Pay your music teacher! Music lessons are not cheap. There, I said it. I know that from experience. But I have also learned that, for the most part, you get what you pay for. Not always true, I know, but most of the time it is. When you want quality, it costs you. And you should want quality for the music lessons you pay for. Granted, a beginner does not need a symphony-level instructor, but you should expect quality from your child’s music teacher. And that means you pay for it. Now, I’m not going to tell you where to come up with the money to pay for your child’s lessons, but I want to help you understand what determines the price your music teacher charges, and how he/she expects to be paid.

Your Music Teacher is a Professional

First of all, understand that a qualified music teacher has put in a lot of time and effort to become qualified. The teacher probably started practicing at a very young age and put in countless hours of practice before he/she even started college! Many music teachers studied music in college – they could have been performance majors, music education majors, or pedagogy majors. They put in the time and effort to be prepared to teach your child. Your music teacher is a professional, and he deserves to be paid as a professional.

Factors that Determine the Cost of Music Lessons

What determines the cost of music lessons? First, your location plays a role in the fees a teacher charges. Teachers in urban areas often charge more than teachers in more rural areas. Competition is greater in cities, living expenses are often greater in cities, studio space rental fees are usually higher in cities. Remember, your music teacher is a small business professional. This is her job. She must pay expenses, taxes, insurance, etc. Secondly, your teacher’s education and experience help determine his/her pay scale. The greater his experience, the more he is justified in charging for lessons. Usually a music teacher will study the market, get a feel for reasonable lessons charges, and try to set a comparable rate.

Frequency of Payments

How or when does my child’s teacher expect me to pay? Good question. When I was in grade school, I remember walking to my piano teacher’s house after school, handing her a $5.00 bill, and sitting down to take my lesson. Things have changed since then! Some teachers still ask to be paid each week when a child comes to a lesson. Others request to be paid monthly (number of lessons in a month multiplied by the amount per lesson). Many other teachers operate on a term or semester basis. They will calculate how many lessons are in the given term, how much per lesson, then give you a total amount you owe for the term. They may expect you to pay for the entire term at the beginning of the term, or half at the beginning of the term and the other half at the midpoint of the term. Usually, paying your music teacher by check makes it easier for them to keep their records correct. Some will even take credit cards.

Cancellations and Missed Lessons

What about missed lessons or cancellations? Be sure to discuss this with your music teacher when you start lessons. Each teacher or studio has its own policy. Find out what it is and keep a copy of the studio policy. Some teachers will work with you to reschedule in case of sickness or emergencies. Some build an extra lesson into their studio term. Others will reschedule if the teacher misses a lesson, but not if the child skips the lesson. It is your responsibility to know the teacher’s policy. Don’t expect the music teacher to make exceptions just for you.

Pay the Music Teacher

Finally, most importantly, pay your music teacher promptly! Remember this – your child’s music teacher is teaching because she loves to teach and see children learn, but this is still her job. She has bills to pay, expenses to meet, and she is depending on your payments to meet those expenses. The teacher still must pay her bills on time whether you have made your payment or not. So, pay your child’s music teacher with a smile!

How to Find a Music Teacher

So, you decided that your child will take music lessons, and now you must find a music teacher. How do you do that? Obviously, you want to find a teacher who is qualified, who will work well with your child, who will inspire your child to greatness, and will make every lesson as exciting as a favorite video game. Is there such a person? Probably not, but I am sure you can find a music teacher who is just right for your child! I managed to find at least 10 different music teachers for my children, so I am pretty sure you can find one too!

How or where to look for a music teacher:

1. Word of mouth is probably the best way to start looking for a music teacher. Ask your friends if they know anyone qualified. Does your child have any friends at school taking lessons on the same instrument? Ask them who their teacher is. Is there anyone at church who plays that instrument? Ask them if they know anyone who teaches that instrument.

2. Ask the music teachers at your child’s school. They often know people in the area who teach lessons. See who they recommend.

