Choosing the Best Music Lesson Format for Your Studio

17 March 2020

Being an independent music teacher is a dream job! Not only do we help students explore their creativity, but we also have the opportunity to create a music studio that we love! There are so many ways to structure your studio to suit your lifestyle, and deciding on the best music lesson format is one of the key pieces.

If you’re new to teaching music, want to try something new in your studio, or need to make a few changes to better fit your current circumstances, then take some time to explore these options and figure out what music lesson format will work for you.

Individual Lessons

This is the more traditional lesson format, where one student works with the teacher individually. This would have to be the most common lesson type, especially in private music studios. The length of lessons can vary according to age and ability, but are generally between 30 and 60 minutes long.

Benefits of Individual Lessons

The student is the sole focus of the teacher’s attention
This format is familiar to teachers, parents, and students
Generally provides more time to work through material

Drawbacks of Individual Lessons

Limited number of students per hour, and therefore a limited income
Doesn’t offer a chance for connections between students
Can be difficult to find time to include extra activities (like music apps, games, and creative activities such as composing)

Partner Lessons

Also known as Buddy Lessons, and scheduled so that two students have an overlapping time between their individual lessons. I’ve tried this in my studio with 40 minute lessons, where the first student has a 20 minute individual lesson, the second student arrives and they share the next 20 minutes, then the first student leaves and the second has their 20 minute individual lesson. Check out this post for more information.

Benefits of Partner Lessons

Students still receive focused attention from the teacher (with no distractions) during the one-on-one portion of their lesson
Social element helps build community
Relatively simple to plan both individual and partner time
Easy to keep two students on task (as opposed to a group!)

Drawbacks of Partner Lessons

Not as much time to work with each student individually
Can be harder to schedule
Still limited number of students per hour (and also limited income)

Rotating Lessons

Sometimes called 20/20/20 Lessons, three students attend the same lesson and rotate between three different stations every 20 minutes. Stations I include in my studio include: one-on-one time with the teacher, independent practice on the digital piano, and music theory lab. For more information check out this post on Getting Started with Rotating Lessons.

Benefits of Rotating Lessons

Opportunity to teach more students in an hour (and earn more money!)
Know that students have dedicated music theory and practice time each week
More time during lessons to fit in extra independent activities (like music history, composing, and theory review)
Variety keeps the lessons exciting
Opportunity for group work

Drawbacks of Rotating Lessons

More distractions (for students and teachers)
Can be harder to keep students on task
Not suitable for younger students
May require more lesson planning

Group Lessons

The size of music group lessons can vary greatly depending on age, instrument, and teacher preference. A small group of three to four students is a nice way to ease into teaching group lessons, although some teachers may be confident with a group five (or more!) times the size.

Benefits of Group Lessons

More students, and potentially more income
Social aspect to lessons
Cover material in one go (rather than teaching exactly the same activities in multiple individual lessons each week)
A cheaper price per student can make music lessons accessible to more families

Drawbacks of Group Lessons

Can be harder to keep students on task
Students may progress at different stages
Less chance for teachers to connect individually with students
Often requires more energy from the teacher

So Which Format To Pick?

Individual Lessons

Offer individual lessons in your studio if you:

Have students working towards exams or competitions
Are happy to continue with a tried and true lesson format
Have adult students or older students who prefer working one-on-one
Have younger students who need more support and attention

Partner Lessons

You may like to try partner lessons if you:

Want to offer a social aspect to lessons
Have younger students who will like the variety in lesson format
Would like to try a new lesson format, but don’t want anything too different!
Want to offer a point of difference in your studio

Rotating Lessons

You may want to give rotating lessons a go if you:

Have older students who are mostly learning for fun
Want to teach more students and increase your income
Enjoy lessons that are more active and loud
Are happy to put in the time to plan different aspects of lessons
Feel comfortable managing three students at once

Group Lessons

Group lessons can work well if you:

Want to teach more students (and earn more money!)
Have preschool students who aren’t ready for individual lessons
Have a few students working at the same level on similar material
Would like to offer a more social music lesson
Are confident managing a group of students and keeping them engaged
Have (or are happy to develop) a curriculum suitable for groups

Combination

Remember, there’s nothing stopping you from offering some (or all!) of these lesson formats in your music studio.

One option is for students to start with group lessons, then transfer to rotating lessons if they’re learning for fun, or individual lessons if they’re more serious about their music education. Another option is to provide different lesson formats to students of certain ages or stages.

Ultimately it’s up to you! Try a few different variations and experiment with the best music lesson format for you and your studio.