By Cathy Cassinos

Looking to start music lessons? It might not be as easy as do-re-mi.

Googling “music lessons in Sacramento” spits out endless results, and that’s just the problem: With so many choices, how do you choose? There are locally-owned music schools, global franchises, music stores offering lessons, home-based teachers, community college classes — and that’s not even counting the glut of online instruction available these days.

Whether you’re an adult looking to resume an old hobby or a parent seeking lessons for a child, finding the right fit can be tricky. Here are a few things to consider.

Goals and expectations 

When a prospective student calls Skip’s Music about lessons, guitar teacher Thomas Murphy goes into interviewer mode. “I’ll ask ‘what kind of music are you into? What are your goals?’” With more than 30 years of teaching experience under his belt, Murphy, whose students range from ages 7 to 70-plus, has learned that successful lessons hinge largely on communicating expectations right up front. “If you’re a metal guitar player and want to play Metallica songs, I’m not going to put you with a teacher who does fingerstyle classical guitar,” he says.

Unrealistic expectations can also spell trouble, adds Justin Barnes, owner of Music Lab East Sacramento and a veteran drum teacher and performer. “We get some parents who expect their children to play like Mozart in 72 hours, and that’s just not happening unless it’s some kind of savant or prodigy,” he says. “Managing parents’ expectations for their child is huge.” 

Adult students also often have unrealistic expectations for themselves, he says, especially when their busy schedules get in the way of practice. “I tell adults it’s OK — give yourself some grace,” says Barnes. “You’re not doing this for college credit.”

Teacher compatibility. Pedigrees from Juilliard or Berklee are nice, but what matters more than credentials is chemistry, Barnes says. “At the end of the day, it’s really the relationship between client and teacher that leads to either longevity of lessons or a shortened lifespan,” he says. “There are amazing teachers that someone just won’t vibe with, and yet others who may not be an ‘A-list’ player but who connect well with the student. Sometimes you just click with someone.” 

Trial lesson 

But how do you find that elusive right fit? A trial lesson, experts agree, is the best way. “I’m a firm believer in the importance of trial lessons,” Murphy says. “It gives you a chance to find out right away whether we gel.” 

Barnes concurs. “It’s an opportunity not only to figure out whether the teacher is compatible with your music goals, but as a human being,” he says. The cherry on top? Most trial lessons are free. 

Cost and scheduling  

As a general rule of thumb, you can expect to pay in the ballpark of $120 to $160 a month for private lessons in the Sacramento region, according to Murphy. Lessons are typically 30 minutes weekly at a dedicated time slot that should be chosen with care, Barnes says. “A lot of times people sign up and later realize they can’t do 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays because that’s when their children have karate or dance class,” he says.

Format 

On a budget? Consider group lessons, which are often easier on the wallet. Some of the most affordable are at community colleges, where you can study voice, piano, guitar and more. With current tuition at $46 a unit, a 2-unit music class glides in under $100 — pretty sweet, especially for a full semester.

Young students will also likely do better in a group setting, says Erik Stillabower, a violin instructor and former manager at Natomas Music Square. ”Younger kids don’t necessarily have the attention span to sit in front of the piano for a half-hour with a teacher,” he says. To that end, the Natomas school offers fun, fast-moving, child-friendly classes combining music basics with interactive games. Stillabower says group classes have been so effective for little ones that the school limits private instruction to ages 7 and up.

Location 

“Location is big,” says Barnes, who aims to direct new students to a Music Lab studio (there are eight in the Sacramento area) closest to their home — ideally no more than a 15-minute drive.  “Making sure the location is convenient for the client is crucial, because what we don’t want and what we have seen is people making a 40-minute commute for a 30-minute lesson,” he says. “Eventually the math doesn’t quite work out.” 

Having trouble finding a teacher close to home? Barnes suggests checking the neighborhood app Nextdoor. “Nextdoor prides itself on being the ‘local’ social media, and some people have found us just a few miles from their house through that platform,” he says.

Opportunities to perform 

There’s a reason the Weekend Warriors and Stairway to Stardom programs at Skip’s are such a huge draw. For many music students, there’s a closet Mick Jagger or Taylor Swift (pick your generation) just dying to get out. Stairway, a summer program that’s been around almost as long as Skip’s itself (established in 1973), offers youths a chance to form bands, play concerts and even get into the recording studio. Weekend Warriors, whose mantra is “you’re never too old to rock ‘n’ roll,” offers similar fun for older music students. If getting on stage and playing with others is important to you (or the future rock star in your house), a school with a performance-heavy component may be your best bet.

Arguably the most dedicated to that mission is School of Rock, which turns traditional training on its head by plunging students into a band environment from the get-go. The curriculum combines weekly one-on-one lessons with group rehearsals, where students learn to jam together. “We start on the fun stuff, the songs, and work backwards into theory,” says General Manager Jared Casstevens of School of Rock Sacramento. “We find kids learn faster this way.” The mega-franchise, which has multiple locations in the Sacramento area, is poised to open another in Land Park this spring. 

While the key to success on any instrument is practice — most experts recommend a minimum of 30 minutes, five days a week — having fun is what it’s all about, says Barnes. “If the student is having fun and enjoying the instrument, then we’re winning,” he says. “If they’re showing up frustrated and they don’t want to be there, we don’t want to offer that. That’s for the dentist.”

This story is part of the Solving Sacramento journalism collaborative. This story was funded by the City of Sacramento’s Arts and Creative Economy Journalism Grant to Solving Sacramento. Following our journalism code of ethics, the city had no editorial influence over this story. Our partners include California Groundbreakers, Capital Public Radio, Outword, Russian America Media, Sacramento Business Journal, Sacramento News & Review, Sacramento Observer and Univision 19. Sign up for our “Sac Art Pulse” newsletter here.