The Complete Guide to Saxophone Lesson Pricing
How Much Do Saxophone Lessons Cost?
Rose Park
2/10/23 • updated 4/2/24 • 4 min read
The Average Saxophone Lesson Cost:
Saxophone lessons generally cost between $35-$70 per hour, but costs can vary widely depending on the teacher’s education and performing level, the location, lesson length and whether the lesson is taught in-person or online.
The average price for a one-hour saxophone lesson is $60. Live online saxophone lessons using Zoom, Skype or Google Meet charge between $20-40 for a half hour lesson. Local in-person lessons range from $35-45 for a half hour lesson, while in-person group ensemble lessons averages $20 for a half hour lesson.
Saxophone teachers without a music degree will charge as little as $25 an hour. Instructors with degrees in saxophone charge $60 on average per hour, and professionally performing saxophonists with significant tour and performing experience can charge well over $100!
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What Determines Saxophone Lesson Costs?
Saxophone Teacher Level
You’ll find that saxophone instructors without music degrees usually charge around $25 per hour, but their instruction might not be as professional.
Teachers with a music degree in a different field, like Jazz guitar or drums, who also know saxophone, typically charge between $30 and $40 per hour. While they have a good understanding of music, their saxophone skills might not be advanced, and they may have limited knowledge of proper techniques. This could potentially lead to beginners developing bad habits from the start.
For the best learning experience, look for a saxophone instructor with at least a Bachelor’s degree in saxophone. Their rates typically range from $45 to $65 per hour. Those with Master’s or Doctorate degrees might charge between $50 and $70 per hour.
In-person vs Online Lessons
Online saxophone lessons are generally the most affordable option since the lessons can be set up with a few digital equipments in the comfort of your home. There is an average increase of $10 for in-person lessons at a teacher’s studio, and small additional increase about $10 to have the instructor visit your home each time.
In-person prices can vary widely though depending on the number of qualified saxophone teachers in your area. If you want to find qualified saxophone teachers at reasonable prices, live online lessons will be your best bet.
Pre-recorded vs Live Lessons
If you’re looking for the cheapest possible saxophone lessons, there is the option of pre-recorded lessons. These are typically video or app-based lessons that aim to teach you basic skills for a monthly fee.
Unfortunately, pre-recorded lessons cannot be compared to the quality of live one-on-one lessons where the teacher can customize the lesson material just for you, provide live feedback on your playing in real time, and help you become better at practicing and performing. Any saxophone student who is interested in becoming an intermediate or advanced saxophonist is better off looking for live 1-on-1 lessons, such as the $35 half hour lessons offered through Lesson With You.
Q. Should beginners learn from professional saxophone instructors from the start?
Of course! It’s best for beginners to play saxophone the correct way from the start. A professional saxophone teacher knows how to take a beginner smoothly from a beginner to an advanced level, so you don’t develop any bad habits.
Sometimes, it can take years for students to correct bad habits related to posture, breathing, tone production and reading music. The sooner you have an expert saxophone instructor, the faster you will make real, solid progress that sets you up for future advancement.
Before committing to it, make sure to plan your lesson budget and aim to take regular saxophone lessons for at least a year.
What Will I Learn in Saxophone Lessons?
Saxophone Techniques
You will learn proper posture, breath support, lip and mouth position and finger placement, and all of which work together to create a good tone on saxophone. Professional saxophone teachers can guide students through solid technique and help them develop good playing and practice habits.
Music Theory and Notation
In saxophone lessons, you will learn basic music theory and skills to read notations, which includes practicing scales, chords, and harmony. Understanding music theory can also help students grasp the structure of music and develop skills like improvisation and arranging, which are important for those who are interested in Jazz or other improvisational styles of music.
Repertoire
During saxophone lessons, the instructor and you will work together on building an extensive repertoire. Your teacher will suggest music based on your level and interests. Once you master the piece, the teacher will introduce you to new music styles, helping you to expand the saxophone repertoire over time.
Practice Methods
Saxophone students learn effective practice methods to develop skills in scales, etudes, and repertoire in lessons. Professional instructors can help students set daily or monthly goals and create practice guides to support them in achieving their musical goals faster. The more skilled your teacher is, the better they are at providing valuable tips for engaging practice.
How to Find the Most Affordable Saxophone Lessons
We surveyed over 100 saxophone teachers across our own site, Lesson With You, and two other major sites, Wyzant and Takelessons.com, using a random zip code as the location. We specifically looked for teachers who have a degree in saxophone and teach online lessons.
Lesson With You has a fixed price of $65 per hour and indeed the cost value is better than any other site we have found. Saxophone instructors at Lesson With You has at least a Bachelor’s in saxophone from music schools such as the Northwestern University, but the lessons are only $65 per hour, making the live online lessons an incredible value.
Takelessons.com had the highest average price among qualified saxophone teachers, at $60 per hour. Even finding a teacher who didn’t major in saxophone, such as one with general music education or composition degree, charges online lessons about $40 to $50 per hour. Those who majored in saxophone performance during college degree often charge at least $60 for an hour online lesson.
Wyzant has an average cost of $60 per hour among the teachers we surveyed. But like Takelessons, many of the saxophone instructors either didn’t have a music degree or didn’t major in saxophone. Both websites have a very large number of saxophone teachers available, so surely there are some good deals, but finding teachers whose education and prices matched that of the teachers at Lesson With You is difficult and time consuming.
Looking for Professional Saxophone Lessons?
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Rose Park
Rose Park is a graduate of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University where she studied Piano Performance and Arts Administration, receiving both Bachelor's and Master's degrees before co-founding Lesson With You. As a pianist, Rose was a prizewinner in many international piano competitions and performed at various summer programs and festivals across the United States, Italy, and Japan.