This article will examine how you can find the best teacher for your needs and what to consider when you are choosing.
What to consider before choosing your teacher
There are several things you may wish to consider before looking for a teacher:
Location: Are you looking for your lessons to be online, at your home or at a teacher's studio?
Are you looking for solo lessons or a group lesson?
Genre: Which genre of music are you most interested in? If you wish to learn to become a jazz singer, perhaps a teacher who is a professional opera singer is not going to be the one for you.
Are you a beginner or more advanced?
Online, at your home or a teacher's studio?
Online lessons have increased in popularity over the last few years as the technology needed for these has improved significantly. If you wish the flexibility of online lessons, have a good internet connection and a device with a webcam this could be a great option.
Lessons at your home are very convenient. Ensure you have a suitable room where you will not disturb or be disturbed by others. Most teachers will charge a transport fee to cover the cost of their travel and time. Transport fees are available to be purchased separately from your lesson cost.
For lessons at a teacher's home or studio, consider how you will travel there. Is it convenient on a transport route or can you drive there? Also, consider the ease of parking if taking a car.
Searching for a teacher
Visit the homepage of MusicTeachers to start your search. From here, enter the instrument you wish to learn and, for in-person lessons, add your location. If you are looking for online lessons, change the slider from In-person to Online.
The first teachers shown will be featured teachers in your area. You can alter the search results using the dropdown arrow. This will give you options such as distance to show the closest teachers to you, or popular to see which teachers students contact the most.
Should there be no available teachers nearby, you will see a message to let you know. After the nearby results, you will shown all online teachers who offer your instrument choice.
You can also search by using the map icon which is located at the bottom of your screen.
If you see a teacher you are interested in, click on their card to view their full profile. Check the map on the right-hand side of their profile page to see their approximate location ensuring you are happy with the result. To contact the teacher, please message them via the message box at the top right of the teacher's profile. Messages sent through the platform are directly delivered to the teacher's inbox, ensuring secure and private communication. MusicTeachers.co.uk prioritises safety and does not share personal contact details unless mutually agreed upon after communication.
Tips for Narrowing Down Your Search
Start with the basics: Enter your instrument and location into our search engine. This will give you an overview of teachers that match your criteria. From the overview, you can click on their profiles to read more about them and message them directly.
Use the extra search filters: For example, if you can only take lessons on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, filter for the teachers who have availability on those days.
All levels and age groups are welcome: If you want to ensure that the teacher offers lessons at your level/age group, you can filter for this in your search. 99.99% of all music teachers teach because they want to share their passion for music and care less about what level you start at.
Contact multiple teachers: If you think several teachers might be a good match, feel free to message them and ask clarifying questions. It’s often helpful to mention if you have had lessons before, if you are preparing for something specific, or if there are methods or techniques you want to learn during your course. You can contact up to 5 new teachers each week.
Setting up your first message: The first time you send a message, you will be asked to create a free account. This is where you will receive replies from the teachers. These can be found within your inbox, located on your top navigation bar.
If There Are No Teachers Nearby
Expanding your search area: If you enter your location and no teachers are shown, it means we currently do not have any teachers with available times in that area.
Teachers in nearby towns: In some parts of the country, it might be possible to find a teacher in a neighbouring town or one that is conveniently located along your commute to/from school or work.
Use the map: By clicking on ‘view map’ on the search page, you can get a visual overview of where the nearest teachers are located.
Consider online lessons: Choosing online lessons gives you access to a wider range of teachers. There are also other benefits, such as reduced travel time and the comfort of learning from your own home. If you’re unsure if online lessons are for you, we recommend taking a trial lesson with an online teacher to see how it feels.
How Do I Know If the Teacher Is Good?
Safety and professionalism come first: We check the child and criminal records of all our teachers and have requirements for their education and experience.
Read teacher reviews: These can give you an impression of who they are as individuals and as teachers. Please also write reviews yourself to help other students make their choices in the future.
Try a single lesson: The right teacher for you might not be the one with the longest education or the most impressive guitar. This is why we always recommend starting with an introductory lesson to see if you both feel it’s a good match before committing to a longer course.
MusicTeachers.co.uk emphasises user security and privacy. Users may choose to exchange contact details such as phone numbers after establishing communication and mutual consent.
By sending a message, you will create a student account with an inbox. The inbox, located on your top navigation bar, is where you will see the teacher's response to your message and where you can reply to it.
If you need help with what to say in your message, we have an article designed to help you.
Should you not find a suitable teacher, please email support at [email protected] for our help.