems is to answer every easy questions that you can. This way, you will already be used to how to answer each type of question so that you won't have to learn too much on your own.Thir d, try to spend time in all areas of the class. If you are bored with the subjects you are studying, try to move to another topic. Some students find algebra very boring but if you take your time and get some things done, you may find algebra helpful at the end of the day.While studying for algebra can be a challenge, it's also important to know that you can't help but help yourself. Many students let a professor dictate their lives, but they can still make changes on their own. Follow these tips and strategies to help you study for algebra 2 complete the square.

What Is Biology? - Do I Have to Know This Before Writing an AP Biology Essay?

What Is Biology? - Do I Have to Know This Before Writing an AP Biology Essay?After studying AP Biology and Chemistry, students must understand the concepts of Biology. This includes the definition of a cell, the chemical structure of cells, and how cells interact with each other to form living organisms. Students should also be able to work with their teachers in the classroom on a daily basis in order to better understand the course material.There are many different definitions of Biology, some of which will be used throughout the course of the course. When writing an AP Biology essay, it is important to remember the scientific terminology that will be used. By using scientific terms, students will be able to understand what is being said more easily. Also, by utilizing scientific terms, the topic will be much easier to remember.Biology deals with the study of the structure and function of living organisms. A good example of this is that the study of living things can be used to cur e diseases and help people in ways we cannot even imagine. Animals have been designed for many different purposes, and have been able to overcome many obstacles in order to stay alive. The way they survive is due to their ability to adapt and to survive.Biology can be done in many different ways. Students may have to think about it as many different ways, and come up with several different answers for every question they can think of. Students should always take the time to determine the answers for all the questions that they can think of. It is important to give the best possible answer for each question, so that they will feel satisfied with their homework.It is always important to do some research before writing an AP Biology essay. This can include the most common questions that students might ask or need to know. Students should always know where to look for help when writing an AP Biology essay. It is also important to do some practice work before actually writing the essay. biology When students write their AP Biology essay, they must make sure that they explain why it was important for them to take the course. They should also make sure that they explain how the course helped them. After taking the course, they should also know what they learned during the course. By reviewing the material over again, students will become familiar with the subject matter and their own abilities. Most importantly, students should know how they can use the material to help them in their everyday lives.This can be done by reviewing the right journal articles and by writing short stories. They should also look for journals that are related to their topic of choice. By learning the right method for writing an AP Biology essay, students will be able to write an essay that is both logical and interesting.

10 Cool Sites to Learn French by Podcast, Video, or Blog

10 Cool Sites to Learn French by Podcast, Video, or Blog Megan L. When youre learning French, consistent linguistic exposure at and just above your level is vital.  It can help you reinforce your current level, and help you raise your level through context clues and direct introduction to new vocabulary. Podcasts and other online mediums are an excellent way to do this. Below are a few podcasts, YouTube channels, and blogs that can help you improve. While the focus and organization of these types of sites is sometimes a little bit different, they can also provide some similar types of linguistic support. YouTube Videos 1) TakeLessons French Playlist The TakeLessons French playlist offers a collection of videos for learning basic to intermediate skills. Videos include grammar points such as verbs and prepositions, vocabulary lists on topics such as colors and weekdays, and pronunciation tips to refine your accent. 2) French Possum French Possum features an abundance of videos about French culture and language, covering everything from history, traditions, and food. All videos are in French with English subtitles, which is a great way for students to hear and practice proper French pronunciation. As an added bonus, full bilingual transcripts in French and English can be found on the blog, French Possum.   Podcasts 3) Learn French by Podcast Learn French by Podcast on subjects such as superfoods, migrants, grammar points, expressions, and user questions. The podcasts provide interesting information in French, and a discussion about the language and grammar used in the course of the podcast. They also include a vocabulary list available before listening. 4) The French Podcast The French podcast includes beginning, intermediate, and advanced podcast conversations in French. It also contains motivational interviews with people who have lived in France. The creators focus on natural language conversations. Each podcast includes a pdf with a transcript and vocabulary. Both the transcript and vocabulary usually come out after the conversation. 5) DailyFrenchPod Daily French Pod offers daily podcasts in French with conversations by native speakers. The beginning introduces the podcast in French, and recommends the College de Paris. The daily conversation is then presented with an explanation. For intermediate to advanced podcasts, most new vocabulary is explained in French. The conversation is then repeated. Most are accompanied by a PDF Podcast. 6) French Blabla French teacher and native French speaker, Caroline, offers classes in French and, more recently, has begun to blog about French language. Her blog posts include audio, and website visitors can subscribe to receive her posts by email. Follow her on Twitter also at @French_Blabla. 7) French-Podcasts.com Podcasts illustrate various elements of life in France through contact with real-life situations and contact with French people and places. The listener can also download a transcript. Most were done between 2007 and 2008, but are still available online. Sometimes the recordings lag a little. 8) One Thing in French a Day Three days every week, Laeticia, a French woman, posts several minutes of commentary on her children, watching television, a museum exhibit, or whatever other interesting tidbits she might dig up in her day. The audio is available along with the beginning of the transcript every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday on her website. Listeners can subscribe to her newsletter for the full transcript. Blogs 9) Oui, c’est ça! Includes comics, francophone history, and music for French learners and francophiles. While the blog is more visually-oriented than some of the podcasts listed above, many of the articles contain recorded segments â€" isolated words and phrases, or recorded versions of the typed French or bilingual transcript. Posts are also classified as beginning, intermediate, or advanced, so you  can gauge whether or not it will be close to the right level. 10)  French Language Blog This blog contains the fewest auditory resources and includes the most English of all the resources listed in this article. Its articles are primarily in English, but include interesting passages, words, and phrases in French. They also present interesting tidbits about France, French-speaking places, French grammar, French culture, and the French perspective on the world. It also occasionally links in interesting videos (which contain audio), such as a humorous song about coffee posted earlier this month. So, if youre studying French on your own or you need additional practice reviewing, listening, and speaking, take heart! There are many French resources available (often for free) that can help you advance yourself. Have you found any great French podcasts or websites that you enjoy studying with? Share them with us in the comments below! Post Author:  Carol Beth L. Carol Beth L. teaches  viola  and violin  in San Francisco, CA. She currently plays viola in the San Francisco Civic Orchestra and has been teaching students since 2012. Learn more about Carol Beth here! Photo by The LEAF Project Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

