As more adults express a new interest in learning music in recent years, I've gotten this question pretty often, and it's one of my favorites to answer! I do indeed focus almost completely on teaching beginning students - and I LOVE it. Over my years of teaching I've taught students at all levels, and in time, I discovered I loved working with beginners of any age the most. 

Teaching beginners is incredibly rewarding - I'm reminded multiple times per day why I chose to play music when I see the excitement a…

I've been getting this question more recently as everyone is excited to move into a post-pandemic world. However, my teaching studio has permanently shifted to an exclusively online model, for a variety of reasons I'll share below. There may be occasional opportunities for in-person "workshop days" at some point, but they will not be regularly scheduled weekly lessons.

Health & Safety

Covid has been very unpredictable and each time I've thought we were near the end of the pandemic, things have moved back…

I'm glad you asked! Every studio and teacher has different policies, and it's important to know what to expect when you're investing in music lessons. 

I review what's INCLUDED in tuition costs on my Tuition page - here's a quick rundown of what's INCLUDED in tuition:

• Reserved regular lesson time 
• Preparation for each lesson (I spend nearly as much time outside each lesson working on lesson plans & repertoire selection) 
• Emailed materials (games, free song resources, etc) 
• Continuing…

Students often ask what they need to get started with online lessons, so here's a quick rundown of the basics!

Computer (or other device with camera)

A computer works best here as you can adjust sound settings on Zoom to make sure I can hear you (more on those settings here: https://musicbysarah.net/blog-faq/blog/optimal-zoom-settings-for-online-music-lessons. If you don't have a laptop available, a tablet or smartphone works too. You'll want to make sure you can set your device up hands-free so I can both…

I get this question a LOT, so let's jump in!

The Basics

• I take off the week between Christmas and New Years.
• I do teach throughout the summer, as long as I'm home! Lessons are available year-round.
• I usually teach through school breaks as I have students around the country with varying school schedules. If you're planning to be away on vacation, that's totally fine - let me know & I'll invoice you for the month accordingly. 

Touring & time away

I am a full-time musician, and I may take time away…

Zoom recently made some audio updates that have made lessons challenging! Here's an update on ideal Zoom settings:

As many of us have discovered, Zoom wasn't designed with music in mind. In fact, Zoom's default settings tend to distort or mute music, thinking it's "background noise" - when we all know music is the reason we're on Zoom together! There are few moments more frustrating in a Zoom lesson than when a student finishes playing a piece and is very proud of their efforts and I heard...three notes…

As you have may have noticed, I have "affiliate link" noted on my site when I mention method books I use. As an independent musician and music teacher, I'm part of the Amazon Associates program, where I can earn a small amount of income - at no additional cost to you - if a purchase is made via a link from my site. It's not a huge amount, but every little bit helps me continue to deliver great music and music education - and for that, I thank you!

Technology has allowed me to continue teaching students when geography or health made it impossible, and it's also enabled me to share my love of music with students I otherwise would never have met. I'm happy to use technology to help you on your musical journey.  

Online lessons are conducted via Zoom (best connection). Payment is accepted via check, card, or online payment system (including Square, Paypal, and Venmo - subject to 4% processing fee). 

Starting from scratch with online music lessons works…

I'm glad you asked! I incorporate a variety of teaching methods into my curriculum, and often combine more than one in lessons. Learning music isn't a "one size fits all" journey, and I strive to utilize the best materials for each individual student along every step of their journey.

With that said, there are a few different method books I've used with much success over the years, so here's a quick roundup of some of my most frequently-used books!

Full disclosure on affiliate links: if you purchase your…

The title says it all, and I'm overdue to address this question - it's SO important to my teaching philosophy, and I'm happy to discuss in-depth.

My goal as a teacher is to impart a sense of excitement and understanding of music to all my students. My goal as a teacher is NOT - and never has been - perfection. As my favorite fitness instructor says, "there's no such thing as perfection." When it comes to music - especially with younger students - an emphasis on perfection can lead to lost interest…