Music for all versus pushing cheap garbage?

I *absolutely* agree with you! Every day, there are people who sound sincere, in asking about learning to play the piano, the guitar, etc. - and then want us to send them to websites, CDs, etc. or advise them on books for self-teaching. Music learning is FAR too individual and personal to rely on those methods! Nobody can teach you if they cannot SEE you or HEAR you. The only people benefiting from those bogus websites are the people pushing their PRODUCTS - and cashing your checks. Even if they are free to begin with - believe me, they are going to hit you up for SOMETHING, eventually. Not only do those methods NOT WORK, but have the potential for injury as well.

There are several of us of these forums that ARE educated, experienced experts. When we offer sincere advice - and sometimes, a needed *reality check* - then we are lambasted as being snooty, conceited, etc. Well - we have devoted our LIVES to teaching music students - and perform professionally ourselves. It is plain that many of the askers do not WANT professional advice - they want a pat on the head, or the "You GO, girl!" type of affirmation - when they ask about teaching themselves the ukulele well enough to get into Juilliard - and they cannot even SPELL Juilliard. More and more, this place is run by the inmates - kids who would rather WHINE about "I wanna be famous - and I don't wanna take no stinkin' LESSONS!!" - than people who have legitimate questions that could be assisted with our help. And - they want FREE music for everything- and they want to NOTES written out, because they are TOO LAZY to learn to read music.

So - I continue to cast my bread upon the waters. Some days - all I get is wet bread. BTW - if you think it is bad HERE - Performing Arts in FAR worse. You get the REAL whiners and "I wanna learn online, and then be FAMOUS!!!" jerks there - only to be exceeded by the ones in Singing.

Added2 -

And Trolls??? . . .don't bother - they're heeeere . . .

Many of my answers are caustic because of the nature of the question. I don't take kindly to being "used" to answer homework questions, or inane questions about the simplest musical terms. I do offer support ideas to complement lessons. Making flashcards to help with reading ledger lines, key signatures, chords, note values; making your own flash cards is valuable because you are active in the process of making them studying enough to get it right ... the down side is if a student makes an error on a flash card, that will be reinforced in the study.

I'll point to sites like http://circleoffifths.com/ as a study aid. If I know of public domain sties with sheet music, fine, but I also point out publishers and retail sites for sheet music. I try to steer people away from cheap instruments

Someone asked about the quality of a black cello they bought on eBay. I am the only responder so far; I don't think she'll like my answer: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AhzI_...

... You'll note that my answers on Fur Elise http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Anu0H... TAB or in "Note Names" format really point out the problem with the question. Of course I have fun when people ask for the absurd as well: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmOy0...

My esteemed colleagues have said it all, and well.

I would reduce it to the fundament of maintaining your standards. One has to know, accept and have the needed patience to explain why standards are necessary to a generation who are growing up with a false notion one can accomplish much or anything without standards.

..and selective discernment in choosing your battles, and which of the plethora of people on line you think worth your time.

best regards, Petr b.