How to Have a Terrible Band Practice in 10 Easy Steps

How to Have a Terrible Band Practice in 10 Easy Steps Megan L. If youre anything like me, youre always trying to find ways to sharpen your skills as a musician and as a bandmate. Even though you try your best, there are still days when nothing seems to go right.   So I wondered, what would the absolute worst band practice really look like? Guitar teacher Jessica D. shares her nightmare vision of a rehearsal  gone terribly, horribly wrong Step 1: Nothings worse than not knowing if your bandmate will show up for practice, so why not have a lead singer who regularly gets arrested for their  art? Maybe she doubles as a graffiti artist, maybe he protests animal cruelty with a ukulele. Regardless of his or her deal, she’s messing up the band, man! Pro tip: Accept her collect call from prison, duct tape the phone to a mic and play fast: Inmates don’t get a lot of talk time. Step 2: Make sure your dad is musical, always wanted to be in a band, and then set up your practice in his garage. That way he can keep sticking his head in to say things like, “You guys need anything?” and “It’s sounding pretty good in here.” This is the gateway to him working his way over the microphone and finagling a guitar out of your hands so he can play a cover of “Black Cow real quick. Step 3: Alternatively, have a dad who uses the garage as his workshop. He always decides he has to drill a  hole into that piece of wood just as soon as you get the Marshalls fired up. Dad drill: 1. Guitar: 0. Step 4: For a truly disastrous practice, it’s necessary that someone in the band has a cold. There’s always a case of the flu, strep or mono going around. Bonus points if the singer is sick. Step 5: Make sure half your band smokes. Every two  songs the drummer, guitarist, and triangle player will be outside getting their nicotine fix while you’re inside wondering how in holy hot cakes it takes 25 minutes to smoke a cigarette. Step 6. Have a band “Yoko Ono”. Someone in the band must have  a serious girlfriend or boyfriend (probably the bassist). Ask them to bring their “other half” along so they can give unsolicited  advice to the band, break out in a spontaneous fight, or even better, storm out and then the bassist will have to chase after them. Band practice postponed! Step 7. Include your sibling in the band, but be sure  it’s the one you get along with the least. Undermine each other at least a handful of times during practice, leaving the rest of the band scratching their heads and taking multiple cigarette breaks. Taking digs at each other or insulting each other’s technique or ability is fine, but if it can come down to fisticuffs every other practice, you’ll start to get a reputation and you know what they sayâ€"no press is bad press… Step 8. Use this one with caution, for serious pros onlyDevelop a nasty little drug habit. Heroin or cocaine seem to be the rock drug of choice but those are old school, expensive and way too creepy. No, instead, stay modern and show the kids you’re relevant: get into ayahuasca or good old fashioned pain killers, like codeine. Heck, start a trend and get addicted to Advil, but make sure you let everyone know about itgotta keep that press machine churning. Step 9. It’s advised the drummer get a flat tire on their way to practice. Bonus points if it’s a speeding ticket, because when they finally arrive, they’ll demand that everyone has to split the fine with them, which will spark a debate, “I wasn’t driving, why do I have to pay?” / “Because it’s your band, dude,” and the next couple gigs will be spent raising the funds to pay off the fines. Are you having fun yet? Step 10. Crash and burn. This is an easy one. Just play your ax really hard, like you’re Jimmy Hendrix meets Jimmy Page, even if you only know  four  chords, and snap a string. Make it a good one, like an A or a B string, none of this high E string nonsense, so you’ll HAVE to stop band practice and change it. While you do that, your sibling can put you down which will start a fight, the band can go take a cigarette break, the bassist’s girlfriend will run off, the drummer will take a ride to blow off some steam and get another speeding ticket, the jailed singer will call while you’re out and blow their one chance at singing into the phone, and your dad will decide this is the perfect time to try out that new drill bit. At this point at least one band member should quit, meaning you’ll have to find a replacement and that could take weeks. Band practice on hold til further notice! Got a band practice horror story? Tell us all about it in the comments below! Post Author: Jessica D. Jessica D. is a guitar, ukulele, singing, and songwriting instructor in New York, New York. Learn more about Jessica here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

