Revamp Your Business Model: Unleashing The Power Of Innovation

Your business, your way! Teaching private music lessons is already an atypical job, but you can take it further and truly mold your business to fit your life best. If you haven’t already, check out this post about 7 Strategies for Building a Music Studio Business Model that sets you apart from the Competition to get started on developing your business model. But lets talk about how you can be more innovated!

1) Offer online private lessons. Online lessons are more common now, because of the recent events that have taken place in our wold. But many teachers have opted to only teach online because it worked for them. Check out the 5 tips I share here on How To Transition To Online Teaching to get you started.

2) Offer group lessons. This is perfect for guitar, piano and violin, but really there is no limit on which instrument you can do this with. Just to give an idea of how it would work, group lesson held weekly for a class of 5 at $100/month per student, is $500 for just one 30-60 minute lesson a week. If you can teach 3 days a week for a total of 6 hours a week (6 - 1 hour lessons), I’ll let you do the math. The goal would be to find enough students to fill each class slot. (🎶 homeschoolers)

3) Offer online studies. This is kind of taking group lessons online, but really, you record a lesson a week and create a website for people interested to subscribe to weekly lessons or tutorials. (🎶 like Patreon) Classes would be like: how to read treble clef, and another for how to read bass clef. Basic lessons but provided weekly to wide range of people.

4) Workshop/Masterclass Clinician/Group teacher. Reach out to the local schools and let the music teacher know that you are available to host a masterclass for your specific instrument to help their students. Or host a workshop at a senior center to help them learn a new instrument. You’ll have to work out details or your hourly rate with whomever you work with but this is a different approach.

Happy Teaching!

xo, Becky

7 Practice Tips and Tools Every Music Teacher Should Share With Their Students

If you've been teaching for any length of time, you already know the truth: what happens in the lesson room is only half the equation.

The other half happens at home — alone, without you there, with every distraction imaginable competing for your student's attention.

Getting students to practice consistently is one of the biggest challenges in private music teaching. But the right tips and tools can make a real difference — not just in how much students practice, but in how effectively they use the time they have.

Here are seven practice strategies and tools worth sharing with your students (and their parents) right now.

1. Set a Specific Practice Time — Not a Practice Goal

Most students are told to "practice 30 minutes a day." The problem? Thirty minutes of distracted, unfocused noodling isn't practice — it's just time spent near an instrument.

A better approach: help students schedule a specific, non-negotiable practice window each day. Same time, same place, every day. Before school. Right after. Before dinner. It doesn't matter when — what matters is that it becomes as automatic as brushing teeth.

Research consistently shows that habit stacking — attaching a new habit to an existing one — is one of the most effective ways to build consistency. "After I get home from school, I practice for 20 minutes before I do anything else" is far more effective than a vague intention to practice sometime today.

Share this with parents at enrollment and revisit it any time a student starts slipping on their practice consistency.

2. Use a Timer — But Not the Way You Think

Most students use a timer to track how long they've practiced. That's fine, but there's a smarter way to use one.

Introduce your students to the Pomodoro method — 25 minutes of focused practice followed by a 5-minute break. For younger students, shorten it: 15 minutes on, 3 minutes off. The timer creates a sense of urgency that keeps students focused, and the built-in break prevents the mental fatigue that turns practice sessions into frustration fests.

Tool to recommend: Any basic phone timer works, but Focuskeeper is a free Pomodoro app that's simple enough for older students and teens to use independently.

3. Practice Hands Separately — Then Put It Together

This one sounds obvious, but it's worth repeating to students and parents regularly because it's the step most students skip when they're rushing through their practice.

Hands-together practice feels like progress. Hands-separate practice is progress.

Teach your students to isolate the hard spots, master each hand independently, then combine. And when something goes wrong hands-together, the answer is always to go back to hands separate — not to run the passage again and hope for the best.

A simple practice chart with checkboxes for "right hand," "left hand," and "hands together" can make this feel structured and achievable rather than tedious.

