Virtual Retreat - $400???

Jerryc41

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I'm confused. This virtual retreat costs $400, and that's the early bird price. It will run for about twenty hours, so that's $20/hr, which doesn't sound bad. I've been going to uke events for years, and the Funky Frets Uke Fest costs $167 for about about the same length of time, which is $8.35/hr, and that includes meals and a train ride.

http://craigandsarah.com/virtualret...ah&ss_campaign_sent_date=2021-07-23T05:57:31Z
 
Someone and quite a few someone’s will pay the 400 and be happy about it. I’m not going to comment on the price or value for money but, I’m not in the group of people that could justify that level of expenditure. My prediction is that the ‘retreat’ will be a sell-out success attended by people all over the World. The 400 might seem a lot but when you have no flights to cover and no hotels to pay for its suddenly becomes accessible to a new audience.
 
I suppose that each person has to weigh out what they value and where their priorities lie. We all have our own comfort zone and finances to consider. To have instruction or interaction with world class players can be a priceless opportunity. Sometimes I try to remind myself of the value of experiences vs buying stuff.
 
The workshop includes some of the biggest names in ukulele today. One big attraction is that you will get feedback from them on one performance piece (unclear if submitted piece or live on zoom) and a jam session with them. They will also have a live Q&A session.

So each person can decide if this is worthy of their time and money. There is certainly value here.
 
I'm confused. This virtual retreat costs $400, and that's the early bird price. It will run for about twenty hours, so that's $20/hr, which doesn't sound bad. I've been going to uke events for years, and the Funky Frets Uke Fest costs $167 for about about the same length of time, which is $8.35/hr, and that includes meals and a train ride.

http://craigandsarah.com/virtualret...ah&ss_campaign_sent_date=2021-07-23T05:57:31Z

But does the Funky Frets Uke Fest have the same caliber of headliners? Just saying.
 
But does the Funky Frets Uke Fest have the same caliber of headliners? Just saying.

Same caliber? I'd say yes. Just as famous? I'd say no. All the events I've attended have had very good instruction by well-know performers/instructors. This one offers six sessions by four instructors. Most uke fests have at least a dozen sessions with lots of instructors.

Obviously, people can spend and attend whatever they want. I was just pointing out the difference in pricing for a weekend event.
 
A bit pricey at first blush, I suppose, but certainly looks like a fine program. I'm inclined to think that those who take the plunge will come away feeling that this was a truly good value.
 
I’m not good enough to warrant the kind of feedback that would warrant that kind of cost.

What I mean is, at this point, just about anyone would be able to tell me I need to learn scales and basic theory and that would be cheap. At the point where only someone like an Ohta could give me the feedback I would need? That’s AGES away. ;-)
 
Same caliber? I'd say yes. Just as famous? I'd say no. All the events I've attended have had very good instruction by well-know performers/instructors. This one offers six sessions by four instructors. Most uke fests have at least a dozen sessions with lots of instructors.

Obviously, people can spend and attend whatever they want. I was just pointing out the difference in pricing for a weekend event.

same caliber i say no :) not sure why you decided to make this post seems mean spirited in my opinion but seems on par for you...i believe Sarah and Craig are famous for a reason...and have been a big part of the ukulele world in a positive way for many years now....hey Jerry what is your contribution? :)...trying to be funny not sure how this looks on paper sorry if it looks worse than meant to be but, since Sarah not here to defend their reasoning for cost of the workshop i respond with my thoughts

oh btw do you know who Jake and Herb are?

my 2 cents...:)
 
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Jake S and Herb O just were emcees for the 51st Hawaii Ukulele Festival that Craig C and Sarah M organized after Roy Sakuma placed it in their stewardship after fifty years. It is a free all day festival (online this and last year) on Oahu that funds ukulele programs for children in Hawaii. Craig and Sarah also have been hosting multiple workshops and mini ukefests during the pandemic for free so all can afford to attend and participate. So I would not disparage their efforts or workshop in any way, shape or form.

