What to Expect From Your First Music Lesson

So you’re considering taking music lessons, huh? Congratulations! There’s no better way to become the best musician you can than by taking private music lessons.

But for a newbie, the idea of sitting in a small space with a stranger for 30 minutes at a time can sound a little weird. You might wonder what even happens in a music lesson. If you or your child are wondering what music lessons are all about, you’re in the right place.

Your Teacher Will be Happy to See You

Music teachers are happy people. Want to know why? Because they make their living by sharing the joy of music. At that first lesson, your teacher will greet you with a big smile. She’ll want to get to know you better, and she’ll want to make you comfortable. Music is fun, and your new teacher will make sure you have a great time.

Your Teacher Will Evaluate Your Interests

Each musician is different. Not everybody is excited by classical music. Not all musicians dream of playing jazz. Ensemble work isn’t a good fit for everyone. Your teacher will talk to you and figure out what you are passionate about, what your goals are, and will help you achieve them in a way that works for you.

Of course, your teacher may also challenge your ideas, expose you to new music, and suggest things that might be outside your comfort zone. Why? Because your teacher’s job is to make you the best musician you can be.

Your Teacher Will Help You Learn Things in the Right Order

There is a lot of musical information available on the internet these days, and not all of it is helpful for a new player. Brand-new guitarists don’t need to learn tremolo picking straight away and a first-time drummer probably doesn’t need to know how to play a double ratamacue or pataflafla.

It’s your teacher’s job to teach you skills in the right order. This will ensure you have a solid foundation in the fundamentals before moving onto more complicated skills and help prevent bad habits.

Your Teacher Will Give You Specific Aims

You will have specific goals and aims for each lesson. Perhaps you are working on scales, improvisation, breath control or embouchure. Your teacher will help you to (hopefully) do it correctly at least once under their supervision.

Eureka! Great breakthrough! But the lesson doesn’t really end when the session is over...

You Will Need to Practice

Lesson after lesson, your teacher will help you learn new skills. However, it’s the time you spend practicing outside the classroom that will turn a new skill into an ingrained habit. This is where the magic really happens. Upon returning for your next lesson, your teacher will check to see how your habits are shaping up. Sometimes you’ll nail it, other times you’ll need some guidance. That’s what the teacher is there for!

As you progress, your teacher will help you learn to get the most out of your practice time.

You Will Become a Better Musician

If you focus in class and practice at home, you will become a better musician. That is a fact. It might take some time to perfect that favorite song you’ve always wanted to play and it might be a while before Julliard starts calling, but music lessons are the best way to get where you’re going.