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4. Record Yourself

This is one of the most powerful and underused practice tools available — and it costs nothing.

Encourage your students to record a short video of themselves playing their current piece at least once a week. Not to perform. Not to share. Just to watch and listen back.

There's something that happens when students hear themselves from the outside. Tempo rushing, dynamic flatness, notes that aren't quite clean — things they completely miss while playing suddenly become obvious. It also builds the habit of self-assessment, which is one of the most valuable skills a musician can develop.

For younger students, this works especially well when parents watch with them and ask simple questions: "What did you like about that? What would you want to fix?"

Tool to recommend: Any smartphone camera works perfectly. For students who want to go further, Tonara is a practice app that lets teachers assign and track practice, and students can submit recordings directly through the app.

5. Use a Metronome — And Start Slower Than You Think

Every teacher says this. Every student ignores it. Keep saying it anyway.

The metronome isn't a punishment — it's the most honest feedback tool in music. It doesn't care how musical the phrase felt. It just tells the truth about whether the tempo was steady.

The key is teaching students how to use a metronome effectively, not just telling them to turn one on. The process: find the tempo where you can play the passage perfectly, every time, with zero errors. That's your starting tempo. Add 2–4 BPM only when you've nailed it three times in a row.

Tools to recommend:

• Metronome Online — free, browser-based, no download needed

• Pro Metronome — free app, clean interface, great for students

• TempoPerfect — free desktop option for students who practice at a piano or keyboard

6. Break It Down — The 3-Times Rule

When a student hits a hard passage, the instinct is to back up and run the whole piece again from the beginning. This feels productive but accomplishes almost nothing.

Teach your students the 3-times rule: isolate the difficult measure or passage. Play it correctly three times in a row — not three times total, but three times in a row without a mistake. Then expand: add one measure before it, play that correctly three times in a row. Add one measure after. Work outward from the hard spot until it's absorbed into the whole piece.

This approach works because it forces genuine repetition of the actual problem rather than diluting it with repetition of everything the student already knows.

A simple printed practice card with this sequence makes it easy for students to follow at home without you there.

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7. Make Practice Visual With a Chart

For younger students especially, a visual practice tracker is one of the most effective motivation tools you can put in their hands.

It doesn't need to be complicated. A weekly chart with their pieces listed, a column for each day, and a simple checkbox or sticker system is enough. The act of marking off a completed practice session gives students a small but real sense of accomplishment — and parents a clear picture of what's actually happening at home.

Tools to recommend:

• A simple printed practice chart you create in Canva — keep one as a template you can print and hand out at lessons

• Practice First — a digital practice tracker designed specifically for music students

• iReal Pro — more advanced, but great for older students working on improvisation and theory alongside their pieces

The best practice chart is the one your student will actually use. Start simple and build from there.

Practice doesn't have to be a battle — for your students or for you. The right systems, tools, and habits make consistent practice feel less like a chore and more like a natural part of the day.

And when students practice well at home, lessons become more productive, progress accelerates, and students stay enrolled longer. That's good for them — and good for your studio.

Happy Teaching!

Becky

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10 Proven Strategies to Keep Your Music Teaching Business Running Successfully

As a music teacher and entrepreneur, you know that running a successful teaching business can be challenging, but also incredibly rewarding. Whether you are just starting or have been in the industry for years, there are always new strategies and techniques to learn and implement to grow your business and keep it running successfully. In this article, we will explore 10 proven strategies that will help you keep your music teaching business running smoothly and successfully. From creating a solid business plan to leveraging social media and building strong relationships with your students and their families, you will discover practical tips and insights that will help you take your teaching business to the next level. So, whether you are looking to attract more students, increase your revenue, or simply improve the quality of your teaching, read on to discover how you can achieve your goals and build a thriving music-teaching business.

1. Develop those long-term friendships with your student. Make lessons fun, and have a candy bowl. When your student is super excited to come to lessons or practice at home, the parents will see that and will love that they don’t have to work as hard to get their kid into lessons. They will thank you for it and will tell their friends all about you and your business and referrals are GOLD as a small business.

