Part 4: How Do I Find Time for Music Lessons?

When do you have time to take a music lesson each week?

If you have reached this point in our series, chances are you are serious about pursuing music lessons. Perhaps you have even decided on an instrument to learn and a style of music you want to be able to play. Next, you’ll need to think about when you want to schedule a music lesson each week.

We all have busy lives.

Between work, school, family commitments, and our children’s various extracurriculars, most of us have full lives and busy schedules. You might already be asking yourself, “How will I make time for music lessons? How far will I need to travel to my lesson? What if I can’t find a teacher at a time that works for me? How much of a weekly time commitment will music lessons be?” Perhaps we can help you find the answers to these questions.

How much time will a music lesson require?

In order to fit music lessons into your schedule in the way that’s best for you, it might help to know how much time you will likely need to spend on them each week. A typical music lesson at a studio such as The Music Studio Atlanta lasts 30 minutes, although hour-long lessons are available. You will also need to calculate travel time to and from the studio into your weekly lesson time commitment.

What about practice time outside lessons?

This is a question that most of us are less likely to consider at the beginning, but it is an important one. The amount of time a student spends practicing is frequently influenced by how much time is available in their schedule, but practice time, unlike lesson time, is something the student must put in on their own initiative. This is often easier for students who are excited about learning music, and is one reason our teachers at The Music Studio care very much about encouraging students to enjoy learning and playing music. For young students, it is also beneficial to have parents who are interested in their child’s musical progress, who encourage them in their learning and remind them to practice.

How much time should I spend practicing music?

The amount of time you spend practicing will significantly influence the speed at which you make progress in your chosen instrument. A student who does not practice at all, except during lessons, will progress much more slowly than a student who practices for an hour every day. That being said, we understand that not everyone has that much time in their schedule, and often very young students cannot focus well for a long time. For 4-6 year-olds, just 10 minutes of practice time every day can help them develop good practice habits without overwhelming them. For older and more advanced students who want to progress at a good pace, 30-60 minutes of daily practice is a reasonable expectation. Of course, practice time is linked to how fast or slowly you can expect to make progress in your instrument, but music lessons can still be beneficial and fun even if you do not have that much time to commit to practicing!

So, how do you make all this work with your schedule?

Here are a few tips for working music lessons into your busy schedule in the easiest way:

1. Find a music lessons provider that offers lessons on all days of the week, including weekends, and at a variety of times of day. This will give you a broad range of choices for your lesson time, which will make it easier to find a day and time that works with your schedule.
2. If you have a lot of other activities going on during the week besides music lessons, figure out what a reasonable practice time commitment will be for you, and communicate that to your teacher. This will ensure that you are both on the same page, and will help your teacher know at what pace you expect to progress.
3. Find a music lessons provider that offers a simple and consistent makeup policy and the option for online lessons. That way, if a situation arises where you cannot come to the studio, you may still be able to take your lesson online. A simple makeup policy will allow you to make up for occasional missed lessons without too much confusion.
4. Find a music studio that is located close to you. This will cut down on travel time to and from lessons. If you live in Vinings, Smyrna, East Cobb or surrounding areas, check out The Music Studio Atlanta, as we have two studio locations offering lessons that may be right near you!

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