Adult or Late Teen? Find Your Perfect Music Teacher

Are you a late teen or adult who missed out on the opportunity to learn to play an instrument when you were younger? Have you tried learning on your own via the internet and hit the wall? Did you start working with a teacher and discover that you were not a good fit for each other? Do you live in a remote area with few or no options for learning locally? 

As an adult, finding the right teacher for yourself can feel overwhelming. Between juggling your family time, work, chores, and outside activities, there just aren’t a lot of extra minutes for researching and interviewing. The reasons don’t matter much. This part does matter though. Music is missing from your life. Don’t let decision fatigue win out. Getting the help and support you need to nurture this important part of yourself is worth the effort! The good news is, in the words of Alton Brown, Your patience will be rewarded. Here’s my advice on finding the right teacher no matter what your level or experience.

Meeting Your Needs

1. Find someone who understands and is experienced with adults and how they learn. Each teacher’s studio is unique. Some teachers specialize in children and teens, others in very young children, some in later teens and adults, and others in a combination of ages.
2. What are your musical goals? Do you want to improve your technique, play for church, play for yourself, learn a Beethoven sonata, read a jazz or pop lead sheet? Teachers are equipped with different skillsets and specialties—from performance based programs, to recreational music making, and everything in between.
3. How do you learn best? A teacher who teaches everything by rote and example will not be a good match if you are an analytical learner. That said, a good teacher will teach from your strongest learning style while pushing you to develop your weaker modes.
4. Are you a social person? Does the teacher offer adult classes or informal opportunities to play with and for other adults? Are they required of every student? Is there pressure to play or can you sit back, observe and give feedback?
5. How much time do you realistically have to practice every week? Do you need a teacher who is flexible and can schedule around work, travel plans, or family events? Do you need to take lessons on a bi or tri-weekly basis in order to progress? Please note that few teachers have the luxury of allowing you to contact them the day before you want a lesson. Expect that you will need to schedule a few weeks out and be flexible as to time. Teachers may charge a slightly higher rate for non-weekly lessons.
6. Are you dealing with a changing body? Do you have special needs? Arthritis, MS, and other medical conditions require that you find a teacher who understands the body and can find healthy, creative ways to help you play within any physical limitations. If you have times when it is hard to travel to the teacher, does the teacher offer lessons via Skype or Facetime?
7. Are you open to different lesson venues—in person, remote, or perhaps a combination of both? Once the distancing restrictions of the pandemic are lifted, many of my adult students plan to have 3 lessons a month online and one in person. They are clearly pleased with the individual and small group work we have done via FaceTime and Zoom. And, no online lessons are not less work for the teacher and therefore cheaper. They are actually more work for the teacher and take up more time during each week. 

Finding Your Teacher

8. Whether you are looking for a local, national, or international teacher, Tonara just launched their marketplace called Tonara Connect so music students and teachers can find each other and, you got it, connect!  Explore this marketplace of experienced online music teachers and find out who best fits your learning and budget needs. The platform is in Beta right now and ready to help you get the help and support you deserve. New features are in the works and will be added as soon as they are tested and secure.
9. Contact your local/state music teacher associations. Most are online with information and listings of available teachers. Call the music departments of local colleges and universities for recommendations. Some may even offer beginning classes in their community music departments. The message boards at local libraries and coffee shops are not always the best resources.
10. Do you have a friend or colleague who is taking lessons? Personal recommendations can be a great way to make contact with a teacher. Just be sure you don’t skip the observation/trial lesson process. The right teacher for one person is not necessarily perfect for someone else. Your friend may also want to suggest some important questions for you to ask. 

A Few More Thoughts

11. Finding a good match in a teacher is a process. Expect to do some interviewing over the phone or via messaging or email. Take trial lessons (free and/or paid) with several teachers. Teachers come in all varieties and a teacher isn’t right for you just because they have wonderful credentials. In any studio you are seriously considering, ask if you can observe a few lessons. You should be able to do this whether the lesson is online or in person. If a teacher will only take you if you sign a contract for a specified number of lessons, you need to consider all your options fully before committing to work with them.
12. If a teacher suggests that another teacher might be a better fit, don’t take it personally. Good teachers want the best for you and if they feel it’s not a good match, it’s really not. No one is judging you and if they are, then it’s absolutely not the right fit.