Teaching Guitar

[Jook]

Does anyone here teach guitar, and if so, how did you get into it? Im 17 and I would totally love to teach guitar for a job. I know quite a bit about theory and I can hold my own at playing (Ive been practicing a lot more lately since Ive decided to shoot for teaching).

I was pretty confidant in myself before, but after everyone telling me that its a stupid idea and that I couldn't support myself doing that, I just dont know what to do. It seems like everybody out there wants me to fail.

I was just wondering if anyone has any sort of information I should know that'll help me get a reliable student base and all that.

Thanks in advance...

[gck]

Personally, I can't help you on this one as I'm of the same age as you. However, I've taken lots of lessons in piano and violin when I was younger, and both of my teachers were people who studied music and did the teaching to earn some money.

Definitely you will have to check the laws in your country on running your own business as teaching guitar will probably fall into this category, unless you work for something like a "guitar school". You might have to get a "business license" (dunno if such a word exists in English :)) and the such.

But I think Shawn (Cyberfret) works as a guitar teacher, so he might be able to help you on this subject!

[cyberfret]

I teach guitar as my full time job. So it is possible to make a living just teaching guitar. I started teaching when I was in high school. I just put an ad in the paper, and started with just a few students. I got my first music store teaching job when I was in college studying music. In the end I transferred Berklee College of Music in Boston where received my Bachelors degree. I now teach in a music store, and have about 65 students every week.

You certainly don't have to have a degree in music to make your living teaching guitar......but it is a big plus on your resume'. And around where I live, it is a lot harder to get into a music store setting without a degree. It shows that you have formal training rather than being just some schmo that knows how to play guitar. It also helps you justify the price that you will charge for lessons. And you will be in competition with other teachers in the area who do have degrees and experience. So that is something that you may want to look into.

--Shawn

[clickhoward]

65 students a week! Thats amazing! I'm a teacher too (of language) and I cant even imagine handling that many people per week. Do you have big classes or are they short one on one's?

[cyberfret]

Originally posted by clickhoward
65 students a week! Thats amazing! I'm a teacher too (of language) and I cant even imagine handling that many people per week. Do you have big classes or are they short one on one's?

They are individual 30 minute weekly lessons. Some weeks, 65 is a few too many....haha.

--Shawn

[Jook]

Interesting indeed. I think I will look into that... cause teaching at a music store would be more reliable than just teaching by myself, I'd say.

Thanks Shawn.