What are the costs and payment policies?
Do you work with charter schools?
When is my child ready for lessons?
I’m an adult. Is it too late to learn?
What’s a good instrument to start with?
What if I need an instrument to learn on?
Do you rent instruments?
Electric guitar or acoustic?
Digital piano or acoustic?
How long does it take to learn an instrument?
How much should I practice?
Should I attend my child’s lessons?
Do I need to wait during my child’s lesson?

Tuition and payment policies

Lesson prices are $35 per half hour, and there’s a one-time registration fee of $25 per family.

Tuition is payable from month to month via electronic debit from a checking account. Monthly payments are processed on the 24th of the preceding month. Payments may be cancelled through the 15th of that month by email notification.

As a commercial studio, we can’t provide refunds or credits for lessons missed by students, but we try our best to offer makeup lessons as space permits.

If your teacher has to cancel a lesson, you’ll get your choice of either a makeup or a refund.

Do you work with charter schools?

Yes, we are pleased to be vendors for all major charter school organizations including Family Partnership, IDEA, PACE, Frontier, Raven and Denali Peak.

When is my child ready for lessons?

Children can enjoy and progress on the piano as young as 4, and both the guitar and the violin can be productively started at around 6. Naturally, all children vary in development, so the only real way to find out is to give it a try. Lessons are paid from month to month so there is no significant commitment necessary to see whether a child is ready. If not, another year or so often works wonders.

I’m an adult. Is it too late to learn?

Not at all. It’s a myth that children learn faster. Most adults progress much more rapidly than children because they have more muscle strength, more coordination and more self-motivation. We routinely see beginners into their 70s find music a delight to learn.

What’s a good instrument to start with?

Nothing is easier than the piano and nothing is more inexpensive than a small keyboard. In terms of popularity and versatility, nothing approaches the guitar. The violin is generally considered a “difficult” instrument. But while it is true that the learning curve is a little longer, it is not physically demanding and most students who try it find they love it and actually enjoy putting in the extra time it can require.

In general, there is no reason for students not to start with whatever instrument they are most attracted to.

What if I need an instrument to learn on?

We recommend that beginning piano students buy a very inexpensive digital keyboard to start on. These can be reliably purchased at any pawnshop and are easy to sell when you’re ready to upgrade. Buying an acoustic piano or a stringed instrument is not something you want to attempt without the advice of your teacher or a trusted player. The weather here creates too many problems with too many used instruments, and it is hard for a beginner to know what features to look for in a new one.

Any instrument is available in economical beginner models costing a couple hundred dollars or less, and any instrument is also available in collectible models costing tens of thousands. Don’t be discouraged by the cost of high-end professional instruments. Most of our adult students remain happy for years with guitars costing $300 – $800, digital pianos costing $800 – $1,500 and violins costing $800 – $1,500. Our teachers will be happy to talk with you about your options.

Do you rent instruments?

No. There are several local sources of rental guitars and other stringed instruments, but not for pianos or digital keyboards.

Electric guitar or acoustic?

It depends entirely on what sort of music you or your child wants to play. Electric guitars are generally easier to hold and play and are the only way to gain a rock sound. But fans of acoustic styles will have no problem learning on an acoustic guitar. For a detailed comparison, visit our blog.

Digital piano or acoustic?

For learning, it’s unnecessary to take on the expense(s) of an acoustic piano. Modern digital pianos sound good, play well, move easily and stay in tune forever. After you’ve actually learned to play, you’re likely to want the unrivaled expressiveness of a good baby grand. And by that point you’ll know what you’re looking for in terms of tone. Which is a good thing, because you can’t just turn a knob to change it. For a detailed comparison, visit our blog.

How long does it take to learn an instrument?

You can begin playing recognizable melodies from your first lesson. You won’t be fast, but you’ll be making music. Some students are content to learn to read music and play a couple dozen easy songs, which can take only a few months. Others become motivated to perform at a semi-professional level or to make music an ongoing part of their social life, and many of these students will want lessons for several years.

How much should I practice?

You will improve in direct relation to the amount of time you practice, so the more the better. Life being as it is, here are some tips. In general, it’s better to play for just a few minutes several times a week than to wait until Sunday afternoon when you’ve got an hour or so to settle down. Brief daily contact with the instrument is better than one or two longer sessions. If you can find time for both, all the better. In general, you should spend at least as much time improving (and enjoying) familiar material as you do working through new pieces. You don’t get better by learning new material so much as by becoming more accomplished at what you’ve already learned.

Should I attend my child’s lessons?

You are certainly welcome to. Most young children seem more attentive without a parent present. Others need help maintaining focus. Older children are more likely to be self-conscious working through new material in the presence of an “audience.”

Do I need to wait during my child’s lessons?

We have no staff to supervise your children before or after their lessons, so we ask parents of young children to remain in the building during lesson times. Because we share a professional office building with doctors and lawyers, it is important that all children be instructed not to roam the building or wait for rides outside our studio. Thanks!