One of the wonderful things about learning a musical instrument is that you can study with a professional music teacher for many years and never run out of new things to learn! There is such a great wealth of information out there! One very common question for those eager to begin learning any instrument is “how often should I take music lessons?”
Franz Liszt, a very notable virtuoso from the 19th century, took piano lessons with his teacher, Carl Czerny daily! As a result of his dedication to learning, Liszt is now considered one of the top pianists and composers of all time.
In the past, the traditional model of music education kept children who were enrolled VERY busy! The weekly schedule of music lessons for children 6 to 17 years old in the 19th, 20th, and even 21st century looked something like this:
- Music Theory class: 45 minutes 2x per week
- Music History class: 45 minutes 2x per week
- Private Instrumental lesson: 30-60 minutes 2x per week
- Elective class or lesson (other instrument, composition) 30-60 minutes 1x per week
- Orchestral rehearsals 60-120 minutes 2x per week
- Chorus singing 60 minutes 2x per week
- Occasional Master Classes
As you can see, in every music teacher’s perfect world, children would not have time for any other activities!
Can we become better at our instrument faster by taking music lessons more frequently?
Yes, absolutely! It’s important to note that while we can not rush the formation of new neural connections in the brain that we need for learning new music, a music teacher greatly influences the learning process. Having a teacher direct and observe every step of the way allows for a more streamlined experience. Children who go into music as a profession often have a regular music teacher and an additional tutor for help with home practicing.
Can we afford the time and money to take that many music lessons?
In most cases, children and adults take music lessons to learn how to play an instrument or sing and get enormous joy out of it. The common goal is not to perform at Carnegie Hall. Taking piano lessons every day during the week is simply not feasible with other hobbies, activities, school, and work!
So how often should you REALLY take music lessons?
Two lessons per week
This is the absolute best case scenario! My own two sons ages 6 and 9 each study with their piano teacher two times per week!
One lesson per week
This is the most common these days for how often to take music lessons for both children and adults. It’s important to remember to practice in between the lessons to get the full worth!
Lessons Every Other Week?
This is not the most ideal situation for music lessons, but it can work sometimes. Generally, children cannot retain the information from the music lesson for 2 weeks without forgetting most of it and doing things incorrectly in the meantime. Even with adult students, it’s necessary to be on the intermediate / advanced level for lessons every other week to be effective.
Whenever I feel like it?
Taking lessons sporadically whenever the mood fits is not recommended for children or adults who are not professional musicians. Most music teachers do not offer this option, and when they do, the lessons will have nearly zero effectiveness for the student. This is an option for professional musicians when they need to get a “second opinion.”
To answer your question “how often I should take music lessons?” – once or twice a week on the same day and same time is ideal! If you combine regular attendance to your lesson with a solid, consistent practice routine, you will begin to see amazing results!
Click here to learn more about music lessons in NYC with Riverside Music Studio!