What to expect in a free trial lesson on Lessonface

It’s "Try July" for Lessonface! During the month of July we like to encourage students to start looking for teachers who interest them and set up a free trial lesson before schedules get busier in the fall. A little preparation now can help make sure that you get a great time slot for your schedule with your best teacher fit.

If you’re thinking about booking lessons or a free trial lesson but would like to feel more prepared, you’re in the right place! Read on to learn how you can make the most of a free trial lesson and what to expect based on top teachers sharing their thoughts and trial lesson process.
 

How to make the most of a free trial lesson

Narrow down your teacher options. Lessonface makes searching for a great teacher easy because every teacher on the site is qualified and has been fully reviewed in our onboarding process.

First, find the top 2 or 3 teachers that interest you and book free trial lessons. If you’re thinking about genre specific lessons like jazz piano, try searching “jazz piano” in the main search bar to narrow down your options to teachers who focus on that.

Reading reviews from previous students is really helpful, and some teachers will have performance or mini lesson videos on their profiles as well. If you find a teacher new to Lessonface who might be a good fit for you, don’t hesitate to reach out with a message to them to get more information!

Once you have a few teacher options, here are some ways to get ready for the trial lesson.

• Come prepared - Make a list of questions about the things that are important to you. Some examples might be:
  • Does the teacher work out of specific books? Use specific methods?
  • Will the teacher create custom lesson plans with you in mind?
  • Does the teacher provide lesson notes or other follow ups to lessons?
  • Does their schedule have your ideal time and day open?
  • Are lessons new for you? Or are you picking up where you left off? If you're resuming lessons after a hiatus, playing your current favorite piece in the trial lesson can help assess where you're at and come up with a lesson plan.
  • Will this teacher help you set and reach learning goals? Or, if you are bringing goals, can the teacher speak to helping you make a plan to reach your goals?

• Evaluate the teaching style and personality fit. We learn best when working with a teacher who’s communication style works well for us.  Working with the right teacher fit can be the difference between being excited and motivated to go to and practice for lessons, or letting music lessons feel like more of a drag. If the teacher hasn't done so, ask for a mini lesson before the end of your trial lesson to check for a great teaching style fit. After the lesson, take a few moments to write down how you felt after meeting that teacher. If you're excited and ready for more, you've probably found your teacher fit!

• Bonus: Turn on Zoom’s best audio settings. If you'll be taking a music lesson, check out our Zoom audio guide so that you’ll save time and impress your teacher by having the best audio settings turned on and ready to go!

Teachers weigh in: What to expect in a free trial lesson on Lessonface

What happens in a free trial lesson? What can students expect? 

“I like to focus on the student first and have them tell me more about what they’re interesting in learning with piano lessons. Afterwards, I show them my studio and give them a sample of what a lesson with me is like.” Veronica Gaudreau, Piano, Classical Piano

“I ask the student to play whatever they are currently working on, mainly to check on the information that they provided, but also to give them some tips and talk about what we would be seeing on our lessons in the future (assuming they do enroll). I also like to offer all the important information about the lessons and respond to their questions on that regard.” Laura Montero, Music Theory, Flute

“Usually I introduce myself but the focus is on them so I split it into slots. First, a two minute personal introduction, then I ask them about their music taste, what they hope to learn and then we do a short lesson. My rule is that there always has to be music in a music lesson. And I tell them that so that they expect to make music.” Sonnie Sitz, Voice, Piano, Musical Theatre

“My main goal is to make sure their sound and set up is adequate for lessons, and walk them through changes if necessary. If there's time I'll show them something musical, too, but the main goal is that we can hit the ground running with their first paid lesson.“ Leah Kruszewski, Classical Guitar, Flamenco Guitar

Is there information you’d like to know before the lesson?

“Yes! I always reach out and let them know that I look forward to meeting them and to see if they have any questions.  I make sure that they understand how to join the lesson when it is time, and ask them for a little background info on their playing experience and goals.  It is nice for me if I have some knowledge of what they are looking for so I know how to prepare for the lesson.” Erika Andres, Flute, Piccolo

“Yes. I ask them to give me some info on their experience and/or goals.  I tell them this will help me to prepare for the lesson.” Beverly Cashin, Piano, Jazz Piano

Why do you recommend trial lessons for students thinking about taking lessons?

“For most students, it eases them into the online lesson environment and helps iron out technical problems without a paid lesson in the balance. “ Esther Howard, Violin, Classical Piano

“It's a low risk way to test the waters, and most teachers are happy to do it. If things don't work out, you can pretty easily try someone else to keep your musical momentum going.” Sam Marvin, Acoustic, Electric, and Blues Guitar

“I like to think about it as if I was the student.  I would much prefer to have the opportunity to get an idea of what I was getting into before making any monetary commitments.  It is a way for them to help alleviate some of the risks of purchasing something they are not familiar about, and it is also a good way for the student to know if he or she is a good match for the teacher and vice versa.” Erika Andres, Flute, Piccolo

How do students and teachers benefit from trial lessons?

“A good trial puts both teacher and student at ease, motivates everyone for the work and inspires a sense of optimism about the process.” Mike Mitchell, Violin, Banjo, Guitar

“For students being able to meet their teacher lets them get a sense of what lesson are like with that teacher and be able to determine if it’s a good fit or not. As the teacher, I get to learn about what kind of music they like and more about their ability level so that I can choose music that would help them toward their goal.” Veronica Gaudreau, Piano, Classical Piano

“We already know each other by then, and we can take care of the original sound and positioning of the keyboard.  So when we get to the first lesson, it's time well spent. “ Beverly Cashin, Piano, Jazz Piano

“Students benefit from trial lessons by learning how virtual lessons work, by seeing if the teacher’s teaching style is a good fit, and by acquiring an idea of who they are going to grow in musicianship with; teachers benefit from trial lessons by learning about the students learning process and background, by helping the teachers tailor the lessons to their needs, and by collecting the discussed/needed materials to have ready at the first full lesson.” Ruthanne Neveu, Violin, Viola, Ukulele

After meeting for free trial lessons with your top two or three teacher choices, you’ll have a much better idea of which teacher fit would be best for you. Learn more about how to book free trial lessons or  booking options, or check out our FAQ to learn more.