2. Offer a referral incentive. This goes right along with #1. The more your students bring, the more in demand you become. Make sure you have a stipulation, that only 1 benefit is awarded monthly. For my studio, the students will receive 1 free month of lessons once a referral student starts. You can stipulate, max 2 referrals a semester, or good for any month of their choosing. But this is something to have added to your Studio Policy!

3. Create a Lesson Agreement that new students have to continue lessons for 4-6 months (you decide the length) to allow enough time for the student to fully get the basics learned and if music is right for them. This shows the parent you are worth investing in for at least a determined amount of time.

4. Create a solid business plan of a set teaching schedule and even make up lesson frequency, and stick with it. When you treat your business like a business, you will be regarded as a business, not just the neighborhood piano teacher that is doing this in their spare time.

5. Word of Mouth! Referrals are GOLD, but you still have to tell people that you are a teacher/offer music lessons. ADVERTISING is necessary for any business. People won’t know unless you tell them about it. Get business cards made and carry some with you everywhere you go. Hang one up on community boards when you see one. Leave it on a counter at a business where other cards are being left.

6. Think outside of the box in what you can offer. Offer to record music and splice recordings together, be an accompanist, offer songwriting workshops, theory workshops…The list can go on and on! You can check out more ideas in this post about innovative teaching opportunities!

7. Don’t feel like you have to cater to the masses. Limit your studio to what you can realistically handle. And price your tuition at what you are truly worth, not what others think you are worth. Teaching can take a lot out of you, especially if you are teaching in small pockets during the week or weekend after working another job during the day.

8. Build a waitlist. While it’s hard to say, “I have no room right now” when you "might “ be able to add an extra lesson day in to accommodate every student that comes calling, you will be making sacrifices somewhere else. For me, I teach 3 days a week almost right as soon as school gets out and often finish teaching when it’s my kid’s bedtime. I dedicate 2 days that I don’t teach so I can help my own kids with after-school studies and have time with them. If I gave that time up for more lessons, I miss more time with my kids.

9. Value your time. Don’t be the teacher that always goes over lessons and makes another student wait. Just like going to a doctor’s office, no one likes having to wait beyond their specified time. If a student is late, there is no make-up time at the end of lessons. When you respect your time, the families will too. And things happen, but when it becomes a constant problem, address it with the parent as “Is there another time in the week that works better for your family.”

10. Incentives work wonders for kids and families. When you have a challenge for your kids to work towards with BIG REWARDS. Believe it or not, candy does the trick, especially when they get to pick what candy they are getting. Be very clear about how the student earns the reward. I usually send an email out to families with the challenge rules. And check in weekly with either a practice chart/sticker chart or have some way to track progress over time so they can see their progress.

When you use these proven strategies, your studio will not only be in demand but will prosper the test of time with loyal families that come back year after year and you will be able to continue to grow your business on your terms and make it a fun place for your students!

Happy Teaching!

The Ultimate Guide to Overcoming Challenges in Your Music Teaching Business

As a music teacher, running a successful business can be challenging. From attracting new students to managing finances, there are many obstacles that can make it difficult to thrive in this industry. However, with the right strategies and mindset, it is possible to overcome these challenges and build a thriving music teaching business. In this ultimate guide, we will explore some of the most common obstacles faced by music teachers and provide practical tips and advice for overcoming them. Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your business to the next level, this guide will provide valuable insights and actionable steps that you can take to achieve success in your music teaching business. So, let's dive in and discover how you can overcome the challenges and build a successful and fulfilling career in music teaching.

1) Lack of practicing by the students. This is number one and can be frustrating for not only you, whose goal is to keep the learning happening week by week but also the parents at home. If they have to keep reminding their child to practice or nag them to get it done, it isn’t fun for anyone.

• Tip 1: LET THEM PICK A SONG TO LEARN at their level. Use a Popular music book that has some of your favorite current songs in it. When a student enjoys what they are doing, they will practice.

