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Unleash Your Inner Musician: How Teaching Private Music Lessons Can Take Your Musicianship to the Next Level
There’s one thing to be able to do something, but teaching others, that’s a whole new ball game. I remember when I decided to start teaching, I literally sat down at my piano and thought, “how the heck did I learn how to do this?” Because, I don’t really remember the first few years of learning. It was just something I went to and didn’t become an enjoyable passion until I was in 7/8th grade. By being a teacher you have to internally reflect and always learn changing ways to help students excel.
You have to learn how to explain musical concepts and techniques clearly to your students. And as it’s an ever growing and learning experience you will develop new techniques over time as you evolve as a teacher. Don’t feel boxed in that you have to teach a specific way. Create what works for you that conveys the proper information.
Sit at your instrument and work through it. How did I learn to play this? How do I do this? When did I learn scales or other techniques? How do I show someone how to…The list goes on.
Plus don’t just sit with your instrument thinking, you have to lead by example. Rework your own technique. Sit down and drill out those scales. Revisit some old songs you learned back in the day. How can you improve them now. Or learn a new song or 2. Just start back into your own playing.
Is there an organization you can participate with? A music club, community ensemble, band, choir, orchestra. Join those groups for the experience of rehearsing and performing on a regular basis.
🎶 Each teacher will have their own style in how they present ideas. Some people refer to “ C” as home note, or the C scale. For my younger kids I teach positions before I teach pentascales or full scales. We call it C Position, “CPOS” or Middle C Position “MCP” (when the thumbs are sharing middle C) and as the student progresses I teach the full meanings terminology. Your goal is to create terms that work best for your students.
Remember, your goal as the teacher is to teach as much as you can in the time you have available. Each student is going to learn differently and you have to lean into that as a teacher. Just keep trying new ways that work for you and your students.
Happy Teaching!
Talking Points When Talking With Prospective Families
Rock Your Communication Skills: How to better communicate to prospective families why they should consider private lessons with you as their teacher
As a private music teacher, you do have to “sell yourself” to prospective student families. Bottom line this is a serviceable business and you have to show you are capable and ready to work with others that are hiring you. Because in the end, you work for the parent to teach their child how to learn an instrument. I found it was super handy to have generalized phrases in my back pocket for when they came up on the phone or over text. Mainly why private lessons are vital. Especially when a parent is new to the private teaching realm and want to have their kid’s musical education stepped up more than what learning in the school can provide. Below you will find specific talking points I have come accros over the past 25 years when interviewing / being interviewed by prospect parents.
What are Private Music Lessons and How is it Different Than Group Lessons
Private music lessons are one-on-one lessons with a professional musician or music teacher. These lessons can be taken in person or online, and are tailored to the individual needs and goals of the student. Private music lessons are available for a wide range of instruments, including guitar, piano, violin, drums, and more.
One of the biggest advantages of private music lessons is the personalized attention and instruction you receive. Unlike group lessons, private lessons allow the teacher to focus solely on the individual student, providing feedback and guidance specific to their playing and skill level. Private lessons also offer flexibility in scheduling, allowing students to find a time that works best for them.
Benefits of Private Music Lessons
There are numerous benefits to taking private music lessons, including:
1. Personalized Instruction
As mentioned earlier, private music lessons offer personalized instruction tailored to the individual student's needs and goals. This allows the student to progress at their own pace and receive feedback specific to their playing.
2. Improved Playing Technique
Private music lessons can help improve your playing technique, allowing you to play more efficiently and with greater ease. A skilled music teacher can identify areas where you may be struggling and provide exercises and techniques to help you overcome those challenges.
3. Increased Motivation
Private music lessons can also increase motivation to practice and improve. Knowing that you have a lesson coming up can provide the incentive needed to practice regularly and make progress towards your goals.
4. Accountability
Private music lessons also provide accountability. A music teacher can track your progress and hold you accountable for practicing and working towards your goals.
How Private Music Lessons can Improve Your Practicing
Private music lessons can help improve your practicing in several ways. First, a music teacher can provide guidance on how to practice effectively, ensuring that you are using your time efficiently and focusing on areas that need improvement. Second, a music teacher can provide feedback on your practicing, helping you identify areas where you may need to adjust your approach. Finally, by setting goals and creating incentives for practicing, a music teacher can help you stay motivated and on track towards achieving your goals.
Finding the Right Private Music Teacher
Finding the right private music teacher is key to getting the most out of your lessons. When searching for a music teacher, consider their qualifications and experience, as well as their teaching style and personality. It's important to find a teacher who is knowledgeable and skilled in the instrument you want to learn, but also someone who you feel comfortable working with.
What to Expect During a Private Music Lesson
During a private music lesson, you can expect to receive personalized instruction and feedback specific to your playing. Your music teacher may provide exercises and techniques to help improve your playing, as well as assign pieces to work on between lessons. It's important to come prepared with any questions or areas you want to focus on during the lesson.
Setting Goals and Creating Incentives for Practicing
Setting goals and creating incentives for practicing can help you stay motivated and on track towards achieving your musical goals. Your music teacher can help you set realistic goals and provide guidance on how to achieve them. Incentives can be as simple as rewarding yourself with a favorite treat after a successful practice session or setting up a practice challenge with friends.
