How much should I charge for trumpet lessons?

November 16, 2010 10:07 AM

How much should I charge for trumpet lessons?

I donated some trumpet lessons for a charity auction and have been giving the lessons to an 11 year-old boy. We have one lesson left from those and if the parents ask how much it would cost to continue the lessons, what should I say?

Possible points of interest:
- I've been playing for over 13 years and he's been playing for less than one.
- I don't desperately need the money but I enjoy teaching him so I have no reason to stop.
- They have a lot of money.
- I never took private trumpet lessons when I was learning because my school district gave one-on-one lessons through middle school as part of the band program.
- Through the auction, the family paid $100 for 3 half-hour lessons.
- We live in the Seattle, WA area.
- I'm a software developer and have no music degree.
- His lips kinda crap out on him after 30 minutes so we'd probably keep it at 30 min. lessons for now.

posted by kthxbi to media & arts (8 answers total)

Seattle-based trumpet lessons on Craigslist.

Most don't list prices, but you could always call them and ask. No need to mention you're doing it yourself. I check the NYC listing and it looks like $30-45 an hour (depending on who goes to whom) is standard.
posted by griphus at 10:13 AM on November 16, 2010

How much money do you need to make on this for it to be something you can sustain? Write down a figure. Then call around and ask how much trumpet teachers are charging for private lessons. Then compare the numbers and see what feels comfortable to you, something you wouldn't balk at if it was your own kid.

Then double that and you're set.
posted by circular at 10:13 AM on November 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

Then call around and ask how much trumpet teachers are charging for private lessons....

...And then ask them for slightly more than the highest figure. They can afford it. And sure, they could always go somewhere else for a little cheaper... but they want you, so they probably won't.
posted by hermitosis at 10:22 AM on November 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

I played trumpet, then trombone, then euphonium though high school and started with private lessons around 6th grade. In a suburb of NYC, my parents paid $25 per 30 minute lesson once a week for a while. Around 9th grade, I switched to a different guy and my parents paid $40 for what were supposed to be 30 minute lessons, but they lasted about 45 minutes. At that point, I was thinking of minor in music at college. This was in the 90s.

I know of music majors at a college in a rich area and they charge $100+ for 30 minutes of guitar lessons to morons who like to think that their 9 year old is going to be the next Jimmy Page. These are also the kids who will get a BMW for their 17th birthday.
posted by Brian Puccio at 10:46 AM on November 16, 2010

I'm a trombonist and music teacher in Seattle. When I was in college at the UW, I taught lessons for $25/half hour and $40/hour (this was if they came to me). This was considerably less than professionals charged but seemed to be the going rate for college students.

I would imagine something around that would be appropriate, maybe a little less since you don't have a music degree. But if they go elsewhere, they're not going to find lessons for any cheaper than that.

PM me for more info if you'd like! I love talking to music teachers about teaching music.
posted by rossination at 11:12 AM on November 16, 2010

When I took voice lessons in the seattle area, I was charged $25 for a half hour and $50 for an hour. This was five years ago.
posted by KathrynT at 11:24 AM on November 16, 2010

When I was a kid taking trumpet lessons, I think it was $30 for an hour. This was with a professional musician and 20+ years ago, so take that for what it's worth. For 30 minutes lessons, I think $30 is probably pretty reasonable.
posted by Pantengliopoli at 2:05 PM on November 16, 2010

As I expected, after our last lesson last night the young man's father came and asked if I'd be willing to continue lessons. The mother will be contacting me via email to set something up. I think I will charge either $25 or $30 for a half-hour lesson. Thanks for all of your input!
posted by kthxbi at 10:44 AM on November 30, 2010