• Tip 2: Incentivize your student to practice. Through a challenge or even just having a simple candy bowl for them to pick a candy at the end of the lesson.

2) Late tuition payments. Because this is a business you are reliant on receiving payment. For me and my family, this is what helps pay the bills. So for us, receiving timely tuition payments is a must.

• Tip 1: In your studio policy clearly state when the due date is for payments and if payments aren’t received within a week of the due date, a late fee will be added. This is a business. A service-related business and most services expect payment.

• Tip 2: one thing that has truly helped my business is to transition on receive online payments. You can set up a “due date” and a reminder is sent out if they haven’t paid by the due date.

3) Incompatible personalities. Whether it’s with the student or the family. It happens. Even when I was taking lessons, I didn’t mesh well with one of my teachers and it was horrible.

• Tip 1: Address it. Talk to the family, and be open. Don’t just try to “get through it” If you’re feeling the strain from it, they are too, which will impact the lack of practice and a willingness to participate fully.

4) Tardiness. Being late to lessons happens, occasionally but if a student is habitually late or misses lessons that is a cause for a discussion with the parents and even to the point of removal from the studio. Remind them that you don’t want to waste their time or money and your time as well. You are here to help them, but can only do so if the student is there to receive the help.

• Tip 1: Clearly state in the studio policy that lessons will not be extended if a student is late. Their lesson time is the lesson time and If there is excessive tardiness or missed lessons, may cause removal from the studio. If a new lesson time is required, please notify me as soon as possible to help remedy the situation.

5) Filling your music studio. If you struggle with filling your studio, this can be from a number of factors from, specialized instrument —not enough people playing to fill a studio, location, tuition dues too high or even just more advertising.

• Tip 1: If you teach a specialized instrument, can you teach a secondary instrument? I play french horn, and there aren’t a lot of students in the area that play horn, or don’t already have another horn teacher. But I also play piano. So most of my student is actually filled with piano students and 1/3 is horn. I’m personally so close to closing the gap but, piano is technically my fall back, studio filler.

• Tip 2: Are you away from the city center, or out in a more rural area? A solution could be to open a studio closer to town. While it won’t be run in your home you might have to rent a space to teach lessons. Places to look into renting: churches, music stores, ask the schools if you can use a practice room for after school lessons, or even open up your own storefront.

• Tip 3: If you are getting a lot of interest in lessons but not converting to students in your studio, reevaluate your tuition. Maybe you’re priced a little high in your area. You can always start tuition lower, and over time increase it. But don’t undersell yourself either just to get students in the door. Be reasonable. Check pricing of local teachers in the area and be in the median point of that.

• Tip 4: Advertise anywhere and everywhere you can. Call subdivisions and ask if they have a monthly newsletter or Facebook group you can advertise on. Make an ad in there. Leave your card or flyer on community boards at the gym, coffee shops, or other local eateries that often have a advertisement / posting board up. Create an incentive in your studio for referrals. Contact churches and see if they can pass the word on. Post on Instagram or Facebook that you are have opening in your music studio. Talk about it often, with anyone and everyone.

At one point or another you will have at least 1 of these challenges in your studio. And It’s never fun to have a difficult conversation with any parent regarding their child, but it must be done if you are going to overcome any of these challenges. Just remember, this is your business. You are here to serve but, there hast to be a willingness on both sides for you to effectively do so.

Happy Teaching!

How To Easily Transition To Teaching Online Music Lessons | TOP 5 TIPS

Online music lessons aren't a pandemic workaround anymore — they're a legitimate, long-term teaching option that opens your studio to students beyond your immediate area, gives your schedule more flexibility, and keeps your income protected when in-person teaching isn't possible.

Whether you're transitioning fully online, offering a hybrid schedule, or just want to be prepared if a student needs to go virtual for a few weeks, these five tips will help you teach online music lessons confidently and effectively.