Specific Benefits of Private Piano Lessons
Private piano lessons offer unique benefits, including:
1. Improved Hand Coordination
Playing piano requires a high level of hand coordination, and private piano lessons can help improve this skill. A skilled piano teacher can provide exercises and techniques to help develop hand coordination and dexterity.
2. Music Theory Instruction
Private piano lessons also offer music theory instruction, which is essential for understanding the structure and composition of music. This knowledge can help improve your overall playing and musicianship.
3. Opportunities for Performance
Private piano lessons often include opportunities for performance, such as recitals or competitions. These opportunities can help build confidence and provide motivation to practice and improve.
Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Private Music Lessons
To get the most out of your private music lessons, consider the following tips:
1. Come Prepared
Come to your lesson prepared with any questions, areas of focus, or pieces you want to work on. This will ensure that you use your lesson time efficiently and effectively.
2. Practice Regularly
Practice regularly between lessons to ensure that you make progress towards your goals. Your music teacher can provide guidance on how to practice effectively and efficiently.
3. Be Open to Feedback
Be open to feedback and willing to make adjustments to your playing. A music teacher can provide valuable feedback that can help you improve and reach your goals.
Alternatives to Private Music Lessons
If private music lessons aren't an option for you, there are alternatives that can still help you improve your playing. Online resources, such as instructional videos and online courses, can provide guidance and instruction. Group lessons can also be a more affordable option, offering personalized attention in a small group setting.
Why Private Music Lessons are Worth the Investment
Private music lessons offer numerous benefits that can help take your playing to the next level. From personalized instruction to increased motivation and accountability, private music lessons can help you achieve your musical goals. By finding the right music teacher, setting goals, and practicing regularly, you can make the most out of your private music lessons and rock your skills as a musician.
Want to learn more about how to start a successful and thriving private music studio? Successful Private Music Studio Strategies 12 Week Online course is coming soon. Get everything you need to start, build and run a successful and thriving music studio. Click here and subscribe HERE to be the first to know when this course officially launches!
Happy Teaching!
Unlock the Musician Within: How to Incentivize Music Practicing and Boost Your Student's Skills
Practicing, most people don’t like it. I didn’t like it all that much growing up. And I liken the idea of practicing to my adults to “working out”. We know we need to do it to get better but, you have to make time for it to truly make a difference in growth and ability to progress.
With kids, it’s a little easier, because you have the parent there to remind them to get it done. For my own child, who takes lessons from another teacher, has a reminder on our home speaker device to remind him at 3:15 to practice each day. Here are some top tips to help incentivize your students to practice more frequently.
Personal Incentivizing. My kid knows that he can’t go out to play with friends until he is done practicing. He has now developed the habit to practice before the reminder goes off because he really wants to go out and play. So he developed his own personal incentivizing. Talk with the parent about how they can figure out or learn what is a personal incentive to practice for their child. Could be anything from watching tv, or playing with friends. Or creating their own little sticker chart at home.
Sticker Charts work wonders. Not only does it allow the student to see their stickers increase over time but they are likening the idea of results-based progress. “If I do this, I get better at this.” Each year, we have a 75 Days of Practicing challenge in my studio to help incentivize consistent practicing leading up to our big spring recital.
Candy Bowl. It’s as simple as having a bowl with candy for your students to take a piece at the end of each lesson. But, set rules to go with it. Good lesson and practicing the week before they could take an extra piece before they leave.
Have the student perform regularly. You can create monthly or bi-monthly performance classes for your students to perform for each other. That way they are always working towards something to showcase, which means, if they are going to perform it, they have to practice it to be ready. If the student isn’t at a specific level of performance for a piece they can’t perform. It’s harsh but it keeps the kids at a certain level of expectance in their practice habits.
Which tip would have helped you most when you were a kid learning your instrument? Be sure to leave a comment and let me know!
Happy Teaching!
Pre-made Recital Program Canva Templates
Need help with a quick and easy recital program? I made 4 different Holiday Themed Recital Program Templates you can use using Canva.com
You can access them here using this LINK. You must create an account to access, and be sure to save the templates to your account before you make changes so everyone can access them as they are now.
Happy Teaching!
Successful Music Studio Bookkeeping -- NOW AVAILABLE!
Ready to get your books in order, literally? I’m an organizing guru with my books for my studio and I’m sharing all my secrets and in this mini course. Get access to the same templates I’ve been using for years that are easily customizable and duplicatable, year after year and student after student.
What you get:
I walk you through how to organize your studio folder right from the get go!
Lesson Summary (What I call invoices) for single and multiple students, and how to print and send it to your students (Set for every month of the year)
Payment Receipt (with attendance log) (for every month of the year and a yearly summary)
Total Money Earned sheet so you can see in one place, how much you’re earning, gross and net each month and for the whole year across your entire studio (Along with a year by year summary to watch your business grow!)
Tax Expense report
Inventory Acquisition, Lending library, Sale log
Plus 2 bonus!
