The difference between a teacher and YouTube is the human contact.
A lot of people these days come in my studio telling me they have tried to learn the drums or the piano without a teacher. The process was very difficult and, right before they give up, they decided to take lesson as a Hail Mary. So, here they are, waiting for me to perform a miracle.
I take on the challenge with a smile because I have a few things YouTube doesn’t have: one of them would be the relationship of trust and fun that can be built between a teacher and his/her pupil. Now, it doesn’t work every time. Sometimes (rarely, though), the student and I are not compatible. But, I confess that it is easy to relate to someone who loves the drums or the piano. Talking about piano or drums is why I chose this job!
Another great tool I use all the time is tailoring the lessons to the needs of the students. Take, for example, a student fresh from the outside world, really thirsty for knowledge and who has been longing to become the next Arthur Rubinstein or the next Dave Weckl (One is a great pianist, the other one a very technical drummer, you win nothing if you guess which one is which). Put her/him in my studio and, after a few pointed question, I can start making her/his dreams come true. And, from that little spark, I will establish a progression based on the student schedule/time/motivation.
It’s not that I think a real piano or drum teacher is irreplaceable, it’s that I know it. The human element in learning can be removed, but, if you find a good teacher, the whole experience becomes so precious and important that the unavoidable frustrations you experience becomes a bit more dull and that the victories will feel like a triumph.
