Music is an essential part of a persons education. It stimulates the brain and helps enormously in whole-person development – physically, emotionally, socially, intellectually and spiritually. A lot of people can teach themselves nowadays. The plethora of free teaching materials online has facilitated this in a way that is historically unheard of. A person can now become a master of their instrument without having taken a single music lesson from a good music tutor.

This approach does not suit everyone however, and for those of us who want to take our first musical steps the challenge can be daunting. How to start? Where to start? What is the next step? All of these are questions that can be answered with the help of a good music tutor and that, in itself, can pose a number of question.

In this article I hope I can give you some pointers regarding choosing a suitable tutor for you or your child. By the end you will have a greater understanding of how to select the person that is most suitable.

1: Know what you are looking for.

Goals can be hard to define, especially in such and abstract discipline as music. It’s easier then to clarify what you hope to get out of the music lessons.

• Do you want to learn a song or have a balanced approach to your music education?
• Do you want an introduction to music or go through a grade exam system with a qualification at the end?
• Would you like to test out the instrument over a period of time to see if it’s right for you, or are you more advanced and need teaching in a specific area of your playing that is not as competent as you would like?
• Is a qualified teacher necessary, and if so, which particular areas of study do they need to be qualified in?
• Do you need a teacher that is experienced and can adapt to your goals as they change?

It’s advantageous to have these in mind when selecting a good music tutor for you or your child but these questions are in no way exhaustive.

2: Ask around.

It’s impossible to know if a tutor is correct for you or your child before you have taken lessons with them so it can be useful to see what past or present students have to say.

Web testimonials can be a great place to start, especially when they are backed up by an online presence in social media. Most people nowadays showcase their work online and the achievements of past students can be a great way to research a new tutor. Also asking your fellow workers and friends regarding the effectiveness of a particular tutor is to be recommended, bearing in mind that access to a good music tutor can be limited.

It’s worth noting that everyone learns in ways that are subtly different so one tutors approach, while working for that particular student, may not be particularly suitable for you or your child.

Another point is that a good performer does not necessarily make an effective tutor and vice versa. Watching a person play may not be a reliable indicator of their teaching skills.

3: Interview your prospective tutor.

Interviewing is essential for peace of mind with regard to a tutors skillset and their suitability for you or your child. There are a number of potential questions that could arise, such as

• How experienced are they?
• What are their credentials and qualifications?
• Are they member of any professional organisations?
• What do they regard as their own most significant personal accomplishments?
• Do they regard their teaching as more important than their performance career?
• Do they teach full time?
• How do they develop themselves professionally?
• What curriculae do they use and how can the teacher adapt it for your child?
• What teaching resources do they use?
• Do they recommend a practise schedule?
• What are their rates?
• How can you help (should you be the parent or guardian)?
• What are their limits as a teacher?
• Do they offer an obligation-free trial lesson?
• What equipment do you need?

This list is by no means exhaustive but can act as a guide. Bear in mind that student specific questions can lead to conflicts of interest with regard to data protection so a lack of detail in certain cases is to be expected.

In a lot of cases this interview process can be helped by the availability of a first trial lesson.

4: The ongoing quest.

Music education is an evolving process. You may find after a few lessons that your chosen tutor is not suitable. This does not necessarily reflect badly as different personalities can clash. We are all human after all. Don’t be afraid to raise any issues with your tutor and don’t be afraid to switch. A good music tutor will recognise when this happens and will have you or your childs education foremost in their thoughts. Some will even recommend alternatives.

Your goals will change as will your ability level and musical understanding. There may come a time when your tutor will not be able to fulfil your requirements and your development can stagnate. At this point an effective tutor may be able to recommend a suitable successor, or the process may need to start again.