Each sheet is designed to look simple yet professional, good enough to send to any student, and to be used as official documents come tax season. All formulas included, so all you have to do is just enter in the appropriate information and it’s done.
Tutorial videos included for every sheet on how to customize, use, save and print.
Templates for both Apple iOS Numbers and Windows EXCEL.
Happy Teaching!
Halloween Week Lesson Plan
October is one of our fun months in the studio where the room decor changes/add in Halloween decorations and the magical candy bowl appears, (you can read about that here). The beginning of the month each student starts to learn a Halloween specific song that we work through over the 4 weeks, I have a collection of Halloween books and various levels of sheet music that I call “community music” where the student will borrow it and bring it back at the end of the month. I use the Inventory Acquisition, sales and loan log to keep track of who has what music.
Each year in my studio, we have what we call HALLOWEEN WEEK! Halloween week is a special week where the students are encouraged to dress up in their Halloween Costume, I wear mine as well, but we focus the lesson completely what truly makes Halloween, Halloween…THE MUSIC!
I consider it a throw away lesson where we don’t go over anything new in their lesson books but focus solely on musical examples, playing different songs either over Youtube (youtube kids has great little kid appropriate songs that are fun to listen to that aren’t scary) , the origin of Halloween music, sounds, chords, and so forth. This works great and fills in easily for my 30 minute lessons.
Students that have longer lessons we also sightread and start working through 1-2 Intermediate Halloween pieces.
For my advance 60-90 minute lessons students read through Saint-Saëns - Danse Macabre or Macdowell Witches Dance.
Each student also gets a treat to take home. This year, I’m making these Monster Rice Crispy Treats.
SECRET: Discuss with each parent ahead of October to see if they are okay with their child learning Halloween songs. Have a book with Thanksgiving themed songs just in case.
Make Holidays Count In Your Studio!
Never underestimate the power of incentivizing! Mid September I had one student asking when I will start putting the Halloween candy bowl out? It’s funny, because kids remember the smallest details. And while it’s just something super small and just for a month (also December with various candy cane flavors) the students ALL LOOK FORWARD to earning that piece of candy after their lesson.
So, use the holidays to help drive incentives when you can. Make is special for the kids and they will come back each and every week excited, or have something to look forward to each and every holiday.
Don’t break the bank, just keep it super simple, but PLAN AHEAD. (It’s near October and I’m already thinking about a little something for the students for Christmas.)
Holiday treat ideas that we have in my studio:
Halloween: Candy basket, let them pick it out BEFORE lesson so that a) they don’t forget to grab it before they leave b) they have that candy staring them in the face and it helps them stay focused more during lessons.
Thanksgiving: Turkey gift, you can make little homemade treats, I make these turkey cookies. Don’t feel like you have to make a whole plate for the whole family. It can be just a single treat just for your student.
Christmas: Candy Cane plate. I also plan a Christmas gift for each student. In our house I have hidden horns and pianos on my tree and add to it year after year. I’ve started this for my students. They each get an ornament for their tree (year after year students can start collecting an assortment of ornaments for their own music themed tree) Or any gift, big or small. Remember to track all purchases for your expense report in your Bookkeeping
Valentines: Heart Cookies. I like to make a big batch of sugar cookies. And because they are easier to make as a batch, each family will get a plate of cookies.
Easter: Little mini Easter baskets, and fill with candy. Super simple and low cost.
Happy Teaching!
Successful Music Studio Bookkeeping Mini Course
It's time to get excited! With covid, and 3 kids at home (feels like forever), development, of this course has been delayed...But no more! Kids are finally back in school and I'm hard at work again!
Because it's been so long, I've decided to drop a new mini course soon. The one I've been asked for the most...
Successful Music Studio BOOKKEEPING! It’s my next mini course with access to the bookkeeping templates I've been using for since I started teaching (improved along the way!).
In this mini course you’ll get access to the templates I created to help make my bookkeeping simple and duplicatable year after year and student after student.
Templates Included in both iOS and Windows compatible:
Monthly Lesson Summary, for single and multi-student families (including completed formulas)
Payment Receipts used for each student with Attendance tracking log (including formulas)
Tax Expense Report
Gross and Net Yearly Income Tracking Sheet
Studio Inventory Tracking Sheet
BONUS:
Gig Earnings Log (to track additional income)
Business Childcare Log (because being a mom with 3 kids, my own business, sometimes we need to have help!)
Each template includes a tutorial video to walk you through how to customize the template to fit your studio and needs.
Are you excited for this? Is this something you need? Drop a comment and let me know! Also be sure to get on the mailing list so you’re in the know when this course launches HERE!
For now, you can continue to browse the site! You can get your studio started on the right foot with our Customizable Private Music Studio Policies. Check out more blog posts Successful Private Music Studio Secrets Blog, or head back to HOME.
Happy Teaching!
I’m Becky and Welcome To Successful Music Studio Strategies where I help you create your own Successful Private Music Studio business through simple strategies I’ve learned and used in my own successful private music studio! Want to learn more about my online courses to help you start, build and create a successful and THRIVING music studio? Click here!
Bookkeeping Powerhouse Mini course and Studio Policy Templates NOW AVAILABLE!
