Looking for a way to supplement your income or a way to work from home? Teaching private music lessons is a great way! You get to set your schedule, and often times it’s minimal hours per week, but can still produce a good income.
Can You Be A Teacher?
Not anyone can teach. You don’t have to have a degree in music but you do have to have knowledge and a basic understanding of music. If you’re here you probably already have experience playing an instrument or singing.
You must be able to have a competent understanding of note reading, dynamics, rhythm and counting.
If teaching beginning lessons you can build on your abilities over time as you continue teaching others. General rule of thumb is that you should only teach to your own level of playing. If you only learned up to early advance, then that should be as far as you teach unless you continue your own education and feel confident teaching higher level music.
If teaching string instruments you should be able to tune the instrument, proper bowing techniques, fingering and maintenance of the instrument.
Wind instruments you need to be able to teach the basic fundamentals of holding the instrument, blowing and producing a good tone and maintenance of the instrument.
Vocal instructors must be able to teach proper singing techniques.
How To Get Started
Determine how many hours you can teach in a week, and that will determine how many students you can have. Beginning lessons are generally 30 minutes long. Intermediate are 45-60 minutes and advanced is 60 minute or more.
Decide much you will charge for tuition per lesson. You will have to compare other rates in your town so that you are at a reasonable rate but not undercutting other teachers just to get more students into your studio.
Locate a place where you will teach your lessons. If teaching in your home, You must have a clear space in your home, with easy access to a restroom for any emergencies just in case. Plus I ask my students to wash their hands before they begin playing. If you don’t have space in your home you can contact a music store to see if they are accepting new teachers. They will ask for credentials though. You can also look into places of worship, schools or the local community college or university to see if you can use a room.
Organize your business for bills and receiving bills. For tax purposes you must have record of all income received so you do have to be organized with that.
Plus side, you don’t have to go this alone! Get your IRONCLAD Studio Policy that will protect you and your new business HERE! And soon to be released is our 12 week online course Successful Music Studio Strategies. Video tutorials and access to all my templates and tools to help you Start, build and maintain a successful and THRIVING private music lessons studio.
Happy Teaching,
xo Becky
