How much do Guitar lessons cost?

                                           How Much Do Guitar Lessons Cost?

By Jay Lawless

Guitar instructor at the Music Factory School of Music

This may be a question you have asked yourself, or perhaps your parents have inquired.  With the birth of the internet, this relatively straightforward question has grown the branches of a forest tree.

Much like karate classes, cooking classes, or just about any study, nominal fees apply based on whether you are looking for private instruction or classroom group instruction.  Becoming more popular these days is web instruction through Skype, where the subscriber can actually have real-time lessons from the comfort of their own home (even in pajamas). There are web-based companies that allow subscriptions to their lesson library archives that allow access to lesson chapters at the user’s request.  Lastly, the good old-fashioned lesson book or DVD may be an option with the least out-of-pocket expense.

Private Lessons 

Qualified instruction from a tutor with a degree by far, offers the most benefits to a novice student, and even for that advanced musician looking to hone his or her skills in another genre of music. 

Pricing is typically broken down into 30-minute and one-hour lessons. The most common fee is $30 a half-hour, once-a-week in studio lesson. Most facilities require that lessons be paid by the month, with a lesson scheduled once a week. These lessons are not given by,  “My friend at church who plays,” or “Joe down the street who plays a little,” instructors. Quality, professional instructors are found at reputable institutions such as, “The Music Factory”, located in Costa Mesa, Ca.  Professional music schools should have the a fleet of instructor’s resumes available for viewing, allowing you to get a better understanding of whom you choose to study with. 

The best part of private lessons is that it’s structured. Complete with a lesson plan, goals, and study material to take home. Students have the luxury of asking questions with personable step-by-step guidance.

Private in-home lessons (and even at your business) are also available for an additional fee.

Group or Classroom Lessons

Classroom or group-style lessons are fun, however, progress with instruction tends to rely on the momentum of the entire class. Typically the speed is at the pace of the student progressing the slowest, but it can be a great social opportunity. 

Common costs for group and classroom lessons can run $75 to $150 for six to eight-week courses. They are generally held once a week for an hour. Though be advised, there can be many variables in actual classroom time.  Class sizes can be as big as a college forum or as small as four to six students with only one instructor during classroom time. Class and group lessons offer participating students much less supervision and guidance than that of a private lesson. Age groups become a factor and tend to be broken up into kids, teens, and adults. Depending on the facility, these classes can be great for a group of friends or co-workers to get together and learn together.  Make sure there is information readily available about the instructor as it takes great patience to teach in this environment.  Picture 10 out-of-tune guitars playing at the same time.

Web-based Lessons (such as Skype)

This new format for instruction works great for the homebody. Cost is about the same as a private lesson at a music school.  Web-based lessons require an up-to-date home computer or laptop with internet access. 

Study material is usually available for download from the instructor, and sometimes for an additional fee. Due to the unrestricting ability to reach out to anywhere in the world, these lessons have become extremely popular with international students searching for instructors here in the states, and vice versa.

Generally web-based instruction require a monthly tuition that can range anywhere from $30 to $150 per month. With a paid tuition, students can access archived lessons already given and recorded by an instructor.  These lessons can often be vague, such as “Beginning guitar”, or more specific to a style of guitar.  Having access at anytime to these archives gives a student the opportunity of studying virtually anytime they choose.  Unlike Skype lessons, the student does not have the ability of asking questions.

Guitar Instruction Books, CDs, and DVDs

Cost for this approach is minimal in comparison to private, group, and web-based instruction. A typical beginning book, CD, or DVD may cost you around $11 to $20 dollars.  There is an incredibly vast library of these books and may be worth your while to do a little research prior to buying them. 

Keep in mind that taking guitar lessons means that you will need to have or purchase a guitar.  A worthy acoustic that will actually stay in tune starts around $99, but you can definitely spend much more. Electric guitars start around the same price, however, requires the purchase of an amplifier and accessories to make it work.  Electric guitar packs can start around $150 for an entry-level set.

Whatever your learning style, there is something for everyone. The gift of music can change your life.

To reach Jay directly info@themusicfactoryoc.com