How Much Are Guitar Lessons Generally?
Having been teaching guitar for years in Leeds and West Yorkshire, I have experienced teaching in different settings and working under different systems (with pros and cons), working in primary schools, music centres, and teaching privately. See my website for more details.
This topic can be both informative but sensitive (amongst guitar teachers out there). However, it has always struck me that transparency and clarity about pricing is important for both the buyer and the seller. Not only does this allow customers to make informed choices, it better matches professionals with potential clients. It could come down to physical factors such as location, economic factors such as pricing, or musical factors such as styles. Obviously it depends on a lot of others factors, including who, what, when, where, how.
Who:
There are a few 'who's to think of: who the tutor is, who you are, and possibly who else might be in the lesson if it's a group kind of thing.
Tutors who teach at music centres may need to pay a commission rate for every student that goes through the centre rather than privately and directly to the tutor, in that case a £20 lesson may end up as £10-15 for the tutor. Private tutors usually get 100% of the fee as there is no middle man.
The age and qualification of the tutor also plays a big part in the pay scale. Although these things may seem bureaucratic (people may argue that a highly qualified tutor can't teach, and vice versa), it does make a difference in the real world, at least from an advertising stage. From a potential customer's point of view, it may seem strange that a tutor advertising for £15 an hour also says he/she has been in the business for 10+ years. It provokes two thoughts: 10 years is a long time, and with that experience one could suitably ask for at least £25 an hour. The other reason behind this may be that it has always been a side business, in which case it will attract players who treat playing as a side business, which is fine. Main thing here is that it does put some people off when pricing inappropriately.
I have attached a few screenshots of a website I used for listings. It gives us some insights and 'insider' information which I hope are of use to the reader! They are very self-explanatory.
What:
Some tutors will charge differently according to abilities or grades. Although it says guitar lessons, it might be worth double checking whether pricing will be different from electric to acoustic, or if there are other related fields that you are interested which may be offered too, such as theory or songwriting or composition lessons.
When:
Every year there will be times where the demand for lessons is high. Christmas/new year around January and also Summer around August/September (back to school days). Tutors may offer special rates, deals and bundles to attract beginners or completely new starters.
Every month there may be a certain week where tutors may be more busy than usual (end of the month gigs, perhaps) so they may prefer to teach earlier in the day. This can be the 'off-peak' time of their schedule. Compare this with how rehearsal studios offer 'off-peak' times during the day and charge a little less than their busy evening bookings.
Where:
Rates in London are higher (sometimes twice as much) than elsewhere like the North of England. Oftentimes the prices will reflect living costs in a certain area, factoring in competition in the industry as well. From my research, you can find tutors offering £80 for four lessons in a month (an hour each week) in Leeds while in London it can be £80 for one lesson only!
Location also depends on whether the tutor is willing to drive or commute to the student's home. If so, this then depends on the 'when' factor again as there may be peak traffic times. Be prepared to pay an agreed travel fee as someone is using extra time, effort and money to get to you!
How:
With the advancements of technology, Skype lessons are becoming hugely popular, not just in the music lessons industry but in other education type business models such as language lessons. There are pros and cons with online Skype guitar lessons which I will explore in another blog. However, from a pricing point of view, this cuts a lot of costs such as location and parking costs from either party which links with the 'where' factor. Teaching and learning can happen in the comfort of one's own home. Be aware of finding the right internet provider and investing in the right microphones in order to make the most out of the audio and visual experience of having a lesson online.
Lastly, I would like to share the story of how Picasso once charged a stranger for a drawing that he did for two minutes on a piece of napkin. He priced it at a sky-high amount (I forget exactly how much) but let's say... £1000? The stranger was shocked and argued that there is no way he is paying that money for two minute's worth of work. Picasso simply replied: it's a lifetime's worth of work!
Remember, you are not paying for an hour or half an hour's worth of lesson time; you are paying for the tutor's experience and commitment in helping you get better. For more information on my services, please check out my website or contact me to find out more.
