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Originally posted by Jack Baker

Not sure what to do about this. I want to be part of BHO but people want everything for free these days even if its way over their playing level. I'm not quite sure what to do....Jack Baker

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Hi Jack,

Just keep doing good stuff....

It will come back to you!

Good luck!

Jack this has came up before, I'm not sure what to say. You put stuff up for free, it's awesome and you're an asset to the community. I think that's just the nature of the game. If you put stuff up for free, people are going to use it. Isn't that the point? You've taken them down before, only to re-upload them again later.

If a student thinks they can get the same value from just having the free tab as they do from actually taking real lessons with you, that's on them. They are definitely not going to learn as well or be as good just from tabs alone. I mean, we've all heard a banjo player that learned exclusively from tabs. Bad rhythm, no ears, inability to add variation.

Perhaps the solution is to try to explain what you've said. Some tabs are too advanced for them. There's a lot more to playing than just the notes. There's value in paying a professional to actually teach you.

At the same time, you've also got to accept that if you put stuff up for free, some people will just take it and never do anything else. I'm not so sure if that's a bad thing. There is likely a certain amount of marketing value for you with the free tabs, at the very least.

You could do what a lot of other teachers are doing now. Offer a small selection of videos and tabs to draw people in, and lock everything else behind a Patreon paywall. It's an option. 

Thanks Mark,
Well so far, it hasn't come back to me, only left me...HA....Jack

Thanks,

K.C. I'll give it a lot of thought. I really don't want to go the Patreon way--not my style...Jack

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Originally posted by KCJones

 

Jack, it's normal for students to want to try something new, something different and something free.

You've heard the old adage (paraphrased) if you love it, set it free, if it was meant to be, it'll come back.

Those students who are downloading tabs too hard for them will get disappointed because they can't play them and then come back ... to you or some other teacher.... or get discouraged and quit.

I remember downloading some of your tabs when I was learning many years ago. I couldn't play them then. I put them up and got them out later and could play some of them. Maybe your students will do the same.

As long as there are free tabs available -- yours or someone else's -- students will download and see if they can play them. It is normal and the only way to stop it is to stop making free tab available. While that's a solution, it may not be what you want or need. As long as you have your tabs out free, you also have your name out there. Those tabs might get you new students.

Thank You Sherry,
Well, I'll try to ride it out if it doesn't put me in the poor house since teaching is the only way I make a living now.....Jack

That's the game these days. I spend time correcting things they find on line or telling them that it is one way to play it. Your tabs, the few I've seen, are worthy of their attention. Monetizing musical endeavors is getting more difficult all of the time.

Yes Bob.....J

I have no solution to your dilemma. It reminds me of the old movie "Field of Dreams" when James Earl Jones says to Kevin Costner, "Is that why you did this, Ray? Are you asking 'What's in it for you?"

Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web and gave it to us for free. Perhaps it's good to give a little back.

I, for one, deeply appreciate all you have done for the banjo community.
Thank you.

Hi Joe,
Thank you....Jack

there is not a thing you can do -on this Jack--
the culprit that makes tabs useful is playable tab programs (table edit) that kinda show the dynamics -- however table edit can play impossible patterns written in ignorance to real finger strengths--your calling card is tabbing real life versions--A tab without an audio is lacking key ingredients --
people wanting freebies is nothing new--not even shameful sometimes--
your ability to show the isolated phrasing with precise timing of the ornaments and the major melody vs the passing notes would be --the value the students  need-
advertising is about the only way to get this out--and you kinda get a bit of that here for free--if you have some students that excelled you might even get them in the act--good luck gotta run

Jack,
I am sorry to hear this and did not fully understand your situation. The other day you talked about being very busy so I assumed you were teaching a lot of lessons and that was meeting your needs.
Is there anyway you could put a disclaimer out when you post a free tab? You could say that this is a sample of what you get if you use my tabbing services and then maybe give a site link that shows your full tab list and cost? You might also post tips on how best to use/benefit from tab and all the things you can learn from it.
Your presence on the BHO should be win win for all (you included) and not just the community.
Best,
Ken

Good afternoon, Jack,

This would be a great opportunity for a teaching moment. Ask the students to pick four pieces from simple to advance and use it as a teaching moment about how to read and understand tabs or music.

Eventually, the students aren’t gonna need you, any good teacher realizes their goals to make them independent, your biggest friend is word-of-mouth. Yeah, I know it’s not fair. Teaching isn’t something you go into for money. It’s not celebrated. That’s why I always wrote grants on the side why I was a teacher and now I just do a part time. I wish you luck and I hope the suggestion is helpful. Have a good day, sir.

Are you saying that your students are stopping their lessons with you? Or that you're not comfortable with them using external resources in addition to your lessons?

Either way, it's not really something you can control, is it?

I think there is something wrong if a student go to a teacher just to get a tab. A lesson should focus on what is beyond the tab, not on the tab itself. And Jack, if anyone, should be able to go that beyond the tab - the problem may be that the students don't realize that they should go beyond the tab.

On the other hand, Jack's tabs are very instructive and detailed, so if a student can understand tab reading, he/she usually don't need any assistance from a teacher (=Jack) to learn it.

Thanks for the post Jan,
I agree with most of what you posted but keep in mind that I teach via Zoom now as the Landlords in NYC for most private teachers, the rents were tripled when they returned from the Covid attack 4 years ago and most of them are all teaching via Zoom now.

I left NYC after it happened to me and I left NYC forever as I cannot take the overwhelming Greed of NYC landlords anymore. I now reside in NJ and I'm doing fine with Zoom teaching. Yes, many of my students go to BHO for free tabs even though they are not ready in ability yet. I cannot control that.

I give students Tablature so students can practice and hopefully, in time, memorize a tune that I give them. I also of course, teach theory in detail every lesson. But after I teach them how to use Tabledit, they desert me and grab tabs from BHO..I'm not certain as to what to do about that.....thanks again Jan....Jack

Your Tabledit work is exemplary, Jack, but let’s face it - there are free tabs for banjo and guitar all over YouTube and other sites. I do my tutorials with tabs because it’s fun, gets feedback from banjo & guitar students, and helps grow my youtube channel. (when I’m 95 it might finally meet monetization requirements ;-) Between arranging tunes, making instructional videos, busking , and going to jams I’m about as busy as I was before I retired.
All the best - stay in the game!

quote:

I give students Tablature so students can practice and hopefully, in time, memorize a tune that I give them. I also of course, teach theory in detail every lesson. But after I teach them how to use Tabledit, they desert me and grab tabs from BHO..I'm not certain as to what to do about that.....thanks again Jan....Jack

FWIW- I once heard a famous banjo player say " After a student learns a few rolls & a couple chords, they no longer need a teacher. They need a mentor."

He may have something there. When learning we often think we know more than we do & go foolishly into the unknown. P er traps you ought to provide "beginner lessons & accomplished mentoring."

It would look good on a business card??

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Mr. Jack,Coming across this topic, I just realized that you're a banjo teacher.

About what you do—I just want to say this: as a guy in China who loves the banjo, I dream of having a teacher. Even though I've been learning for a whole year now, I've had to rely entirely on books, online videos, and this forum. And honestly, I'm not a clever boy, so my progress doesn't really reflect a full year of learning. That's how I know—there's really no substitute for having a real teacher by your side.

There's a saying in Chinese: "???????" (sh?n zài fú zh?ng bù zh? fú). It means someone who's been soaking in honey their whole life doesn't realize how sweet it really is. Students often don't appreciate what they have—they aim too high, reach for the stars before they've even learned to stand. But someday, they'll come to understand just how important you really were.

Wishing you all the best in 2026.