The Complete Guide to Saxophone Lesson Pricing
How Much Do Saxophone Lessons Cost?
Rose Park
Updated 3/20/25 • 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 $68. Live online saxophone lessons using Zoom, Skype or Google Meet charge between $30-40 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 $30 an hour. Instructors with degrees in saxophone charge $62 on average per hour, and professionally performing saxophonists with touring experience can charge well over $100!
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What Determines Saxophone Lesson Costs?
Saxophone Teacher Level
Saxophone teachers without a formal music degree typically charge around $30 per hour. While this might seem like an affordable option, their instruction may not be at a professional level.
If a teacher has a degree in another instrument, like jazz guitar or drums, but plays saxophone as well, their rates usually fall between $35 and $45 per hour. They may understand music theory well, but their saxophone technique might not be strong enough to provide the best guidance—especially for beginners.
For the best learning experience, look for a saxophone teacher with at least a Bachelor’s degree in saxophone. These instructors usually charge $45 to $65 per hour, while those with advanced degrees like Master’s, may charge $50 to $70 per hour. Investing in a professional teacher can make a big difference in your progress!
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.
Do Beginners Need Professional Saxophone Teachers at First?
If you’re picking up the saxophone for the first time, getting off to a good start is key. A professional instructor helps you develop strong fundamentals from day one, so you don’t end up with bad habits that are hard to break later.
Posture, breath control, tone, and even how you read music—these are all things that can be tricky to fix if learned incorrectly. The sooner you have an experienced saxophone teacher, the smoother your progress will be.
Planning for at least a year of regular lessons is a great way to ensure steady improvement. A strong foundation will make it much easier to advance and enjoy playing for years to come.
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What You Will Learn in Saxophone Lessons
Saxophone Techniques
A great saxophone sound starts with the right fundamentals—posture, breath support, mouth and lip position, and finger placement. These elements all work together to create a strong, consistent tone.
A professional saxophone teacher will guide you through proper technique and help you develop solid practice habits, setting you up for long-term success.
Music Theory and Notation
Saxophone lessons include music theory basics like reading notation, scales, and harmony, but with a focus on how they shape saxophone tone and technique.
You’ll practice core skills like fingering transitions, embouchure control, and breath support, all of which affect phrasing and expression. These skills are especially important for jazz musicians who want to improvise and arrange their own music.
Saxophone 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
In saxophone lessons, you’ll work on scales, etudes, and repertoire using smart practice methods tailored to your level. Your teacher will guide you in setting achievable goals, refining your technique, and keeping practice sessions engaging. They’ll also show you how to improve tone quality, articulation, and speed to help you progress and learn new music faster.
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 Tunelark, 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 top music schools, but the lessons are only $65 per hour, making the live online lessons an incredible value. Besides, there’s no contract required.
Tunelark has a nearly identical average price of $68 per hour among the teachers we surveyed. However, many of the saxophone teachers listed either lack a music degree or didn’t major in saxophone.
Wyzant has an average cost of $60 per hour among the teachers we surveyed. But like Tunelark, many of the saxophone instructors either didn’t have a music degree or didn’t major in saxophone.
Both websites have a good 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.
Begin a Free Lesson at Lesson With You!
Lesson With You offers live 1-on-1 saxophone lessons with professional instructors who hold Bachelor’s degrees in saxophone from top music schools. All instructors are fully background checked. Expand your saxophone repertoire and start your musical journey with us!
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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.