Recommended Price for a Drum Instructor?

I want a my mechanic to charge me less too. But, I go to him and pay his rates because he is honest, knowledgeable, and one of the best in the area. I guess I could go with someone who charges $8-11 per man hour of labor, but I want my car to work right.

Jeff


that.....and you and I work hard as hell Jeff....we are well educated working musicians , we offer knowledge not only learned from schooling and books but also knowledge from real world experience and we deserve to be paid accordingly

we are not some hacks throwing around discounted lessons to under cut the local music school

I charge the rates I charge because I deserve it ....just as my students deserve to be well educated and every one of my 57 students loves me as does their parents.....if I had the time I would take on even more students..... I have a waiting list and only so much time to spare

I want these kids to have a solid education ....from the 3rd graders playing snare and bells in music class...to the 8th graders in jazz band....to the seniors in high school I'm sending off to Berklee...to the guys in their 40s and 50s who come to me because of the love of drumming

they do not deserve what one would get from a $15 per hour lesson
 
Exactly, Anthony. My former piano teacher once said that he received an inquiry from a person regarding lessons. When my teacher told him the rates, the customer got furious. The man said, "I am an engineer with a degree and you are charging what I make per hour." My piano teacher said, "I have a degree as well - in music." The customer could not understand that. He associated music with a hobby - not a career.

Jeff
 
When I was a kid I paid $7. per hour for drum lessons (1968). I ended up taking lessons from a famous and talented drummer in the early 1980's, $25. per hour. I had the money at that time and it was worth it and i learned some interesting things. That was the most I ever paid. Now when I first started playing, if prices were high, I could not of afforded to take private lessons. There are alot of people working full time jobs making $8, $9, $10, $11 dollars per hour. Who can afford $20 or $25 for a half hour, and what do you think you will learn in just a half hour. Again if you are a high profile drummer, you would be an exception, and you can get what ever you wanted. Supply and demand.
That $7 per hour instructor I had years ago, was an excellent teacher and could hang with the big boys if not out drum most of them. I am not a professional drummer and do not make a living playing drums, but as a drum enthusiast to get more people into drumming, prices need to be affordable.

PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

In 1968, a loaf of bread was approximately 25 cents and your lessons were $7 per hour. So, a one hour drum lesson was 28 times the cost of a loaf of bread.

Today, a loaf of bread costs an average of 1.88, so 1.88x28=52.64

So, if $25 per half hour is unreasonable now, then your $7 lessons were unreasonable back then.

Pocket Full of Gold was correct. The prices have increased appropriately due to inflation.

http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_04/paulos090904.html

http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/pricebasket.html

Jeff
 
I'd think nothing of paying up to $80.00 - $100.00 per hour for a couple of the high end teachers in my town. Worth every red cent for me. Can't wait until I have time to do so in the future. These are world class players and teachers who teach at a world class music school.

I charge the going / competitive rate that people would pay in a comparable setting with people with the equivalent skill sets as myself. By choice I don't have a long roister of students for simple fact that this is something I do on the side.

Every town has a going rate for certain skill set of a teacher. You're going to get what you pay for.
 
What about inflation ? What is the minimum wage now, I think it's about $7.75. per hour. I know that people can not live on that wage. Our economy unfortunately is 1970's wages.
You instructors, is drumming your profession or do you have a day job. The reason I ask this is if you have a full time day job, do you make $25 per half hour. I dont think so. And if you do, God Bless You. You can't compare drumming to auto mechanics, plumbers, electrians. Its apples to oranges. Do instructors have a college degrees in percussion, like Neal Peart or Carl Parmer, If yes than you get what ever price you demand. Drummers are musicians and musicians are artists. Most artist make their money playing gigs or putting out music cd's. I know how hard that is to do. Teaching drums is supplementing your income, usually its not the primary source of income. I wish we can all make a million dollars per hour teaching/playing, all I am saying is that alot of parents and younger students just cant afford $25 per half hour.
Maybe I am wrong, I am not a drum instructor/teacher, I just like playing. I just think it makes sense to help younger and older drummers to get into drumming with out costing too much. This is just my opinion.
 
What about inflation ? What is the minimum wage now, I think it's about $7.75. per hour. I know that people can not live on that wage. Our economy unfortunately is 1970's wages.
You instructors, is drumming your profession or do you have a day job. The reason I ask this is if you have a full time day job, do you make $25 per half hour. I dont think so. And if you do, God Bless You. You can't compare drumming to auto mechanics, plumbers, electrians. Its apples to oranges. Do instructors have a college degrees in percussion, like Neal Peart or Carl Parmer, If yes than you get what ever price you demand. Drummers are musicians and musicians are artists. Most artist make their money playing gigs or putting out music cd's. I know how hard that is to do. Teaching drums is supplementing your income, usually its not the primary source of income. I wish we can all make a million dollars per hour teaching/playing, all I am saying is that alot of parents and younger students just cant afford $25 per half hour.
Maybe I am wrong, I am not a drum instructor/teacher, I just like playing. I just think it makes sense to help younger and older drummers to get into drumming with out costing too much. This is just my opinion.

I don't get it. You seemed to think that $7 was fair in 1968, but you don't think the equivalent (after inflation) is fair today?

You instructors, is drumming your profession or do you have a day job.
Music is my profession - teaching, performing, writing.

You can't compare drumming to auto mechanics, plumbers, electricians. Its apples to oranges.
Why not? I'm not being sarcastic. I am actually curious.

Do instructors have a college degrees in percussion, like Neal Peart or Carl Parmer, If yes than you get what ever price you demand.
I'm not sure if Neil or Carl have degrees, but they do not teach private lessons - as far as I know. But many of us have degrees and have studied with some of the best teachers out there. Take a look at my bio or Anthony's bio.

Who can afford $20 or $25 for a half hour, and what do you think you will learn in just a half hour
Have you priced martial arts, or other activities that kids and adults attend? Most are that price or more. And yes, there are plenty of people who want to learn.

Teaching drums is supplementing your income, usually its not the primary source of income.
Most professional musicians are working because they have more than one skill - performing, teaching, recording, writing, designing products. I don't consider any of those supplemental. A paper route - now that would be supplemental.

Jeff
 
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Jeff I have read your bio and it is very impressive. You are dedicated to drumming, and I need to say that you are an exception. Your are highly credentialed, as such, what ever instructional rate you seem appropriate, is well worth it.
 
Jeff I have read your bio and it is very impressive. You are dedicated to drumming, and I need to say that you are an exception. Your are highly credentialed, as such, what ever instructional rate you seem appropriate, is well worth it.

Jackie, thank you for the kind words. One thing you may not know is that there are so many educated, talented, dedicated drum teachers out there. If you check out the PASIC convention, you will see people from all over the US (and the world) traveling to one place to learn and better themselves.

The difficult thing is that there are other teachers who don't have the experience and dedication - and yes, some of those teachers are not worth the rate they charge. That's why I cautioned the original poster to compare credentials. There are professional teachers out there, but they are often in the same advertising pool as the unqualified teachers.

Jeff
 
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