Advantages of Individual vs. Group Guitar Lessons

When you choose to take lessons in guitar, the first choice is whether to opt for private lessons or for group lessons. There are advantages and disadvantages to both options, and the decision that suits you best might not be best for everyone. First, understand the consequences of choosing an option and then make a decision on what kind of guitar classeswould suit you best.

Advantages of group lessons

• Price is a big consideration for most people, and group lessons tend to be less expensive than individual lessons because the teacher is spending less time with more students. In this case, more people are paying for the teacher’s time, which brings down the overall cost for each session. By the same token, it also means that you can get more lessons less expensively.
• A main advantage to taking guitar lessons in a group is that it helps students to work with different people and observe different styles of playing. Students can learn much more in a group session simply by observing each other and playing together. Meeting other people who are interested in music is also very important in the beginning because it sets the base for forming relationships with people with the same hobby or interest. Learning with like-minded people can increase motivation among students.
• By learning guitar in a group setting, you can compete with someone else and have a reason to perform better. It is human nature for people to be competitive and try to outdo their peers, and this works in a guitar learning context as well. A bit of friendly competition with your peers will improve your playing much faster than otherwise.
• Students who learn to play in a group find it easier to play in sync with the others in a band or a music group. With the experience of working with other people, these students learn teamwork quite early in their musical education, which helps them perform better in the long run.

Advantages of individual lessons

• For those who cannot keep up with a group or those who are far ahead of the group, individual guitar lessons make more sense. Such students are able to concentrate more when they work at their own pace. The teacher can thus focus on one student and can tailor the lessons according to the student’s needs, leading to optimum results.
• If the student is busy and cannot work around their schedule too much, then private lessons are a boon. It offers more flexibility for students to set their own times for lessons and work with just one other person – the teacher. It is especially true for working professionals and those with extremely busy schedules, who are also devoted to learning to play the guitar.
• Some students, especially beginners, are intimidated by the thought of playing in front of many others, who might be better than they are. If the student has a problem performing in front of others or other issues with insecurity, individual lessons would give him or her to learn in privacy until they can gain some confidence.
• With a one-to-one schedule, guitar teachers can help students set clear goals and work towards it in a manner that is most comfortable to them. If the student already has ideas about what they want to learn and how much time they are willing to devote towards it, this convenience can be given in individual lessons.