How to choose music teacher: 10 questions before you start

What does a good teacher of music do

To play well and teach well are different skills. A brilliant interpreter may have difficulties explaining what she does intuitively and a teacher with a more discreet stage race can be excellent leading beginners. The ideal thing is to find someone who brings together:

• Music Domination: He knows his instrument and his repertoire and his theory that holds his instrument.
• Pedagogics: He can divide the difficult into small steps and explain them in several ways.
• Ability to adapt: Repertoire and timings at your age, level and goals.
• Courage and patience: He fixes without humiliation and creates confidence to be wrong.
• Structure: Each class has a purpose and connects with the previous and the following.

10 questions to ask before you start

It's not about an interrogation but about an honest conversation. The answers tell you about how every teacher works.

1. What experience have you with students of my age and level? To teach a 5-year-old child, a teenager or an adult beginner are quite different things.
2. What's a typical class about you? Find a concrete answer: warming, technique, repertoire, some theory or ear.
3. What materials or methods do you use? A good teacher can explain why you choose a book, a method or a repertoire and change it if it doesn't work for you.
4. How do you adapt classes to what I have to achieve? To play with pleasure, to play with a chorus, to prepare an audition or to join with songs at meetings are different goals.
5. What musical styles do you work? If you dream about playing boleros, rock or Colombian music, it's worth knowing if the teacher moves on that ground.
6. How much should I practice between classes? A realistic and adapted response to your life is a good sign and an impossible demand, and so much.
7. How do we know if I'm advanced? It can be with phase targets, recordings, finished pieces or small samples.
8. Do you work with score reading, listening or both? Both are valuable. The important thing is that balance makes sense to you.
9. What do I need to start with? Instrument, suitable size, accessories and space. A good teacher guides you before you buy.
10. If the classes are for a child: how do you tell families how the process goes? Communication with parents is part of the accompaniment.

Signs that you chose well

• You leave every class knowing exactly what to practice during the week.
• The teacher hears before she's right and asks how you feel about what you're playing with.
• The corrections are clear, kind and focused on one or two things at a time.
• Notes that the Repertoire has something to do with your tastes and goals.
• You're wrong without fear: error becomes information, and that's no reason for shame.
• With children: your son gets to class and counts at home what he learned.

Warnings: When to Keep Search

• Classes seem improvised and there's no thread between a week and another.
• Promises results at fixed times, such as "at 3 months play as a professional." Progress depends on many factors and nobody can guarantee it.
• It doesn't fix posture or give importance to pain and tension, and they can end up with discomfort or injuries.
• Use fear, mocking or matching to "motivate."
• He's late or cancels often without tipping up.
• He's been showing no interest in your tastes or what you're trying to achieve.
• With children: lose patience with ease or do not know how to adapt class to their age.

How to tap first class

The first class is an opportunity for teacher to get to know you and for you to figure out how she works. Some ideas to get her most out:

• He arrives with a clear goal, though simple: "I want to accompany songs with guitar" is an excellent starting point.
• Tell your previous experience, though few or many years ago.
• He's been with one or two songs that you'd love to play or play some day.
• Ask the teacher to tell you how to figure out his first few weeks of work.
• At the end, ask yourself: did I get what I have to practice? did I feel comfortable? Do I have to come back?

If you do not have a decision about the modality, we can compare [and virtual] classes.](/blog/clases-de-musica-a-domicilio-o-virtuales)And if the classes are for a child, check how old each instrument should start at.

How we chose the teachers at A medio tono

In A medio tono We evaluate human quality, musical experience, pedagogy and how we accompany each teacher before we join his team. That's why we say that they are handelected and listening teachers.

Still, the last word you have: you can check the profiles in the [teachers directory]](/profes), explore [classes by instrument]](/clases) or get to know more about who we are.

Frequently asked questions