no comp. .. Del's thoughts.

[Ron Nossaman]

>1. I've only been to a handful of conventions, but in my short tenure, it
>appears that the 'most popular'(conrad, 42 regular) classes are the ones
>that require a registration fee in addition to the regular registration
>fee( the all-day affairs and the hands-on stuff). The all-day affairs that I
>have attended, on a whole, have been more rewarding than the individual
>classes(conrad, extra FR please). It's possible that my newness to the biz
>has something to do with my viewpoint, but, Del, anyone, do you feel that
>more of these types of classes might be an avenue for us to explore? I
>realize timing and space are critical, but I would like to hear what others
>have to say about this.

With the all day classes, in the class I feel I will benefit from 
most,  there are inevitably segments (sometime interminable segments) I 
don't find that interesting, and/or that are presented by someone who's 
teaching style I don't care for. Meanwhile, as I sit through one of those 
interminable segments, there are a couple of segments in one or two of the 
other classes that I thought sounded very interesting, but not enough to 
make up for the rest of the day. The unfortunate thing there is that those 
interesting segments I couldn't get to aren't repeated during the week.

The extra charge classes like the regulation class, grand or vertical, 
rebuilding skills, and service & repair skills, are all well attended and a 
good value. Some of the one session classes I've attended could have been 
turned into a full day workshop easily enough, but how many folks would 
pass on the full day and cover four different single period classes 
instead? It depends on the subject and where it's placed in the schedule.

What other sort of classes would you like along these lines that aren't 
already being done?

>These types of classes are typically taught by people that have a direct
>link to a particular company or manufacturer, so there isn't as much
>'questioning' from the class as there is from the smaller, individual
>classes. The instructor's word "seems" to be more respected in these type of
>situations because, "they're the expert".

I'll duck this one and save the novel for another subject.


>2. Do you think that it's possible that there is a "fear factor" lurking in
>the background that is preventing talanted people from getting up in front
>of 20-100 peers and delivering a class?

Could be. Seems to me that the instructor either needs to have a pretty 
good idea what he's talking about, or had better darn well be intimidating 
enough in presence and reputation to bluff through with BS (not 
recommended). There's always that creeping dread in the back of your mind 
that someone will stick up their hand and ask a question you hadn't 
considered that makes you wonder if you do know what you're talking about.


>  Speaking for myself, I find that a
>pretty daunting proposition.

It is, but it's an intense and memorable educational experience too. Well 
worth doing.


>"Fear" meaning that talanted people are just
>that...talanted..but when it comes to instructing a group of peers, the
>instructor becomes the questioned, because the talented individual is
>unfamiliar with being an instructor, and teaching/instructing is something
>that you either have or are willing to work very hard at to be better at.

That's the preparation part. You will have already checked your material 
for holes by questioning and rethinking every fact, process, and conclusion 
in it before presenting it (hint, you've always missed a few, but so does 
everyone else). Also, you said the magic word. These folks in your audience 
are your "peers", not a tribunal of rabid judgmental strangers. You're 
addressing friends, or at least professionals with whom you have a lot in 
common. If you give them the real stuff as you know it, you'll do fine.


>  My
>thoughts are that there's alot of talent in the PTG, but instructing people,
>especially at Del's level, becomes intimidating because of his experience
>level.

The high level folks are the easy ones. They understand the material, can 
follow the logic even if you ain't presentin' it so pretty smooth, ask good 
questions, and make helpful comments on occasion. They GET it, and are at 
least as appreciative (I'd say more) of new and interesting information 
than the new guys who haven't yet sorted out their own version of piano 
reality. They're just you in a couple more years.


Ron N