11 ‘Terribly’ Expensive Mistakes Families Make When Paying For Private Piano Lessons

Private piano lessons can be very expensive even under normal circumstance, however, over the years, while consulting and helping parents I have seen tons of really terrible mistakes that they make, which in turn end up costing them dearly. 

 

That is why I thought that it is high time I addressed these issues and discussed some of the most common yet terrible mistakes I’ve seen, in the hopes of helping piano parents reduce the cost of private piano lessons for their kids. 

 

Starting At The Very Beginning

This is a really big one. Most aspiring piano parents think that kids have to learn from a face to face teacher from the get go. 

And I’m here to tell you that nothing can be further from the truth. 

On the contrary, it makes sense to learn the basics from an online program and then proceed to a face to face teacher for the more advanced stages. 

For instance learning to sight read accurately can take many months and simply using a FREE course like Read Music Notes & Play The Piano In 5 Days, can shave off months of private piano lesson costs. 

 

Not Grouping Kids

Another common myth in piano parent circles and one that I’m ashamed to say many piano teachers (not all) advocate, is that the best and only way to learn piano is through one on one lessons. 

That is simply not true. 

While in some cases one on one does work, often group classes work even better. 

Therefore, when parents are dead set again group piano classes, they are setting themselves up for really exorbitant piano lesson costs. 

 

Buying An Expensive Instrument

This is another way that piano parents end up spending simply too much on piano lessons for kids.

As you know, the costs of a piano can be very expensive, therefore, this is not a decision that should be taken lightly. 

Nor am I saying that you should look for a cheap instrument, rather, don’t invest in a piano at once, wait and see. Use some of the strategies that I have explained in this post (Desperate To Learn To Play The Piano, But No Piano/Keyboard At Home?) for a few months before you decide and do your research and then go out and purchase a piano for your child. 

 

Buying A Cheap Instrument

Ok, first I told you not to purchase an expensive instrument and now I am telling you not to purchase a cheap instrument. 

What is wrong with me? 

Am I crazy?

No. 

All I’m saying is that purchasing a cheap instrument is not the answer. Rather, read the post, I pointed to in the previous strategy, give it a bit of time and then do your research, save up the money and finally buy a decent instrument. 

Still not convinced? 

Then read this post before you finally make up your mind The Number One Reason Why You Should Not Buy Musical Instruments.

 

Not Practicing

It is often impossible for me not to emphasize how much money you are wasting on private piano lessons for your kids, if your children are not practicing daily. 

I get it. I hated piano practice too. 

As a piano parent I have a hard time getting my kids to practice too. 

However, practice is essential and without practice, kids will not progress in their musical education. 

Not practicing will only slow down their learning speed and in the end, they will drop out of piano lessons in frustration without complete mastery of the instrument. 

Thus, if you don’t correct any of the mistakes you’ve made, you have to correct this one. 

Here are some posts I have written in the past, which will help you to encourage more piano practice at home. 

9 ‘No Fail’ Tricks For Happy Practice With Multiple Ages, 

3 ‘Absolute Must Know’ Tricks To Have Your Kids Begging For More Piano Practice, 

5 ‘No Fail’ Ways To Make Piano Practice Fun.

3 ‘Surefire’ Ways To Make Your Child Want To Practice The Piano

 

Not Being Creative/Involved Piano Parents

Parents who are involved in their kids education are able to identify and understand the challenges that are faced by their kids and thereby support their kids to succeed. 

This in turn will increase their level of success, and speed up their learning. 

Therefore, if you are a ‘hands off’ parent when it comes to piano, then you are doing your kids and yourself a huge disservice. 

For more information, please read my post, 3 Reasons Why You Should Be Involved In Your Child’s Music Education, to get a better understanding of why this is so important. 

 

Not Asking For A Family Discount

You would think that this is a ‘no brainer’, but I have been surprised at how many families never ask their private piano teacher for a family discount. 

If you are one of those piano parents, then please do it right now. 

 

Taking Studio Classes

While there is nothing inherently wrong in attending piano lessons in a private studio, it is important to know that lessons at a studio can be a lot more expensive than if a teacher visited your kids at home. 

This is because of all the overhead costs that are related to the studio have to be added to the tuition cost. 

Thus increasing the cost of private piano lessons. 

Also costs of many of the instruments and equipment that your children don’t benefit from, could also be included in the tuition. 

Even if the piano teacher does teach at his/her house, there could be overhead costs like a part of the mortgage, insurance and depreciation of the instrument etc, that you are paying for as part of the children’s tuition. 

 

Totally Ignoring Online Classes

This is a big one. For some reason, certain aspiring piano parents are dead-set against online piano lessons for their kids. 

While I do understand that there are many reasons why this may be the case, there are also many benefits to online piano classes that you may not have realized. 

So, before you make a decision either way, why not read the following posts that I wrote, for and against, online piano lessons? 

6 ‘Must Know’ Reasons Why Online Piano Lessons Are Not For Your Child

4 Benefits You May Not Have Known About Learning Piano Online

 

Not Looking For Cost Efficiencies

There are many cost efficiencies that you can look for and I have named two in this post alone, such as asking for a family discount if you have multiple kids learning from the same teacher or studio. 

Another cost effective strategy would be to reduce the frequency of the classes by half but increase the length of each class by 1.5 times, thus overall reducing the price of lessons. 

A third way, cost efficiency can be gained is by opting for group classes instead of one on one classes. 

Don’t be afraid to be creative, be continuously on the look out for ways in which, you can reduce the cost of piano lessons for your kids. 

 

Not Planning Ahead

I saved this for the last because this is a huge one and one where almost all piano parents I know have been terribly mistaken. 

When parents evaluate piano lessons and schools, they often only focus on the monthly cost of lessons and not all the many hidden and not so hidden costs. 

Some of the hidden costs include, annual registration costs (if going to a big piano studio), material and resource costs, costs of a new instrument (or upgrades to the current instrument), examination costs, competitions costs, concert and recital costs, mandatory lesson costs during the summer and much more. 

So what can you do?

Well, if you’ve been hit with these costs then you know what to expect, but don’t sit back and take it, ask your piano teacher how you can reduce these costs in the coming year.

If you just started and hadn’t thought about it, it is not too late, find out right now, ask for discounts and reductions and plan and budget ahead. 

On the other hand, if you are shopping around for private piano classes, then remember to ask about all these additional costs, and make a note of all of them, ask for discounts and reductions and make sure you get the best value possible. 

 

Are you making any of these mistakes currently? If so, I would love to know which one and what you hope to do about it.