Group vs. Private Music Lessons

Group music classes versus private lessons, which one is better for your child? We decided to tackle this question head-on. 

A group of nine and ten year old kids playing electric guitar, keyboards and drums under the direction of a teacher.

TALE AS OLD AS TIME 

In the words of Beauty and the Beast, it’s a “tale as old as time” except that in our case it’s not exactly a “tale.” It’s more of a debate. And while our take on the quote is admittedly less fairy tale and more confrontational, isn’t that what our day-to-day reality is as parents? But alas, we digress.

You might know exactly what we’re talking about. Maybe you’ve even experienced it yourself. The debate usually starts with a great idea: you’d like to expose your child to the world of music by giving them the chance to learn an instrument. The question that then presents itself is: group class versus private lessons, which one is best for your child?

We’ve had the opportunity to teach thousands of kids music and have seen them do great in both private lessons as well as group music classes. To help determine which approach is best for your child, we thought we’d boil down our learnings into a series of three questions (don’t all good things come in threes?) and then leave the final decision up to you. After all, you know your child best.

 

Nine year-old girl with white skin and light brown hair is wearing sunglasses and playing an electric guitar.
Four students between the ages of 10-12 play in a rock band together.

THREE QUESTIONS TO ASK RE: PRIVATE LESSONS

Here are three questions to ask yourself to see if private music lessons are the right fit for your child:

  1. Does my child have unique learning preferences that are best met through one-on-one instruction?
  2. Has my child already been playing their instrument for more than two years?
  3. Does my child get anxious in groups?

If you answered “yes” to the above, then private music lessons are a good option for your child. If you answered “no,” then it may be time to consider the alternative to learning music one-on-one.

 

THREE QUESTIONS TO ASK RE: GROUP MUSIC CLASSES

Enter the other side of the debate: group music classes. Whether it’s a group Intro to Guitar class or Bigger Beats, here are three questions you can ask yourself to see if group learning is better suited for your child:

  1. Does my child enjoy the social aspect of being with other kids?
  2. Is my child motivated by positive peer pressure?
  3. Does my child thrive in a more structured environment that gamifies learning?

If you answered “yes” to all of the above, then group music classes are a great option for your child. The bonus with group classes is that in addition to being more social, structured and motivating, group classes will also teach your child how to better play in time, how to create space for other musicians and how to fulfill their role in a band. These are all key musical skills that can only be developed when learning with others.

 

DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR YOUR CHILD

Whatever learning approach is right for your child, we’re here to support them. We have both private lessons as well as group music lesson options available and we would love to help you find the perfect option for your child. Just shoot us a note at theteam@backbeatrock.com or give us a call at 780-435-7772. We’d love to hear from you!

 

REGISTER NOW
Children aged eight to ten playing in a Rock Band.
Posted in Backbeat Journey, Finding the Right Fit for your Child