the Price of Clarinet Lessons

Once a week, my clarinet teacher came to my house for an hour. I paid $25 per lesson. We started each lesson with a review of scales and technical practice. The second half of the practice was dedicated to learning songs of my choosing. I used the lessons as a supplement to my College symphony.

This teacher was recommended to me through a college professor. She was an old student of his who had recently graduated. Because of this, she easily catered to my needs. Also, it was quite convenient because I didn't even have to leave the house. Her teaching technique was creative and definitely improved my clarinet playing. She taught me the technique of learning the song backwards. We would pick a difficult section of a song out. Next, I would play the last bar of that section. Once I had mastered that bar, I would move onto the second to last bar. This made me more comfortable to play challenging music. I would recommend a similar teacher to anyone looking to improve their musical skills.

1. Always know what kind of teacher you are getting. There are tons of music teachers out there. Some are more qualified than others. I actually tutor young children, but I wouldn't be comfortable teaching upper level students. Make sure that your teacher is at the level you need.

2. You can always say no. If you really don't feel comfortable with your teacher, find a new one. You don't have to keep going to lessons if it's not benefiting you.

3. You don't have to go through a music school. There are tons of independent teachers out there that are great.

4. Ask around. If you have any musician friends see if they know someone.