Piano and guitar lessons at home in West Orange, NJ

Picking up where you left off

A lot of students are returners. They took piano as kids, stopped at twelve, and still remember a bit of a Clementi sonatina. A teacher's first job is to find out what is left in the hands and build from there. Others are complete beginners who always wanted to play guitar around a fire and never did.

Lessons follow the student's taste: standards, Motown, folk, Broadway, hymns. Teachers can simplify arrangements so a favorite song is playable within a few weeks.

Practice between lessons stays short and doable, often ten or fifteen minutes a day. Teachers tend to assign one thing to work on, not five, and check on it at the start of the next lesson.

When music therapy is a better fit

Some families want music for a parent who is not looking to learn an instrument but still responds to singing and familiar songs. That is where music therapy comes in. On Home Happenings it is only offered by board-certified MT-BC music therapists, and those credentials are verified by our team. It is not a promise of medical results, so talk with the therapist about what a session involves.

Profiles list each pro's background, the towns they serve and their usual days.

You can message any teacher before booking to ask about their style, the music they teach most, and whether they have worked with older students before. Contact details stay private in messages.

A little Edison history in the lesson

The Thomas Edison National Historical Park on Main Street preserves the laboratory where Edison's team developed and recorded music on phonographs. For a student working on old standards, it can be fun to visit and see where recorded sound got its start in town. Some teachers suggest listening to early recordings of a song before learning it.

Back home, a weekly lesson gives the week a small goal to work toward.

Some students set a goal of playing for the family at a holiday gathering. A teacher can work backward from that date and choose a piece that is challenging but realistic in the weeks available.

Rates, lengths and booking

Each teacher sets an hourly rate between $50 and $150. Lessons can be 1, 1.5 or 2 hours, and a $2.50 booking fee and a 10% service fee are added at checkout. Most students book weekly. After every lesson the teacher writes a short note, which is a handy way for family to see progress. Cancellation is free up to 3 days before.

Gift cards from $50 make a first month of lessons an easy present for a parent's birthday.