If you’re passionate about learning how to play guitar, it’s likely that you’ll need to look for a guitar teacher at some point to take guitar lessons.
Despite being necessary for most people, lessons can be a tough investment in terms of time & money. But talking about the guitar lessons cost, it is such an investment to take lessons (which can be hard to make time for) and the expenses that go with them.
This article will show you how much a standard 30-minute guitar lessons cost is so that you’re able to plan your budget ahead of time and tell if it’s worth investing in.
In short, private guitar lessons are typically more expensive than group lessons. A private lesson averages between $15-$30 per half hour and a group lesson averages between $8-$25 per hour
What are Guitar Lessons?
Guitar lessons teach you how to play the instrument, while also teaching you various techniques and styles that you can use when playing.
There are a few factors that determine the guitar lessons cost. Firstly, it depends on where you live and what type of lesson you take. For example, if you take private guitar lessons then they will be more expensive than group classes at your local music store or college.
Secondly, it depends on how many hours per week you take the lesson for, if you take one hour per week then it will be cheaper than taking two or three hours per week.
Understanding the cost of guitar lessons will allow you to set up a plan ahead of time and see if it’s worth investing in this new hobby of yours.
What to Expect from Your First Guitar Lesson?
You will be taught the guitar basics such as how to tune the guitar, how to hold it, how to play chords, and read notes/TABS depending on what you learn.
A good guitar teacher will also help you find your own style. You will learn different techniques and styles of playing.
The first lesson should also be a fun experience so that you can enjoy learning the instrument, and see if both of you (tutor and you) click together sort of saying.
How to Choose the Best Guitar Teacher for You
Choosing the best guitar teacher for you may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most important factors to consider when choosing a guitar teacher.
The first thing you should do is narrow down your search. If you’re looking for a teacher that specializes in country music, then it’s a good idea to contact local country bands and see if they offer lessons. You can also look up popular musicians in your area and see if they offer lessons as well.
If you’re looking for a general guitar tutor, then you can find them by visiting local music stores or checking out online listings of teachers near you.
RELATED: Classical Guitar Teacher – How to choose the best teacher for you?
How Much Do Guitar Lessons Cost?
The cost of guitar lessons can vary depending on the teacher, the location, and the type of lesson. Private lessons are typically more expensive than group lessons. A private lesson averages between $30-$60 per hour and a group lesson averages between $8-$25 per hour.
There are many factors that determine the guitar lessons cost, to mention a few:
#1 Guitar Lesson Duration
Believe it or not, guitar teachers are paid based on how much time they dedicate to each lesson. That’s why the duration of the session determines the price you’ll pay for your guitar lessons.
Many guitar instructors will recommend 30-minute lessons to start out (to avoid information overload) and new topics are usually only covered in 1-2 lessons each.
It’ll take a while to get used to the topics at first. You can work on what you like, and just do your practicing outside of the lesson.
There are no set rules for how long your guitar sessions should be, but find a routine that works for you. A good teacher will start the session by reviewing last week’s material and asking questions like how much did you practice. Then, start the session with new material or techniques that will take the bulk of the lesson.
For more experienced players or people who need to learn faster, I recommend 60-minute lessons instead of 30-minute ones.
This will obviously cost twice as much, but you will get enough time to work on your skills. Having more hands-on time for your instructor to watch & advise you about any mistakes will help prevent you from developing bad habits.
#2 The Teacher’s Level
The teacher’s level plays an important factor to determine the guitar lessons cost. If your teacher is a famous guitarist in a local band, then he will definitely be worth every dollar he earns.
However, in my experience, not all good guitarists make good teachers. Some of them do, and some don’t. Good players may be fantastic on stage but they lack the patience or the approach that is required by a guitar teacher.
On the other hand, someone who is been teaching for a long time but is not that famous as a performer guitarist can be what you are looking for.
After all, it really comes to the chemistry between you and your teacher, which is something I found to be of utter importance. If you find yourself bored in the lesson, or feeling awkward around your teacher, then I strongly recommend that you find yourself another one, even if he is a rockstar!
#3 Your Location
Another factor to consider regarding guitar lessons cost is where you live. Not everyone has the time to drive 30 miles to give a 45 minutes lesson and then drive them back! If you live in an urban area, then the chance of finding more than one tutor is big.
But if you live in a remote area with the nearest music store is 30 miles away or more, then to make the tutor come to your home will cost you extra dollars because of the gas and the time he will spend traveling to you.
If you find yourself spending a small fortune on guitar lessons, then perhaps consider taking lessons online via Zoom or Skype.
Many private tutors since the Covid-19 epidemic started to implement this service and it cost less than the average guitar lessons cost since there’s no gas or time wasted.
#4 Your level
Your level of playing might be a factor to consider guitar lessons cost. As a teacher, If my student is above Grade 5 in Rockschool, or ABRSM I will charge more than If I were to teach a total beginner.
There is a lot of work to be done in the higher levels of guitar like new scales, new chords, advanced techniques, and so on.
This will require preparing materials for the student, and perhaps practicing the pieces myself if I am not aware of them, and this happens a lot by the way.
That being said, If you are at a high level of any examination board like Trinity, ABRSM, Rockschool, then you might think of guitar lessons cost as an investment in your future.
After all, my career as I studied in college was Photography, but now I am a full-time guitar teacher thanks to my degree in Classical Guitar from ABRSM, and that happened with a lot of guitar lessons.
Higher does not mean better
You need to take this advice with a grain of salt. Some teachers will charge you based on the market average, say $60 per hour, but the truth is that they do not earn that money!
This is the ethics of the business but I am sorry to say that most of the tutors out there lack these ethics.
If your teacher is wasting your time and after a few lessons you don’t see moderate progress, then I strongly advise you that you change the tutor.
Go over your lessons diary – you should have one, if you don’t click on the link below to download one – and see what did you cover in the past few weeks/months.
If you found that after a couple of months your level is the same, and your repertoire (the pieces you can play well) did not increase, then this is a good sign that you need to switch your tutor.
Here are some signs that you need to find yourself another tutor:
- Not punctual (always late).
- Cancels a lot and mostly at the last minute.
- Can’t play the piece he is teaching you, or play it haphazardly.
- Answers his mobile during lessons and carries on conversations.
- Doesn’t answer your questions to your satisfaction.
- Don’t check the lesson diary or see how much did you practice.
- Keeps teaching the same piece over a long period of lessons.
Of course, these are all bad and you won’t find a tutor who makes all of them (I hope). But, If he makes most of them and it keeps repeating, then that’s it.
Practice Diary Download
is it worth it?
Absolutely!
Look, guitar lessons cost money I know that. But It is the best way to learn exactly the type of music you want to play IF you find the right teacher for you.
Based on the factors that we mentioned above you should have a very good idea of how much guitar lessons will cost you.
The alternative of course is taking lessons online or an online course that is much cheaper than one month of guitar lessons!
Here in Classical Guitar Essentials, I made sure that you learn classical or acoustic guitar based on years of experience and thousands of students I taught in the past. The method is clear and to the point, you follow along with me and practice two or three times a week, and I promise you that within two, maybe three months that you will be able to play nice classical tunes.
Take your first course here and start your journey.
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