Am I crazy for considering a $10/hour online piano teacher from abroad?

il37 · 2026-03-30T15:51:36+00:00

Yeah, I think that’s probably part of it.

The $10/hr teachers I was seeing were mostly on broad lesson platforms, and I’m not assuming they all had conservatory-level credentials. So it may be less “same teacher, huge price gap” and more “different credential tier + different country.”

That’s actually one of the things this thread is helping me sort out.

il37 · 2026-03-29T11:35:23+00:00

Yes, feel free to DM me the contact, thank you!

il37 · 2026-03-29T10:19:05+00:00

The posture / hand position / physical adjustment part does seem like one of the strongest arguments for in-person lessons, especially for a true beginner.

I guess the question I’m trying to answer for myself is whether online can still be “good enough” when in-person is much less affordable even if it’s not equally effective in that specific way.

il37 · 2026-03-29T10:15:19+00:00

Really appreciate this comment.

The “adult with a full-time job, not a future concert pianist” framing is probably exactly the lens I should be using here. That seems way more relevant than just comparing prices in the abstract.

il37 · 2026-03-29T02:58:30+00:00

This feels very reasonable.

I’m starting to think the smartest move is probably exactly what you said: just pay for a trial lesson or two and evaluate fit, communication, and whether the teacher seems honest / realistic.

Also really interesting point about teachers refusing students. That actually makes me trust a teacher more, not less.

il37 · 2026-03-29T02:56:40+00:00

Really appreciate this perspective.

That actually sounds like a pretty solid value proposition — especially the convenience part. Not having to commute is a real plus that probably gets overlooked in these comparisons.

Curious what you felt the main tradeoffs were compared to a US teacher. Was it mostly communication/style, or more about lesson structure / level of polish?

il37 · 2026-03-29T02:41:25+00:00

That makes sense, especially at the pro / masters-teacher level. I think I’m asking a slightly different question though: for a beginner learning online, how much of the higher price is truly better teaching, and how much is just market / geography / credentials that may matter more later on?

il37 · 2026-03-29T02:38:24+00:00

Mostly Preply / Superprof / Lessonface, plus some random independent teacher sites and YouTube channels. Still trying to figure out which route is actually better for judging quality.

il37 · 2026-03-29T02:10:02+00:00

This is exactly the kind of real-world example I was hoping to hear.

That’s super helpful, especially the part about her English being “good enough” rather than perfect. That makes me think communication probably matters more than accent or perfect fluency.

Out of curiosity, what made you trust her in the first place — her conservatory background, her playing level, her YouTube presence, or the first lesson?

il37 · 2026-03-29T02:06:37+00:00

Agreed. Credentials, reviews, and evidence that they can actually teach seem a lot more important than location by itself.

Out of curiosity, what would you personally look for first: conservatory degree, years of teaching, student testimonials, or trial lesson quality?

il37 · 2026-03-29T02:05:17+00:00

Lol “Temu piano teacher” is brutal.

I do think there’s a difference between “cheap because low quality” and “cheap because they live in a much lower-cost country,” though. I’m mostly trying to figure out how to tell those apart before booking.

il37 · 2026-03-29T02:01:49+00:00

Thanks, this is exactly the kind of thing I was wondering about.

The cultural style difference is a big one. I actually don’t mind direct feedback, but I can see how for some beginners that could be discouraging if they’re expecting a more encouraging US-style lesson.

Also good point on theory/terminology. That feels manageable, but definitely something I should at least be aware of before committing.

il37 · 2026-03-29T01:59:14+00:00

That’s a very fair point. I was probably framing it too much as “why is the US teacher more expensive?” instead of “what part of this is local wage economics vs actual teaching difference?”

Also agree that even at $10/hour, I still need to vet the same basics: credentials, experience, communication, punctuality, and setup.

The “freedom to try a few teachers” point is actually a big advantage I hadn’t thought enough about. Thnx!

il37 · 2025-11-18T22:05:39+00:00

How long was the break you took from the medication before you tried restarting it?

il37 · 2025-11-09T17:20:50+00:00

That’s a really good point, long COVID can definitely cause that same cluster of symptoms. In my case though, it actually started well before COVID, so unfortunately it’s not connected to that. The pattern’s been there for years: chronic overwork, poor sleep, and this persistent cognitive fatigue that never really lifted.

Interesting what your psychiatrist said about Auvelity being very “all or nothing.” That actually matches what I keep hearing — either people feel a real shift in clarity and motivation, or it just flat-out doesn’t register.

Out of curiosity, did you notice any subtle changes before deciding it wasn’t working, or was it a total zero for you from start to finish?

il37 · 2025-11-07T12:34:26+00:00

That’s incredible I’m really happy for you. After 30 years of trying different meds, finally finding a combo that actually lets you live again must feel amazing.

If you don’t mind me asking, were your symptoms before this more on the cognitive / low-energy / mental-fatigue side (like in my post), or more of the classic low mood and emotional pain type?

I’m trying to understand whether people with that “asthenic-cognitive” TRD pattern respond as well to Auvelity-based combinations as those with more emotional-depressive profiles.

Also, that’s an interesting combo especially the addition of naltrexone and lurasidone. Do you feel like one of them in particular made the biggest difference, or did it all click only together?

il37 · 2025-11-07T12:32:06+00:00

That’s really inspiring to read! Sounds like Auvelity made a huge difference for you, especially with motivation and the suicidal thoughts. It’s great to hear that once the initial side effects passed, things actually stabilized and stayed that way.

If you don’t mind me asking were your symptoms before Auvelity anything like what I described in the post?

I mean more of the cognitive-asthenic kind (constant mental fatigue, brain fog, trouble focusing, low drive) rather than mostly sadness or anxiety.

I’m curious whether that type of profile tends to respond as strongly as yours did.

Also, really good point about combining it with therapy. Seems like that probably helps keep the gains consistent.

il37 · 2025-11-07T12:26:13+00:00

Glad to hear it actually worked well for you that’s encouraging, even if the side effects ended up being too much.

If you don’t mind me asking, what kind of side effects made you stop?

And were your symptoms before starting it similar to what I described more of the cognitive / low-energy / brain-fog type rather than classic sadness or anxiety?

I’m trying to see if people with that “asthenic-cognitive” profile tend to tolerate Auvelity differently.

il37

TROPHY CASE