I expect those that participate in the forum will feel they got their moneys worth from these wonderful performers, instructors, and people. I applaud all they do for the ukulele and greater community.
 
same caliber i say no :) not sure why you decided to make this post seems mean spirited in my opinion but seems on par for you...i believe Sarah and Craig are famous for a reason...and have been a big part of the ukulele world in a positive way for many years now....hey Jerry what is your contribution? :)...trying to be funny not sure how this looks on paper sorry if it looks worse than meant to be but, since Sarah not here to defend their reasoning for cost of the workshop i respond with my thoughts

oh btw do you know who Jake and Herb are?

my 2 cents...:)

What is your problem?! There is nothing mean spirited in any of my posts. I have been to several events where Craig and Sarah were instructors, and they are excellent. I have attended many Fri - Sun uke fests that cost under $200 - Funky Fest, Allegheny, NJ Uke Fest - and they had excellent instructors. That's why the price of $400 seems high to me. Yes, Jake and Herb are famous, and I have seen them perform. Maybe it's their names and their feedback during this event that account for the higher price.

Maybe you didn't read my entire post. I said that instructors at other events were the same caliber as the ones at this Virtual Retreat, but they weren't necessarily as famous.
 
I'm not here to argue the relative worth of various instructors -- no point in that since it all comes down to who is teaching what you want to learn and how well that instructor jives with your learning style. Fame has nothing to do with it, neither does musical talent. Well, I suppose if you revere a certain performer then you might be a more attentive student. Teaching ability is what matters, but a great teacher is not necessarily the right teacher for you.

In other words, we could argue this forever and never settle it. The free market will take care of this. If the workshop is worth X$ to enough people, they will pay it. Otherwise, not.

Nobody's mentioned this yet but really: How many hours can you sit in front of your computer absorbing instruction until your brain overloads and shuts down? When I attend an in-person weekend workshop, by Sunday afternoon I am worthless. Online, I can't even. No multi-day event is going to be worth serious money to me at this point in my life because I do not have the mental bandwidth to make the most of it. If you can, go for it.

I am curmudgeonly about this because I keep meeting people who attend festivals and workshops constantly. They tell me how great This Famous Person's workshop was, and how incredible the classes were at some retreat/cruise/camp. Some of these people I have known for years and, for the most part, they are not good ukulele players and they never get better at it. You can attend all the classes in the world, but if you can't process the information and put it to use in your own practice, then it's just a passing entertainment and a social outing. Which might be worth the money to you and that's fine. Just don't assume that forking over the money and sitting in front of the computer will magically make you a better musician. That's my grumble for the day. I hope everyone who does attend this event has a great time and learns something wonderful.
 
Their web site says the festival is "Geared toward Confident Beginner & Intermediate players". I have been teaching myself how to play for 3 or 4 months and I am definitely (slowly) getting better but I am not yet a "confident" player, beginner or otherwise. This particular event would be overkill for me at this point in time but a year from now I might feel ready. If that were the case I would definitely pay $400 to attend.

No uke festival is ever going to make me a GOOD player. I am almost 70 years old, I have arthritis, and I was born with crooked little fingers (the left, unfortunately, worse than the right!) But I am enjoying the process and I think it is helpful for me to exercise both my fingers and my brain. People seem to have such a great time at these types of events and I look forward to sharing the fun one of these days.

kathy
 
I just don't want more "virtual" anything right now. I'll save my money, and wait to pay for an actual retreat.
 
I might plunk down the dough if I thought I could invest the time and energy into the complete program. I did one of the early pandemic festivals the Craig and Sarah did out of San Diego. I was pretty much there all day. I had a lot of fun. I was able to donate/pay for the next program they offered. Really a very small amount. I was not able to attend the whole day. I've done a few other on line instructional programs during the pandemic. I'll likely keep doing them now and then. As mentioned the value to the person and the time willing to be at the event is very much an individual thing. If the program has a small number of people participate then perhaps a restructuring of fee's might be in order, but really that's up to the organizers, their intent, and how they want their programs to proceed. Would be interesting to see how other online programs are running. Such as well know guitar players/teachers and so forth. They are out there as well.
 
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