1. Set Up Zoom the Right Way

Zoom is still the gold standard for online music lessons — it's free, reliable, and works on any device. But most teachers don't set it up in a way that protects their time and keeps lessons running smoothly.

Here's exactly how to do it:

Go to Meetings → Schedule a New Meeting and set each student up with a recurring meeting at their regular lesson time. A recurring meeting generates a custom link for each student that never changes — no hunting for new codes every week.

Scroll down to Advanced Options and turn on Waiting Room. This is essential. It lets you finish one student before the next one joins, so lessons don't overlap and students can't accidentally drop into the middle of someone else's session.

Once it's set up, send each family their custom meeting link with instructions to join 5 minutes early and wait in the waiting room. You admit them when you're ready.

2. Set Clear Online Lesson Expectations With Families

Online lessons require a different level of parent involvement — especially for younger students. Before the first virtual lesson, send a notice to all families that covers:

• Where to be: Student should be at their instrument, in a quiet space, 5 minutes before lesson time

• What to have ready: Their method books, a pencil, and any assigned music printed or on a stand

• Late policy: If the student is late, the lesson runs for the remaining time only. You will not extend or make up the time

• No-shows: Parents are responsible for remembering lesson time. You are not responsible for sending reminder texts before every session

Getting this in writing before the first online lesson prevents the most common issues — students joining from a couch without their music, parents texting mid-lesson asking if lessons are happening, and expectations around makeup lessons.

If you don't have an online lesson addendum in your studio policy, this is the time to add one.

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3. Have a Copy of Every Book Your Students Are Using

This is non-negotiable for online teaching. You cannot effectively direct a student to a specific measure, fingering, or passage if you don't have the same edition in front of you.

Before you go virtual, make sure you have a physical or digital copy of every method book, piece, and supplement your students are currently working through. Keep a notebook for each student with what you assigned and any notes from the lesson — because it's much easier to lose track of where you are without the natural rhythm of handing books back and forth.

For theory work: if you don't have their theory book on hand, skip it for the virtual lesson and focus on repertoire. Don't try to improvise theory without the exact page in front of you — it wastes time and creates confusion.

4. Listen First, Then Correct

This is the adjustment that makes the biggest difference in online lesson quality — and it's the opposite of how most teachers naturally work in person.

Online audio has a slight delay. If you interrupt or correct while a student is playing, your comment arrives half a measure after they've already passed the spot you're referring to. They get confused, you repeat yourself, and the lesson loses momentum.

The better approach: let the student complete the phrase or passage. Then give your notes. Then have them go back and correct. It feels slower at first but it's actually far more efficient because your feedback lands clearly every time.

A few other techniques that help:

• Use measure numbers constantly. For older students, have them write measure numbers throughout their music before the lesson. For younger students, practice counting measures together before you start.

• Hold your music up to the camera when you need to show them exactly where you are. This is faster than describing it.

• Mark your copy whenever you tell them to mark theirs. That way at the next lesson you know exactly what you told them to do and can check it.

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5. Give Yourself and Your Students Grace

Online teaching is a different skill set. The pacing is slower. The feedback loop is different. Some things that work beautifully in person take longer to communicate virtually.

If you or your student hit a wall of frustration mid-lesson, move on. Tell them you'll come back to it next week. That's not failure — that's good teaching. Sometimes a concept needs a week of home practice before it clicks, and pushing through frustration online rarely works.

Be open and honest with families too. Check in monthly to make sure the virtual setup is working for them. Ask if the audio quality is good on their end, if they have a good camera angle of the student's hands, and if there's anything you can adjust to make lessons more productive.

The teachers who thrive with online lessons long-term are the ones who treat it as its own format with its own best practices — not a lesser version of in-person teaching.

One more thing that helps enormously: a structured practice challenge running in the background. When students have a consistent incentive to practice between lessons, online or in person, progress doesn't stall. The Practice to Performance Spring Challenge is exactly that — a done-for-you system to keep students practicing consistently all season long.

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Happy Teaching!

Becky

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