Read through the information as soon as you receive the packet and call the instructor right away if you have a question. Many teachers will ask that the person who is responsible for lesson payment sign their name to agree that they have read and are prepared to follow the teacher's policies.
Rates:
Guitar lessons are offered at a variety of rates. Currently in Seattle, professional guitar teachers charge between $50-70 per hour. Some instructors teach only hour sessions, while other teachers offer half-hour or 45 minute sessions. Most teachers offer weekly lessons, although it is not uncommon for a teacher to offer students the option of coming once or twice a month. "Flex-Lessons" are sometimes offered to students who cannot commit to a regular day and time but can fill in when regular students are absent, and with webcam lessons, you may be able to pay only for the time you need.
Payment Plans:
There are many different payment plans that teachers use. Most teachers ask to be paid in cash or by check. You may be asked to be paid before a lesson begins, or to wait until after the session has ended. Some teachers also use PayPal, but they usually include the fee from PayPal in their bill to you.
Some teachers allow students to pay them at each weekly session, but this is not very common for professional teachers who have a lot of students. Other teachers prefer to be paid for a month of lessons at the beginning of each month, while other teachers may ask you to pay for 3 months at a time. These plans help teachers plan her/his finances, and they also help students make a stronger commitment to their music education.
Rescheduling Missed Lessons:
All teachers should reschedule or credit students for lessons that they themselves are unable to make. Some teachers can be very flexible and can offer make-up lessons to students who are absent, but many teachers do not offer any make-up lessons to students for any reason. Most teachers will reschedule students if the students gave them advanced notice (at least 24 hours) and the teacher has time for the rescheduled lesson.
The Questionnaire:
Often times, there will be a questionnaire for you to fill-out. Even though your teacher asked you some of these same questions over the phone, it is helpful to have the answers written down and filled in the teacher's book for reference. Also, the questionnaire gives you the opportunity to clearly state your goal(s) for the lessons, which will help you and your teacher stay on track during lessons.
The questionnaire may contain questions regarding your past musical experiences, your current playing ability, your goals, and other information that would be helpful for the instructor to know about you. Your phone number(s), mailing address and email may be asked for as well.
Other Helpful Information Your Teacher May Provide:
• The kind of guitar you should use
• A good music store in the area
• Directions to the studio
• Tools you will need (usually a guitar, a metronome, tuner, music stand and method book)
• What you need to bring to your first lesson
• An introductory video lesson that your teacher has posted to get you started. Here is the one that I created for my students: Lesson Video
Bottom line: Every teacher is different - If you don't understand or feel like you can agree to your teacher's policies, let her/him know before your first lesson.
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