What makes a music lesson special, memorable, and effective? What is it that you’re paying for? Is it the experience or special features, the knowledge and passion of their teachers, or the length of each lesson? Considering the answers to some of these questions helps us to define our perception of value. We all have different skills, goals and expectations going into music lessons, however we can all find value in a few basic things. Special features, more time, additional expertise, and an exceptional experience are all value additions great organizations should deliver at no additional cost.
Stretch Lesson Time Beyond the Lesson
When we sign up for music lessons, we’re reserving time from an instrument expert who can help us gain an understanding of their craft. Often, the cost associated is predicated on the time spent. More time can often lead to greater value, but at some point there are diminishing returns. How can one create added value from the purchase of time? The answer may lie in how we can facilitate the learning process well after the lesson is over. After the teacher is gone, how can we stretch the value of that time spent with them? There are a few tools music teachers can utilize to bring value to their students.
Music Lesson Notes
Notes from your lessons are a great start to ensuring direction and purpose after each lesson is over. Without their music teacher by their side or onscreen, students can struggle with misdirection. It makes sense that confusion may set in after the lesson is over, when students try to recall concepts covered during the lesson time. Lesson notes, practice information, instructions, and helpful evaluations can be instrumental in making sure students stay on track. It can also give parents valuable insight into their child’s learning stride and their engagement during the lesson. Every great teacher will include lesson notes and practice information with each music lesson you take.
File Sharing Music Lesson Assets
File sharing makes it easy for teachers to share pieces of music, practice sheets, etudes, and more, long after the lesson is over and without cluttering your email inbox. Teachers can send helpful practice tips and share files the following day(s) to help keep students focused and on track. The ability to store these notes electronically makes them easier and quicker to access.
Repertoire Tracker
A repertoire tracker can help students track progress on a variety of assignments. Students can see saved information regarding their learning trajectory without the teacher being there. Parents can use this helpful tool to understand what is being worked on, the progress made, and achievements reached! Students can even watch past performances of their material to critique and learn from.
Teachers will also record group online classes, and make the class summaries available to attendees. This allows students to have video documentation to review and practice with long after the class is over.
Utilize Music Instructor Expertise
Granted, more knowledge and expertise may drive up the cost of music lessons but how can we obtain added value from the purchase of high level experience? The answer here lies in how teachers may pool resources, networks, and the extensive knowledge bases of other teachers for the benefit of their students.
Consistent Feedback & Support
Forbes Music works closely with teachers to create the best experience possible for every student. Through weekly calls with each teacher, we can work through challenges, obstacles, and solutions aimed at making the most of each lesson. From scheduling conflicts to behavioral strategies and lesson content, our team has the skills and training to optimize each lesson regardless of circumstances.
Shared Music Teacher Resources
Lesson curation is a major point of emphasis at Forbes Music. We share lesson strategies and helpful tips with teachers to improve the overall experience of both teachers and students. Learning to engage students, communicate difficult concepts, and provide clear, cogent paths forward for students are a few things we cover each week with every teacher.
We employ the use of shared teacher resources, giving all Forbes Music teachers access to content and resources to help facilitate and improve how teachers deliver excellent lesson experiences. From links and downloads, to knowledge bases and methodology reviews, we’re arming teachers with the information they need to succeed. While students may work directly with one teacher, they’re really getting the expertise of many!
Music Student & Teacher Experience
In addition to stretching lesson time and utilizing teacher expertise, the overall experience goes a long way in determining a music lesson’s value. Significant time and brain power, followed by an extremely poor encounter will ultimately lead to a low value experience. Conversely, a positive encounter for a short period of time with someone of little expertise will more than likely lead to a low value experience as well. What produces a great experience?
Learning Atmosphere
A smile goes a long, long way. A music instructor that is passionate about what they do has an invaluable impact on their students. If the individual you are learning from is patient, easy to communicate with and is truly dedicated to your personal growth with music, you are bound to be successful. Music instructors with years of experience under their belt are not only knowledgeable about the instruments they teach, they are also skilled at working with all different skill levels and personality types. An experienced music teacher can adjust their students’ learning environment to meet their unique needs. Lessons free from judgment or hassle provide a comfortable learning atmosphere for any age, regardless of skill level.
Concierge Services
Forbes Music has a knack for providing great concierge service.The goal is to make scheduling, invoicing, and billing easy and simple. From first contact to routine scheduling, the process with your studio should be frictionless.. Forbes Music Company takes pride in their concierge service, knowing the value it adds to your music lessons. We provide access to an online portal that gives families and students access to their lesson calendars, profiles, transaction history, Repertoire Tracker, shared files, lesson notes, and more. We even have opt-in email and SMS lesson reminders and alerts so you don’t ever miss a beat!
Music Lessons That Work For You
Getting more than what you paid for is always a great feeling. Music lessons and classes are such a great way to bring joy into your life. But finding ways to add value so the learning continues well after the lesson is a skill we’ve mastered at Forbes Music Company. We can stretch the time, pool our resources, and give students easy access to information that ultimately makes their music experience special, memorable, and highly effective. Learn more about taking music lessons with Forbes Music Company and the added benefits our students get to experience.
*This article has been updated with new information Feb 2023