5 Best Bass Guitar Brands on a Budget

5 Best Bass Guitar Brands on a Budget Suzy S. In the market for a bass guitar? Here, Orange, CA teacher Miller W.  explores the  best bass guitar brands to consider if youre on a budget This list of the best bass guitar brands will give you a good frame of reference for finding a quality instrument while on a budget. While not always the cheapest options available, these basses are built to a reliably high standard for the price and can always be found for at least under $1000, if not much less. 1) Squier by Fender (Range: $279.99-$379.99) Squier has really upped the ante on their bass offerings in the last five years or so. The Vintage Modified (VM) and Classic Vibe (CV) series are very well-built instruments and sound great for the price. Most models come equipped with Duncan Designed Pickups. The Affinity series is cheaper but of noticeably lower quality. The VM and CV Series offer all the classic tones in the Jazz and Precisions basses (in four- and five-string models), as well as less common sounds from the Fretless Jazz bass, the Telecaster bass, and the newly revived Bass VI. Recommendation: Vintage Modified Jazz Bass 2) MTD Kingston (Range: $499-$819) The Kingston Brand is the mass-produced branch of MTD USA, a high-end bass custom shop run by Michael Tobias. Kingston basses are designed to be as close to the handmade standard at the best price point. The three models that make up the Kingston line are the CRB (with one P-type pickup, starts at $499), the Saratoga (with two J-type pickups, starts at $529), and the Artist (with one MM-type pickup, $689). The pickups and build quality are astonishingly high quality for the price, and the asymmetrical neck construction allows for incredibly fast shifting up and down the neck. The Artist is the only active model, and it includes a very versatile three-band EQ. Recommendation: MTD Kingston Saratoga 3) GL Tribute (Range: $449-$749) GL was the last company Leo Fender started before his death, consequently the models offered by GL and their more budget-friendly brand Tribute are the natural evolution of the Fender Models. The Tribute Line has more individual models, all of which are very well built and contain almost any combination of J pickups, P pickups, and Humbuckers. The L2000 ($699), arguably their flagship model, is one of the most versatile instruments available, as its two Humbucker pickups are augmented by a three-way pickup selector, a series/parallel switch, and a switchable three-mode preamp which controls volume, bass, and treble. Recommendation: GL Tribute L2000 or L2500 4) Spector Legend (Range: $499-$849) The Spector Legend Series offers slightly less in the way of variety, but that is made up for in the quality of construction. The Legend Series contains the Standard line, which comes in four- and five-string versions, as well as the Classic Line, which is available with four, five, or six strings. All of these basses are equipped with two SSD Humbuckers, with the exception of the Standard Four String model, which has an EMG P/J pickup set. Spector is also known for its beautiful paintjobs and exotic wood tops, both of which are options when purchasing a Legend. These basses are incredibly durable. Dan Briggs, of Between the Buried and Me fame, played the same Spector Legend Five String he bought when he was 16 until just a few years ago, which is a true testament to the longevity of these basses. Recommendation: Spector Legend Classic 5. 5) Ibanez (Range: aprox. $300-$900) This is where things get a little tricky. Ibanez makes a huge range of basses, from the lowest of the low to highest of the high, more or less. The trick is finding that range in the middle that is high quality but doesn’t break the bank. I’ve found the best bang for your buck range is minimum $300 anything below that is pretty shoddy workmanship and somewhere around $900 at the top. The Soundgear series is always a safe bet; they are pretty much all equipped with two Humbuckers and a 3-Band onboard EQ, which gives them a serious leg up in versatility, although not to the same extent as the GL Tribute L2000. Ibanez also offers the Artcore series, which consists of shortscale hollowbody basses with a very classic vibe. Artcore basses are some of the only Passive Ibanez basses and generally come with two more subtly voiced pickups, while their Active counterparts generally lend themselves to a more Hi-Fi tone that cuts through the mix. Recommendation: Ibanez AGB200 (Artcore) or SR505 (Soundgear) These are some of the best bass guitar brands out there, all with prices that wont completely break the bank. Good luck finding the bass for you! Miller W. teaches acoustic guitar, bass guitar, music theory and upright bass in Orange, CA. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Music at Santa Barbara and has been teaching students since 2008. Learn more about Miller W. here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher