Studio Policy

Last updated: March 2026

Working Together — What to Expect

Welcome to the Trumpet with Paul studio! I'm passionate about helping my students become not only better trumpet players, but also more creative and successful musicians. This studio policy outlines how we can best work together to make your learning experience as positive and productive as possible. I've written it in plain language because I believe in clear communication from the start. Please read it before our first lesson and don't hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Warmly,

Paul

Let's Meet First

I strongly encourage all new students to schedule a FREE 15-minute trial session before purchasing lesson credits. This gives us a chance to meet, discuss your goals, determine a regular lesson time, and make sure we're a good fit for each other.

Lesson Lengths

I offer lessons in three lengths to suit different goals and experience levels:

30-minute lessons — a great starting point for new players of any age, and a natural fit for younger students. Each session is focused and structured, building strong fundamentals at a manageable pace.
45-minute lessons — a great fit for intermediate and advancing players. Purposeful and productive, with room to really work on technique, repertoire, and consistency.
60-minute lessons — ideal for most adults and advanced students. The full hour gives us time to go deep on technique, repertoire, and musical expression.

Purchasing Lesson Credits

Most students purchase lesson credits directly through my website at www.trumpetwithpaul.com/lessons. Purchasing through my website offers priority scheduling, flexible payment plans via Afterpay and Klarna, and the full range of lesson options. Students may alternatively choose to work with me through lessonface.com.

Lesson credits are valid for 12 months — use them on your schedule. Many students find that 6 lessons works well for a summer session, 12 lessons fits a 4-month fall term, and 16 lessons covers a 5-month spring term.

Scheduling Your Lessons

Most students find that a consistent weekly time works best — it builds routine, makes practice more predictable, and helps you make steady progress. To determine a time slot that will work well for you, talk to Paul directly during your trial lesson or via email. Once we find a time slot that works for you, it generally becomes yours for the term. Paul will help to schedule your lessons in advance while working around holiday breaks and any pre-determined conflicts. You can view your lessons by logging into your account at www.trumpetwithpaul.com/login.

Paul's Availability

To preview my current availability, visit www.trumpetwithpaul.com/lessons and click the "Schedule Free Trial Lesson" button. This scheduling tool will display possible lesson times in your local time zone. I do my best to keep my online calendar up to date, but my schedule can change quickly — please note that all lesson bookings are subject to availability. If your preferred time isn't showing, just reach out directly and we'll find something that works.

I'm based just outside of New York City (Eastern Time Zone). During the school year (September–June) I'm typically available for lessons on most weekday afternoons and evenings, and Sunday mornings. During the summer months (mid-June through August), my more frequent travel schedule means my availability is more limited — though I try to keep afternoon and evening slots open whenever possible.

Popular lesson times can fill up quickly each term. If you have a preferred time in mind, feel free to reach out before purchasing your lesson credits.

Lesson Changes and Cancellations

Planned Rescheduling: Please provide as much notice as possible if you have a known conflict and need to reschedule a lesson. You can reschedule a lesson with at least 24 hours notice through the website or the link in your confirmation email.

Last-Minute Cancellations, Reschedulings, and No-Shows: When you schedule a lesson, I set aside that time specifically for you. Cancellations, rescheduling requests, or missed lessons with less than 24 hours notice will result in a forfeited lesson credit. That said, life happens — to accommodate illness, emergencies, technical difficulties, and the unexpected, each block of lesson credits comes with a built-in grace allowance (1 per 6-lesson block, 2 per 12-lesson block, 3 per 16-lesson block). Once this grace allowance has been used, any further last-minute cancellations, rescheduling requests, or no-shows will result in a forfeited lesson credit.

If Paul Needs to Reschedule: As an active performing musician, I occasionally need to reschedule due to planned rehearsals, performances, or touring commitments. When this happens, I'll reach out well in advance to find an alternative time. In the unlikely event of a true last-minute change on my end:

I'll contact you as soon as possible
We'll work together to find an alternative time that works for you
I'll make sure you receive the full lesson you paid for

Getting Started with Online Lessons

Logins & Lesson Reminders

Lesson reminders are sent automatically 24 hours and 15 minutes before each scheduled lesson.

Adult students booking lessons for themselves use their own email address to log in.

Most families with younger students use a parent or guardian's email as the account login — lesson reminders and studio communications go directly there.

Families with older or more independent students sometimes prefer that lesson reminders go to multiple family members simultaneously — so that both a parent and the student themselves receive reminders about upcoming lessons. In these cases, Paul can set up a simple family email alias (e.g., [familyname]@trumpetwithpaul.com) that automatically forwards to everyone you'd like included. This alias also becomes the shared login username for the website portal. Just let Paul know if you'd prefer this setup and which family members and email addresses to include.

Online Lessons

For online lessons via Zoom, you'll need:

Your instrument
A computer or tablet with Zoom installed
A quiet space with a reliable internet connection

Configuring Zoom Audio Settings

You'll also need to adjust your Zoom audio settings. Zoom's default settings can block loud instruments like the trumpet, so it's important to enable "Original Sound" on your computer, or "Original Audio" on your tablet, to ensure your playing comes through clearly. This is a two-step process — don't worry if it feels unfamiliar, I can walk you through it at our first meeting:

Step 1: Enable "Original Sound" in your Zoom audio settings

Step 2: Turn on "Original Sound" (computer) or "Original Audio" (tablet) during the Zoom meeting

Prefer to watch a video tutorial? Computer instructions | iPad or tablet instructions

Lesson Notes

Students can keep track of lesson notes and resources by visiting www.trumpetwithpaul.com/library and opening their lesson sessions under their account. Lesson notes, PDF resources, and video links can be stored for each individual lesson session.

Lessons can also be recorded to generate automatic notes. While these automated notes aren't perfect, many students and parents find them extremely useful for tracking what was covered and knowing what to practice between lessons. If you'd prefer not to use this feature, just let me know and we can turn it off at the start of the lesson.

Working with Younger Students

For students under 18 years of age, I require a brief meeting with a parent or guardian during the first lesson to discuss expectations and get to know each other. For students under 13, a parent or guardian must be present for the entirety of each lesson. These requirements help ensure a safe, productive learning environment and keep parents informed about their child's musical progress.

My Promise to You: 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

I stand behind the quality of my teaching and want you to feel confident in your decision to work with me.

Refund Policy

Unused lesson credits are eligible for a full refund within 30 days of purchase.
Once a lesson has taken place or a lesson credit has been forfeited, it is considered used and is not eligible for refund.
For partially used lesson credits, I offer pro-rata refunds within 30 days of purchase. After 30 days, lesson credits remain valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.

How to Request a Refund

To request a refund within 30 days of purchase, email support@trumpetwithpaul.com with your email address, your purchase date, and a description of what you'd like refunded. My team will process your request promptly.

After 30 Days

After 30 days from purchase, I am unable to offer refunds. Please reach out with any concerns before this period expires.

Questions?

If you have any questions about anything covered here, please don't hesitate to reach out at support@trumpetwithpaul.com.

Updates to This Policy

I may occasionally update this studio policy to better serve you and reflect changes in my teaching practice. The latest version will always be available on my website.

Congratulations and THANK YOU if you've read all the way through this studio policy document! If you'd like to read even MORE, you are welcome to read the official Website Terms and Conditions and Website Privacy Policy for this website. My lawyer would be thrilled! ;-)