Guitar Lessons - Whats the going rate?

glashanator

Hello folks,

I'm thinking of starting guitar lessons in my area, up here in Donegal.I'm looking to teach predominately beginners - intermediate.

But hears the rub........Its very hard to get a grasp on what tutors actually charge. Some charge by the hour...others by the half hour. Some have groups of 2-3. So, there's a bit of variance as you can imagine.

I'd be a big believer in 2 half hour sessions twice a week rather than a 1 hour session in one sitting. Just think a student could have a few days to practice what he learned in a half hour,come back and show how he's improved ,and quickly move on in the next half hour, all the while being content in what he's achieved,or conversely if he found he/she is struggling,it can be gone over again very soon.

So ..... simple question really -

What to charge for half hour....

What to charge for an hour..... (if thats what they want).

I know rates would vary from county to county and from tutor's,so looking for a rough estimate,or indeed what your local tutor would charge.

Any suggestions for something I've missed all welcome.
Anything really.......Just looking for some advice.
Don't be shy.

Cheers

artvandulet

I'd say approx €20-25 per hour for one on one lessons.

KeithTS

It depends on what you're teachung and what they're getting out of it as well as how many tutors are in your area, the more demand the more you can charge and so on.

If I teach advanced stuff that students won't learn from a lot of people I usually charge €30-€35 but the lesson can go on for a longer than I expected so I account for that in there.

If it's beginners I'd usually go with €20 for a 30-45 min slot, however, if it's a student who is really taking to the instrument and putting the work in I usually go cheaper as its nice to get somebody who enjoys it and does the homework.

My simple rule is only charge what you'd be willing to pay.

...that went on a bit.

slavetothegrind

i think 20 is a fair rate per hour, assuming the student comes to you.


currently engaging a bass teacher who is just great and charges 20 per hour.

If he said he was going to charge 30 i would probably still go as i get so much from each visit but don't tell him!:)

keith i think i would have a problem if i was going to you and you upped the price to 35 because we were doing some "advanced stuff", i think we'd part ways there.:(

KeithTS

That's perfectly fine that you would part ways if the price was €30 or so, but you have to bear in mind that with some lessons would be a once off where somebody would come just to learn a specific thing.

In those situations I charge €30-€35 as I take them through a specific technique and sit with them until they get everything they can to go home and practice/teach themselves from there, that can take a couple of hours so €30 is well justified.
Just for the record, I wouldn't up the price on a current student just because we are covering harder material, what we agree on day one is what I stick to.

It sounds a lot but again, you have to think of what the student is getting from the lesson.

All of my lessons, from beginners onwards are geared at teaching the student to be able to teach themselves so although the price can be high I usually only have a student for a couple lessons and by that stage they can go home and understand enough about technique and the instrument that they can fill in the gaps without somebody holding their hand, There's enough resources available now that students don't need to be charged for an hour lesson to be shown the chords to a song.

I don't believe in teachng a student a song a week or any of that nonsense, I know plenty of music teachers, guitar and other instruments, that openly admit that they want the students to keep coming back for more, I don't agree with that at all.

slavetothegrind

KeithTS wrote: »

T
In those situations I charge €30-€35 as I take them through a specific technique and sit with them until they get everything they can to go home and practice/teach themselves from there, that can take a couple of hours so €30 is well justified.
Just for the record, I wouldn't up the price on a current student just because we are covering harder material, what we agree on day one is what I stick to.

perfectly justifiable rate for that kind of time, i think your approach is commendable and i apologise as i misunderstood your pricing initially.


All the best.

glashanator

Thanks folks,

That's around what I was thinking. I know you can't go too cheap cos people tend to think "That this guy can't be that good".
It's just human nature ....as soon as people pay a little more, all of sudden their interest perks,their application can be better.......and you get that "sure he must be good,he charges x amount."

Plus when it's costing you,you put more into it....why? .... "well ,cos it's bloody costing me thats why". people make the most of things...

I'm not sure I believe in sending people away after 2 lessons to fend for themselves,cos of the all the materiel online.

1- because you're doing yourself out of business. 2 - I know when I had piano lessons,I wanted to impress the tutor every week,so i learned my stuff,it kept me grounded I suppose and made me practice. 3 - You could easily pick up bad habits and not know for a month,5 mins with a tutor can fix that and save you hours and days of heartache"

The one thing I would say is......If I didn't feel I could teach them new things or improve them, I would send them on their merry way.Or if they got to a point where their improvements were minimal with you,again,I'd move them on........And sure you'd be content that you did your best for them,but now it would be just them wasting their money if they continued.

Anyways listen.....Thanks to all that replied...I know it takes a bitta time to sit down and write this stuff, as its just taken me about 20 mins.

So, Thanks again

And feel free to continue this.sometimes you don't realise something til its staring you in the face .

Mark

clunked

Depends on playing experience, the level being taught and very importantly your qualifications to teach the guitar if any.