Information for Future and Current Music Students of Dolly Paul

Adults make up 50% of our studio.  Dolly has adult students through the South and Midwest.  By choosing one-on-one private online lessons you can find more time for your own music fulfillment without the extra after work drive-time. Become part of a slow music session group if you are local. Or stretch your theory knowledge and  be a part of a music composition class. Not all goals are alike. We have one student whose goal is to play the pianos in the airports he travels through. Other adults study music for their own enjoyment and to keep their mind young.  And we have adults who are professional musicians and those contributing to their church music programs, too. The reasons to keep playing are endless.

The benefits of playing a musical instrument will continue to have a positive impact on lives as long as this planet spins.  We play music to praise our God, create community, soothe our own spirits, or inspire others. Music lives in nature; the wind plays the tall grasses like a lyre, the oceans roar like a symphony, and the leaves of the trees rustle in song. Music is all around us. Thank you for making Low Country Studios, LLC your music lesson resource.

What will I learn in private lessons? Your private lesson time includes learning:

• about your musical instrument - it's history, how it is made, and how it conducts sound
• music theory & rudiments - how to read and write music
• how to play and perform music on your instrument

With time and interest, students will also learn about music history, work on ear-training, and learn how to compose music by hand and finish their music scores using specialized software.

What type of music will I be studying? Every student begins with classical studies. After a student has reached a level of competency with their playing and technical skills in the classical genre, they may choose to add jazz, latin, popular, or worship genres in addition to their classical work. Classical training gives students a solid foundation from which they can build the skills needed for proficiency in other genres.

How does payment work? You will be invoiced for your lessons near the end of each month for the upcoming month through Square, by Low Country Studios, Ltd. Co. Payment is collected before lessons are given. You will be able to pay the invoice with a credit card or bank draft before the first of each month. If payment has not been received after the second lesson of the month, lessons will be discontinued until full payment is made. 

• $38.00 U.S. dollars per 30-minute weekly scheduled lesson
• $57.00 U.S. dollars per 45-minute weekly scheduled lesson
• $76.00 U.S. dollars per 60-minute weekly scheduled lesson
• Group classes in guitar, ukulele, mountain dulcimer, sight-singing, composition and music theory,  are all assessed at different fees based on the number of participants.

Is there a difference in length of lesson time between in-person and online lessons? Yes. Many students and parents have commented how much they appreciate that they get a full 30, or full 60, minutes with online lessons. With Online Lessons the lesson time is usually more true because students are not physically leaving and entering the studio. Studio disinfection requirements between students are unnecessary with online sessions and also provide for a few more lessons minutes.

 Online lessons work well for those who:

• have busy schedules - for school age children this saves drive time and can give children more time at home for school assignments or necessary drive time for sports
• travel frequently - students who travel out of the state for auditions and competitions have access to their instructor
• need help while performing on tour - professional students can get a quick coaching on the road
• are concerned with health issues - online lessons are always available if there is illness in your home
• live in rural areas - our studio has students that work on farms and those who live by the seaside

As with all music studios, in-person 30 minute lessons are usually 25 minutes in length, in-person 60 minute lessons are 50 minutes in length. Parent questions and discussions are a part of this time. We want to respect the time of every student that may follow. Studios are now required to disinfect common areas between students who have lessons in-person. You will be expected to leave when your time has ended to properly prepare for the next student before they can enter the studio. Please understand that your time starts at your scheduled time - not when you walk in the door - and will end at the precise time without time extension, even if you are late due to traffic or other inconvenience. Parents must also remain on the property during lessons. We are not equipped to watch your child, and can not allow them to stay in the studio past their lesson end time. We are not responsible for your child's safety if you are not here to pick them up after they leave their studio lesson time.

With online lessons you are in the comfort of your own home, or on the road,  with your own instrument.   We have children who attend lessons online in pajamas, and adult students who enjoy a cocktail in the comfort of their own home while having their on-line lesson.   We also have students that take lessons from their grandparents home or from a hotel room when they are out of town. You don't have to be in your home, you simply need a wifi connection and a piano keyboard.

Do you prepare students for university/music school auditions?  Many of Ms Paul's students have gone on to earn degrees in music with full scholarships to prestigious music schools. For students hoping to enter university to major in the field of Music, students should be enrolled with weekly lessons on their choice instrument by the beginning of their Freshman High School year. For local middle and secondary schools (i.e. Charleston's School of the Arts) Dolly will not accept new students for audition preparation after June 1st for the coming year audition. 

How do I get lesson books and materials? During the initial lesson, the student's current musical knowledge and skills will be assessed. Books will then be assigned for the student. Books can be purchased from Ms. Paul directly or from an online source of your choosing. There are links to Sheet Music Plus on this website as a convenience to students - Sheet Music Plus is a separate site not owned by us. For those who are local to Charleston, Fox Music House, and Music & Arts may have the books you need. If we have books available here in the studio, we will also let you know the books' conditions, if there is a cost, and how you can arrange to pick up books and supplies from Miss Dolly - or have them mailed to you. (We do occasionally receive book donations or books at reduced costs that allow us to pass the savings along to students.)

What is expected of the student? Studying and making music is fun, but can also be a struggle at first and requires support from parents, and self-patience for both children and adult students. The fun is when you start hearing your own progress and realize you are learning a new language (music) and becoming proficient. A tennis player will never improve if she only practices for 5 minutes one day a week outside of her tennis lesson. The same is true for music. If you put more time into music practice you will see faster results and improvement. A parent should be present while children are having their lesson and help the child select a regular time to practice every day. Twenty minutes a day is a good start with a goal of 45 minutes per day as the student moves forward. The 45 minute session can be broken into two sessions. Suggested practice times include one session after breakfast and one later in the day, usually following an after school snack, or supper. Children need parental support in practicing skills and completing school work through 11 years of age. If you don't have time in your schedule to monitor your child as they do their daily skill building with their instrument, this may not prove fruitful for your child.

Are you available for in-person lessons?   Since moving to online lessons the studio has grown to include students who live outside of the Charleston SC area and across the U.S. The studio does its best to accommodate everyone's preference, in person priority is given to students who do not have english as a first language, students on a professional track, or students who have physical limitations. 

Missed Lessons and Cancellations                                                                                                                           

If you miss a lesson time you will not be refunded or credited for that time. There are no make-up lessons. If you forget to show up for two consecutive lesson times you may be removed from the schedule.  If you need to discontinue lessons a two-week notice is requested and payment for the current month can not be refunded. If there are five lessons in a month you may choose to take a lesson week off without being charged for that 5th lesson. You need to let us know the week you want off prior to the start of each 5-week month. All other lesson times are charged, whether or not you can attend. You must remember that in addition to purchasing quality instruction, you are also buying a space of time.