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Music school or private lessons? Here's what you should know!
Foto von Mikhail Nilov von Pexels
After many years of the coronavirus pandemic and other social problems, musical education is increasingly becoming a source of relaxation in our hectic everyday lives. Therefore, it is all the more important to offer children and young people the opportunity to develop musically and to learn how to play a new instrument from the beginning. Often the question arises as to which format is best suited for learning. Both music schools and private lessons are often considered, and should be carefully examined. But what are the respective advantages and disadvantages?
This is how learning instruments at a music school works
At ordinary music schools, the focus is on learning an instrument. As a rule, it is primarily children and young people who attend music schools, but the facilities are generally open to adults as well. Nevertheless, in most cases the music schools are very closely oriented to the school requirements of the children and to other special features of everyday life. For example, music schools are usually closed during holidays, which is of course consistent with a traditional school.
Because demand far exceeds the available space in many music schools, the demands on the students are often high. Thus, children are directly divided into several groups based on their abilities, and the chances of securing a spot at a music school depend on demand. Wait lists are not uncommon.
Especially for popular instruments like the piano or the guitar, spots are limited. Should you still find a place for you or your children, take a closer look at the music tuition costs of the schools. There’s a noticeable price difference when compared to lessons with a private teacher, who charges significantly more per hour.
Communication, team skills, and recurring routines
With larger groups, lessons in music schools do not offer as much personalized instruction as with the classic individual lesson. As a result, aspects such as communication and teamwork also play an important role in benefiting from consistent routines. Thus, although music schools are much more relaxed than normal lessons, social behavior plays a major role. This is the only way to make music together with others.
Because of this structure, playing in the music school becomes a good introduction to the world of instruments for many children and young people. Of course, it is clear that the motivation to play can only be maintained if the lessons at the music school also make a good impression right from the start. If you don't enjoy music, you won't like music schools either.
These procedures can be expected when learning in private lessons.
In many respects, therefore, music lessons with private teachers turn out differently. Thus, both children and teenagers, as well as adults, have the opportunity to take advantage of help and learn to make music over time. Private lessons are often paid for hourly or upfront in bundles of 5 or 10. The rate for private lessons will vary depending on individual agreements. Another advantage is that in many cases private lessons take place at the student's home, which further increases flexibility.
In addition to individual, tailored lessons, it is also much easier in terms of timing. It does not always have to be a fixed day of the week, which means that the music-learning can be adapted even better to private planning. It also becomes possible to learn in private music lessons during holidays and avoid the break that would occur with a music school.
For private music lessons to be successful, there must also be a certain sympathy between teacher and student. Unlike in music schools, the lessons do not have to be so distant, but can instead be conducted on a friendly and personal level. This also makes the atmosphere during lessons much more relaxed and quickly contributes to the fact that the students can bring more motivation to the private lessons.
Individuality, self-determination, and seeing progress
Thus, it is above all the individual design of the lessons and the associated freedom that makes private music lessons so exciting. Even if the costs are at first glance somewhat higher than at a music school, the focus of private music lessons is much more on practical music making. At the same time, students always have the option of being included in the planning of further lessons themselves and, for example, requesting their own pieces.
Since private lessons are not prepared for a large group of students, but are always planned individually and fully, the possibilities are much more varied. This guarantees that learning an instrument is a good choice for children and teenagers as well. There are many ways to find a provider, whether through notices, by acquaintance, or digitally.
Why musical education also remains a question of cost
In direct comparison, the lessons in a music school are cheaper than professional and structured private lessons. The more students being taught at the same time, the lower the respective course fee. With private lessons, costs of 20 to 60 euros per hour are not uncommon. Depending on the frequency of the lessons, this adds up to a considerable sum at the end of the month, which must be worth the musical education in the first place.
Are online music courses already a substitute for face-to-face education today?
One of the more modern forms of music making are online music courses, from which content for both theory and practice can be taken. For example, there are many apps for learning the piano that certainly promise progress in playing. While digital tools may be relevant for some students, this is not always the case. Those who prefer personal contact with individual tips will not be satisfied with online solutions.
For learning between lessons, however, digital apps and programs can still be used to good effect. In my view, however, they never completely replace the instrument, which is why there should also be access to an instrument for learning. The weekly session at the music school is not enough to make further progress over the years.
An overview of the advantages of each form of instruction
Based on this article, there are advantages and disadvantages for both music school and private lessons. In the following, we would like to clarify these in more detail to support you in choosing the appropriate form of instruction. The following aspects play an important role at this point in order to connect your interest in music with suitable lessons:
Advantages of music schools
- Reliable planning of lessons
- Professional infrastructure
- Promotion of social behavior
- Trained teaching staff
Disadvantages of music schools
- Less room for individual goals
- Typically no lessons during holidays
- Dependence on other students
- Stricter course schedules despite lower costs
Advantages of private lessons
- Personal relationship while learning
- Individual lesson planning is possible
- Lessons take place conveniently at home
- More flexible scheduling and implementation
Disadvantages of private lessons
- Higher cost per hour
- Often no professional environment
- Work without a fixed curriculum
- No guaranteed teaching competence
Finding a middle ground for a quality musical education
Whether music school or private lessons are more suitable in your case, you have to find out for yourself. Both forms still offer great potential and in the end are often a matter of personal taste. If you like to make music together with others, you will certainly not be satisfied in private lessons. On the other hand, private lessons offer much more potential for individual progress, as learning goals can be flexibly adjusted. Thus, it is always possible to improve the skills around the instrument and to ensure good progress.
Since both private lessons and music school lessons take place on a weekly basis, the proper organization of learning is also of enormous importance. Digital programs and apps can help ensure that interest in music is not lost as quickly. This makes it easy to reinforce what you've learned in music lessons online during weekly sessions and tackle new pieces.
Learn more about educational opportunities for kids and teens now!
We are happy to help you find suitable music teachers or music schools with our platform for musicians. Here at mukken, we are committed to making our own contribution to more musical education and increasing interest in music. For this reason, you are welcome to take a look at our other articles here on the blog and learn, for example, how you can learn to read music. This is the best way to combine theory with music lessons.
Originally published on November 13, 2022, updated on November 13, 2022
Main topic: Belting - a singing technique with two medal sides
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