3. Also, ask at your local music store. Sometimes a music store has teachers who teach lessons there. Or they might have a list of private music teachers in the area. One of my girls took lessons for a while from a teacher at our store.

4. Are there any universities, colleges, or community colleges in your area? Check with them. If the school has a good music program, there are probably students who would be happy to earn some extra money giving lessons. Also, some music departments have a “prep” school connected with them. This gives their music students an opportunity to give lessons in a supervised environment. Other colleges may have a community music program that offers lessons by qualified instructors to the general community. Three of my girls taught at their college music prep school. Three of my boys took lessons from the community music school at a local college.

5. Search the internet – there are professional organizations that list music teachers by area. Sometimes music teachers have their own websites. Do some research.

Okay, so you narrowed your search down to a couple names, now what? How do you proceed? What things do you need to consider before making a final choice?

What to look for in a music teacher:

1. Does the teacher have openings in her schedule, or would your name go on a waiting list?

2. Where does the person teach? At school? In your home? At the music store? In his/her own studio? And are you willing to drive to this location every week? (Or clean your house every week before the teacher appears? Been there, done that!)

3. Does the teacher have good references? Ask for some names you can contact as references.

4. Do you think this person will be a good fit for your child? Will their personalities work well together?

5. Can you (or your child) deal with the teacher’s expectations? I took my son to a trial lesson with a music teacher once, and I thought the teacher was just a bit too intense for my son. A few years later we came back to that same teacher, and my son had developed enough so that this teacher was just what he needed. They worked together for several years after that.

6. Ask for a trial lesson before making a commitment. Sit in on the lesson. See how your child and the teacher interact. See if you are both comfortable with the teacher’s style.

7. Also, be sure you understand how the teacher expects to be paid.

Don’t settle for the first teacher you find, look for someone who will challenge and inspire your child. Look for someone who will care about their progress and who will motivate them. I hope you find a great music teacher!

What other suggestions do you have? Leave them in the comments section. I look forward to hearing from you!

Thinking about signing your child up for music lessons? Private lessons, or lessons at school? Think again! Don’t get me wrong – I am all for kids learning music. I am all for kids taking music lessons. But, if any of these reasons apply, you might need to rethink your plans.

1. Do NOT sign your child for music lessons just to fill up his after-school activity calendar.

You know how it goes – Monday: full; Tuesday: 3:30-Chess Club, 4:30-karate class, 5:30-hmmm, don’t have anything scheduled there, let’s see…piano lessons, that’s it.

2. Do NOT enroll your child in music lessons if you, the parent, have no interest or desire for your child to actually practice.

I had a lady tell me once that when her daughter was young she signed up for French horn lessons. The mother couldn’t stand to listen to her practice, so she would tell the girl how wonderful she sounded, and that she didn’t need to practice anymore. Needless to say the girl did not continue with music for very long at all.

3. Do NOT sign your child up for music lessons if you do not intend to make sure she shows up prepared for her lesson each week.

That means that you (parent!) have to be sure she has a reliable way to get to the lesson, that she brings her music with her, that she brings her instrument, and that she has practiced at least some during the week.

4. Also, do NOT start music lessons if you aren’t willing or able to provide an instrument for your child to practice on.

Hey, I know instruments can be crazy expensive, but there are ways to reduce some of the expense. Rent an instrument. Buy a used (functional) instrument, look for listings for free pianos. Give your child a chance! Supply him with a functional instrument.

5. Finally, do NOT enroll your child in music lessons if you have no interest in long-term commitment.

Just like sports, music is not mastered in a semester, not even a year! Be willing to commit to a long-term process and stick with it! Don’t let your child quit the first time he faces a challenge. Persevere!!!!

Have anything to add to my list? I would love to hear your comments! Be sure to check back next week for Reasons Why Your Child SHOULD Take Music Lessons.

And check back in a couple days for some info on music history and some music theory basics!

Carol