The third week of the year is underway, and if learning to play an instrument was one of your resolutions, it’s at this point you might be scratching your head looking at prices.
The benefits of working with a music teacher, rather than just watching YouTube tutorials, is undeniable: you get clear guidance from a professional, tailor made for you, a customized lesson plan to match your progress, and someone to hold you accountable and keep you honest. And what’s more, any musician will tell you that the investment you make into your training will prove to be completely worth it when you start to notice improvements.
But those of you out there who might be a little more pocketbook-conscious are probably wondering how much lessons should cost, on average. Besides, unless you’ve chosen to play the spoons, any instrument you pick up will be expensive enough. But what other supplies, expenses, or factors should you expect to impact your music lesson budget? How much should you expect to pay per lesson or per hour? Can you even stick to a budget at all? Will you end up spending thousands of dollars to be able to play just a handful of songs?
Lucky for you, we’ve got a small list of some of the things that will factor into the cost of your lessons. Be sure to consider each of these before making your final decision.
Your Location
Just like anything else, the cost of music lessons will change depending on where you live. Basically, if you live in a more rural area, you won’t have as large a selection of teachers to choose from, but you can also find much lower rates. On the other hand, if you life in more urban or suburban areas, you’re likely to find a lot more options, but the prices will probably be a bit higher.
For example, a music teacher in the heart of downtown Toronto might charge $60 for a 30 minute lessons, while a teacher in Lindsay, Ontario might charge around $25 per 30 minute session.
Lesson Location
In addition to where you, yourself, are located, where you’re taking the lessons can have an impact on the overall price too. In this case I’m referring to three options music schools in your area may offer. Generally, you can take the lessons in person, in the actual studio with your teacher, in your own home, with your teacher coming to you, and in some cases you can even connect with your teacher via a video chat service like Facetime or Skype.
Generally speaking, traveling to your teacher is usually more affordable than having your teacher come to you. In fact, some teachers will charge for travel time and/or mileage to and from your lessons. Online lessons are sometimes less expensive than either of the other two options, but that all depends on the level of expertise your teacher has. There is also something to be said about having the teacher there in the room with you. Yes, they can still show you most things just fine through the computer, but nothing compares to having someone there, in person, to put your fingers where they need to be, or to show you in detail how their fingers move as they practice scales and other lessons.
Lesson Length
If you’re a new student, starting out with a short, 30 minute lesson is the best way to begin. That being said, as your skills improve and your paying progresses you’ll likely benefit more from longer lessons, like 45 minutes to an hour. In most cases, your teacher will be able to recommend a good lesson length for you, and will even suggest it when it’s time for you to increase the length of your lessons. Of course, as you increase the length of your lessons, the price will increase with it.
Teacher Expertise
Just like any other service out there, from building a house to dental work, the level of expertise your chosen teacher has will play a role in the price of their lessons. Younger teachers, or those who specialize in beginner students, generally charge a little less for their service. However, as you improve and your playing level advances, you may need to find a teacher with a higher or more advanced level of expertise, which is of course associated with a larger price tag.
Also, as you get better, you might want to focus on one specific area of music, like classical orchestral music, or jazz improvisation. This will likely force you to find a teacher who specializes in the genre or technique that you’re interested in. Teachers who have had special training in specific teaching methods or styles of music can usually demand a much higher price for their time and knowledge.
Student’s Age
Maybe it’s not you who you’re teacher shopping for; maybe it’s your little one! If that’s the case, you can sometimes expect lessons for children to be a bit less expensive than those made for adults or more advanced performers. That being said, it’s important that you don’t choose your child’s teacher based solely on cost. The beginner concepts taught in these child-oriented classes may seem basic and simple, but it takes a particular kind of personality, and a tremendous amount of patience, to get through to younger kids, especially those who have trouble focusing already.
When looking for a teacher for your child, try to keep the following in mind, in addition to the cost of the lessons:
- Has this teacher had success with other children that are about the same age as yours?
- How long have they been teaching children, and what is their level of expertise?
- Do they prefer a particular method for working with beginners (like the Suzuki Method, or the Orff Approach)?
- How much time and effort are you able to put in for your child’s lessons, and what does the teacher expect from you?
It’s also a good idea to actually sit down with the teacher of your choice before their first lesson with your child. This meeting will help you both get on the same page regarding things like your expectations, the teacher’s expectations, and the level of commitment everyone is willing to put in. In fact, even if the lessons are for you, this meeting is still a good idea.
Finding the right teacher for your child, and yourself too, is particularly important for beginner students, and having a short meeting before the first lesson can help you make sure you’re not wasting your time and money with the wrong teacher.
Additional Material
As you work through your lessons, you’ll most likely come across some additional costs on top of your lessons. Music workbooks and other similar material are the most obvious source of extra costs; as you progress you’ll always need new workbooks. Some teachers provide this material to students as part of their cost, but most will simply give you a list of books to buy on your own.
As you can plainly see, there are a lot of different things that go into the final cost of music lessons. Do your research, take the time to consider your needs as a student, and what the best options for you might be. With the right set-up and the best teacher guiding you along the way, you’ll be ready to succeed and have fun doing it!