We recently had the chance to connect with Reesa Myers and have shared our conversation below.
Reesa, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Playing violin. It’s very bittersweet. My mom used to play, and she passed away when I was in college. A couple of years ago, when my brother was getting married, he asked if I would learn to play her violin and perform at his wedding. I was honored to do so.
The journey of learning was emotional, to say the least, but now when I play, I feel closer to her. I plan on joining a community orchestra one day, though I still need to practice and build my skills before I’m ready for that level.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Reesa, and my business is Musician’s Addition. I started Musician’s Addition in 2020 as a YouTube channel focused on teaching music theory, flute, and aural skills. Music has always been my passion, and I’ve always had a drive to help others learn it. Since then, the channel has grown significantly, and we try to add a new instrument category each year.
As we’ve expanded, our goal has been to create a program for every learner. We’ve written our own method books and developed interactive online courses that go beyond traditional lessons. These courses include games, backing tracks, and an online community, making learning more engaging and helping students truly understand the material.
One challenge I noticed early on came from my private students is their instruments. (I primarily teach flute, but this applies to other instruments as well.) Some students bought cheap flutes online, often from Amazon, that didn’t play properly even though they were brand new. Others had flutes passed down from family or found at yard sales that were also in poor condition. When I suggested repairs or upgrading to a better instrument, many students told me the cost was simply too high.
That’s why Musician’s Addition now offers our own line of flutes. They’re budget-friendly, though a little pricier than most Amazon flutes, but they work right out of the box and are built to last longer. For now, we only offer flutes, but our plan is to expand into many more instruments.
At the heart of Musician’s Addition is one simple mission: to make music education more accessible. We do this by offering affordable, reliable instruments and flexible ways to learn that fit different budgets and schedules.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
There have been several people who taught me about “work”. If I have to pick one person, I would say I learned the most from my Grandma Pearl. She had MS (Muliple Sclerosis) and she always moved forward like a boss. She showed the importance of showing up and following through with the things you say you’re going to do, no matter how hard it gets, but more importantly, not ever letting anyone tell you that you can’t. If you want to do something, then you do it. When things get hard, you don’t give up. When someone says, “You can’t do it,” you prove them wrong. Your mind and your attitude are everything, so believe in yourself and always move forward, no matter what.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I almost gave up music in middle school. I was terrible at playing flute, we had a new band teacher who had a temper problem, and I just didn’t see the point of playing in band or playing flute anymore. I told my dad I wanted to quit and he took me to see an a cappella group. He kept nudging me and telling me they’d sound great with a flute player. So I agreed to stay in band. I’m glad I did, I don’t know where I’d be today.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I might get some heat for this, but there are a few. My job is to help break those lies if I’m going to make music education more accessible. Here are a few lies the music education industry will tell.
1. You cannot learn music online, whether it is through music courses or even online music lessons. Truth is, you can. It might be more challenging, but if you pay attention, practice, and dedicate time to learning and improving, you will. Whether you’re learning through YouTube or video courses, you can learn. Online music lessons have their pros and cons, too, but you can learn through online lessons as well.
2. You should only buy and play on a name-brand instrument. Truth is, though it may be harder to find the good, smaller-named instruments, they are out there. The Musician’s Addition flute has already taken some heat for being a bad flute, though everyone who has stated that has never even played or seen our flutes. Just because we are not a big-name brand, many players and teachers assume the flute is of bad quality. I made sure it wasn’t. I did send it to a few repair shops to tear apart and put back together to see their input on the quality. Every one of them said they were impressed (also thinking it was going to be bad). I’ve been playing on the Musician’s Addition flute any time I play to see at what point it will need repairs. I’ve been playing on it for 3 years and still doing fine. To say only trust big-brand flutes is somewhat telling the new independent flute maker that they “can’t make flutes”.
3. Adults don’t have a need to learn music. Now, this one not everyone believes, but I do see it sometimes. Truth is, I don’t think there are enough programs for adults. We do create our content more for middle school & high school aged kids, but we have more adults learning from Musician’s Addition than we do kids. Some of our viewers and students are 55+. Anyone of any age should learn music, as it has so many benefits. Music is for everyone.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
It’s not really any of my business what people will say about me, but I suppose I would hope that it would be about me as a person instead of the things I’ve done. I hope that I’d be seen for the people I’ve helped, the smiles and laughter I’d bring, and for the care and joy I share. I hope people share memories they’ve shared with me and all the good times we had together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.musiciansaddition.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musiciansaddition
- Twitter: https://x.com/MA_MusicSchool
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musiciansaddition
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MusiciansAddition
