How much $$ would you pay for music lessons?
Friday, July 23rd, 2010 at
4:33 pm
I am going to start giving music lessons for trombone and piano and was curious as to how much $$ you would pay for lessons. The stores around me charge from 20-30 a lesson (30min) so I was thinking of charging 25. But I would be traveling to the student, instead of the student traveling to me (this is what happens at the stores).
So here is the question... How much would you pay for music lessons that come to you instead of you going to a store? Feel free to leave a min/max.
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Tagged with: music lessons • trombone
Filed under: Music Answers
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Dear Seth – are you degreed and certified?? Your competition is. If you are still a student – then you can read my previous responses to similar questions – I feel VERY STRONGLY that you should NOT be teaching. If in fact you ARE a qualified, degreed professional – then why are you asking HERE – and why are you traveling to homes? I know of NO qualified teachers that do this – they either have their own studios, or if new to town, might teach through a reputable store.
So – correct me is I am wrong – because omitted pertinent information. If you are a student – then as a PARENT, I would NOT use you, not matter HOW cheap – there are plenty of fine teachers around now – more than ever.
I think you should go down to 22 – 23$.
In england,woodwind instruments are around £15 if that helps.
For you to come to my home, I would be willing to pay the 30 dollars.
it depends on your experience and what exactly you intend to teach them. And you’d have to get a license and then determine which group you’d be teaching (like beginners, middle or higher level of learning), depends on what your experience is (how many years you’ve been playing yourself, and if you’ve had some teaching experience as you need lesson plans). And it depends on where you are and what the going rate is. Usually that’s found out by calling a few places and saying you’d like to learn to play whatever and ask what they charge and for how long and how often. You’d also want to meet them in a public place rather than their home or yours (for safety) and make sure other people are around. Like can you rent a school room, or a room in the music department?
And by the way, since it’s a business you’ll need to know accounting, need to use the money you earn for expenses and keep track of every penny you save so that you can pay taxes on that at the end of the year.
Like mamianka said, unless you are qualified, a lot of people would prefer to not have you as their teacher.
I myself am a student and I teach my seven year old cousin piano – I charge him $20 for forty-five minutes (an hour would be too long for him)… but if he weren’t my cousin, I doubt his mother would have let me teach him, regardless of how skilled I am. DO you get my point?
As for how much to pay for lessons, I pay the following :
Piano (a qualified teacher and through the conservatory) – $80 an hour
Trumpet (a qualified teacher) – $30 for half an hour, $50 for an hour
Voice – (a qualified teacher) – $25 for half an hour. She is a close friend of my family, and teaches from her home rather than some random music store or at the conservatory or other music school…. but that is fine because she is a friend.
Harpsichord (a qualified teacher and through the conservatory) – $60 an hour (There is less of a demand for harpsichord so it is cheaper than piano.)
Guitar – (A skilled student – my friend) – $30 for an hour.
My friend that is teaching me guitar, I would pay more than $30/hour, but he refuses to accept it because he says ‘I am just a student," but he is very skilled and I am learning and progressing, so I am willing to pay him. You just need to show the parents that you can also teach their children and that you are also skilled.
I think you are just right at starting out at $25. Your travel time is accountable as your time. Considering the travel time, you are already discounted under the lower $20 rate.
If you have a student who shows promise, and is really working to improve, you may wish to later discount them as a kindness. If you do, inform them it is a sort of scholarship. Be sure they are aware of your normal rate if they are referring you to anyone.
Psychology over money is odd. If you charge too little, people will think you are literally not worth much.
I advise you as a free-lance teacher to print up some sort of brief contract. I used to (ideally) collect for one month in advance, or on the first of the month. I would honor a cancellation if it was 24 hours prior notice, and make that lesson up at later mutual convenience, either in one go or extending lesson times. If the cancellation was less than 24 hours notice, it was my prerogative to decide if I would make up that lesson at a later time or not.
These criteria are quite normal, and show prospective students you are truly in business.
best regards, petr b.
It depends if you are a certified teacher with a degree and how far you will be travelling. It also depends on the area. In my area, lessons are generally around $20+.
Let’s say you aren’t travelling to me. If you were an uncertified FRIEND, then 10 dollars for half hour. If you were a certified FRIEND, 16 for half an hour. I go to a music school and my first year was 18 dollars per half hour. Then 19 per half hour. Now it’s 20 per half hour. However, my teacher is a good teacher and she has a degree in music. If you do not have a degree in music, expect less than $18 dollars from me if lessons at all. If you were an uncertified random person, then I wouldn’t be going to your house nor would you be coming to mine.