Private piano instruction can be lucrative and rewarding if you are a skilled pianist.It is possible to start a piano studio if you make a thorough plan and keep realistic expectations.Being an effective teacher is as easy as showing interest in your students' lives, developing custom lesson plans for each student, and making learning this beautiful instrument an enjoyable process once you have worked out all of the logistics for your new endeavor.
Step 1: Play the piano a lot.
It is a skilled job to teach the piano.If you don't have a lot of playing experience, it will be hard to recruit and teach students.If you have been playing piano for a long time and have a lot of knowledge under your belt, you are qualified to teach.You should practice playing the piano daily so that your skills stay up to date.If you have a high playing skill level, you don't need a degree.The equivalent of a bachelor's degree in piano is required for most successful piano teachers.
Step 2: You can advertise the genres of piano music that you're qualified to teach.
Classical techniques help increase overall playing skill and are necessary for aspiring concert pianists or future teachers.If your student wants to learn how to play jazz music in addition to classical, you may not be the best teacher for them.
Step 3: It's a good idea to brush up on your theory of music.
Some students take piano lessons to show their friends their favorite pop songs, while others learn to play the piano to make a career out of it.Being able to explain and demonstrate technical knowledge of scales, chords, intervals, clefs, meter, phrasing, and harmony is essential to their musical development.There are many resources that can help, but a music theory course on Coursera or Nicolas Carter's book can improve your theory skills in an easy to understand way.
Step 4: Professional development can be invested in.
This can include taking private lessons from teachers who are more advanced than yourself, reading music teaching literature, attending concerts, practicing and learning new repertoire on your own, or browsing the internet or YouTube for inspiration.A good teacher is also a good student.You can join your local, state, or national music teacher's associations to network with other teachers and be informed about new teaching methods and publications.You can learn about various techniques and choose the one that works best for you and your students.
Step 5: You should make a business plan according to how much time you have.
A thorough business plan is essential for making music instruction your full-time occupation.Depending on the size of your studio, you may not need to prepare as much if you are more of a hobbyist.
Step 6: Set the rate.
30 minutes for beginners will increase to an hour as the student gets more experience.If you have no teaching experience but are skilled at the piano, you should charge $30-40 per hour.The rate you charge is dependent on many factors, including your educational background, playing and teaching experience, references from your students, and the city you live in.It is recommended that you increase your rates as you gain experience.Piano teachers can charge up to $60 per 30 minutes or $120 per hour.Instead of a rate per session, charge a flat monthly fee for lessons.This increases the desire to make up missed lessons.
Step 7: There is a place to teach.
It is possible to travel to a student's home if they have a quality piano that has been tuning recently.A community center or music store can be rented.You should use a space that will allow you to keep as much of your earnings as you need while being clean and welcoming.If applicable, take the time and cost of travel into account.
Step 8: Purchase books that are appropriate for the level of piano you will be teaching.
Alfred's Basic Piano Library Lesson Book series is a great title for beginners.It is better for students to buy their own personal copies of the books so that they can mark up their sheet music with notes and tips from their lessons.It takes a lot of time to replace books that you have given to students.If you prefer the Suzuki method, use it if you can't find a place to start.Some methodologies require official certification before they can be taught for commercial purposes, so research the certification costs and requirements before using them.
Step 9: Write out your policies.
A comprehensive list of policies for your studio should include information about payment schedules and amounts, weather and holiday cancellation, lesson make-ups, notice of termination of lessons, and attendance and practice expectations.Ensure that both the student and their parents understand your policies by sharing this with the parents of your students at their first lesson.
Step 10: You can advertise your services online, in print, and in person.
If you want to teach lessons outside of the home, you need to place an ad in your local paper and on Craigs List.You can place fliers on the bulletin board in your local community building.You can offer a referral discount for current students if you tell everyone you teach piano.You should only advertise the ages and genres you are qualified to teach.Get in touch with the local school music teachers.You can offer workshops and accompaniment for concerts and musicals.Don't insist that they send their students to you for piano lessons if you want to help their program.You may have to pay a fee to promote your services if you advertise on websites specifically designed to help people find music teachers in their area.
Step 11: Make sure to plan personalized lessons.
Each student's current skill level, goals, and weekly schedule should be taken into account in your lessons.You can reuse lesson plans, but each student will require a different approach.Guide your lesson plans around their practice routine, which can be either a distinct to-do list that they must adhere to, or you can create a custom one with your student that varies daily.Make sure they know what to expect at each lesson.
Step 12: Begin your lessons with a warm-up.
Warming slowly and releasing the hands for playing will be effective warm-ups.Scales, arpeggios, ear training, and other technical exercises can be used.Students should show you how warm they are at home.Slow down and warm the hands if they rush through the warm-up.All music has ascending and descending scales and arpeggios.It is best to teach both major and minor from the start so that the ear can be trained to recognize each one over time.
Step 13: Discuss the topics from the last lesson.
A "topic" is usually a piece that the student is working on from a lesson book, but you may also focus on small pieces of music that are used to drill a particular pattern.It is not a cause for concern that this may take up all of the lesson time occasionally.Technical or music issues may be included in other topics.
Step 14: New material should be introduced slowly.
Go over the signature of the piece by having them play it in different scales.They can work through the piece by focusing on one small section of the music at a time.They may string the units together.Students should not be pushed to a harder skill too early.Make sure that the current skill can be demonstrated multiple times before moving on to a new one.You should check in with your student occasionally.If they aren't happy with what they're working on, be open to requests from the student and their parents.Repetition is important, but boredom can diminish enthusiasm.
Step 15: You have to work music theory into everything you do.
They can apply their knowledge to their instrument if you quiz them on theory topics.If you have been teaching them about intervals, you can ask them to name the interval by playing two notes from their piece one after the other.You will want your students to eventually be able to identify features and patterns of the music by just looking at the page if you use proper musical notation when talking about music theory.It is important to make learning theory fun by rewarding mastery of concepts.Younger students like candy or stickers on the pages of music.
Step 16: Expectations are reasonable for practice and progress.
Students who love practicing will have a hard time taking breaks.Some students will resist practicing since it can be repetitive.Don't make your students feel bad for their learning style, but emphasize the fact that practicing often and well is the key to real progress.
Step 17: Be patient and encourage your students often.
Unforgiving, inflexible, and mean teachers can sometimes cause students to quit music altogether, so always be aware of how your words and actions come across.Adapting to your student's needs is your job, not the other way around.Everyone was a beginner at one point, so never judge a student for their playing ability.If the student has shown that they are not fully invested in paying attention during lessons or practicing, it may be time for a conversation with their parents about whether or not piano is the right activity for them.