Can’t Afford Music Lessons? Here’s what to do!

With so many incredible benefits that come from learning a musical instrument, it’s no wonder you are ready to start learning or improving your music skills. Or maybe you’re eager for your child to start learning! But then come the two biggest obstacles for any new endeavor: time and money. Sometimes, no matter how much of a priority you want it to be, you just can’t afford music lessons.

However, most of us can budget in just a little time to work toward a goal. You probably wouldn’t be reading this post if you weren’t ready to commit! As a primarily self-taught musician myself, I am confident that you can do this!

There are several free and low-cost options available that can help you (or your child) achieve your musical goals. Here are some tips on how to get started:

1. Utilize Online Resources: We all know the internet is an amazing place! There are so many free resources available online that offer lessons and tutorials on various musical instruments and styles. YouTube has a wealth of information, and there are also many dedicated websites that offer free lessons and resources. We have put together a list of completely free websites for you in this post!
2. Check your Community: Many states and cities have programs that offer free music education for those who can’t afford music lessons. Check your community centers, libraries, and the internet to see if there are options near you.
3. Use Practice Tools: There are many digital tools and apps that can help you improve your musical skills, from metronomes and tuners to online lessons and games. Take advantage of these resources to help you practice and improve.
4. Listen to Music: Listening to music is an important part of learning any instrument. Spend time listening to different genres and artists, and pay attention to the different elements of each piece, such as melody, harmony, and rhythm. Once you know the basics, see if you can start to play along with your instrument. Playing by ear is a skill that can only be self-taught, anyway!
5. Music Books: This option isn’t completely free, but the cost is minimal compared to the monthly cost of music lessons. You can find music books for your instrument, and many of them will walk you through lessons. This is what a music teacher would most likely be using, you just won’t have them to guide you through it. Any instrument will have several options for books, so you’ll just need to do some research to find a book with an approach that suits you.

If you’re going to self-teach, you’ll want to make sure you:

1. Set aside time: In my opinion, the biggest benefit of paying for music lessons is that your teacher holds you accountable for practicing and showing up. It takes a lot of discipline to show up for yourself. This can be a few minutes every day, once a week, or whatever works for you. Be realistic about the time you can put in, but stick to it! Think about where you want to be a year from now. Even the smallest steps can make a big difference.
2. Set Specific Goals: If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never get there! Think about a song you want to learn or a specific skill you want to master. Then break that goal down into smaller pieces. Little by little, you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish!
3. Reward Yourself: There’s a reason music teachers often use sticker charts – celebrating progress is a great way to stay motivated! Sometimes, the time spent playing music feels like reward enough. But if you can associate your practice with something positive, you’re much more likely to keep going!

Websites that Offer Free Music Lessons:

Many music learning websites and apps offer free trials, but this list is specifically for those you can use completely for free!

Piano Lessons 4 Children – Maria Miller offers free online piano lessons, so you can learn or teach your child piano easily without any prior knowledge! Her website is also filled with free sheet music for many popular childrens songs.

Mussica provides completely free lessons for piano, guitar, bass guitar, and drums. They also teach music theory, and have free resources like a tuner, chord finder, and staff paper.

Berklee Online – even if you can’t afford their classes, you can download their free music theory handbook from their award-winning curriculum!

Solfeg.io is an app where you can learn piano, ukulele, guitar, or singing. They have a free and paid version. You can do a lot without paying any money, and the paid version starts as low as 3.75/month, which is significantly more affordable than even one traditional music lesson!

Chrome Music Lab – These are not actual lessons, but sound experiments and games. I just learned about them and they’re so much fun! I think this is a great way to get kids excited about what music can do, either before they’re able to take music lessons or to enhance their learning! Completely free and so easy to jump on and use with no account required.

Guitar Lessons – this website is true to its name! You can find hundreds of free guitar lessons for both the acoustic and electric guitar.

YouTube – I said it before, but the possibilities are almost endless here. There are many channels dedicated to giving you free lessons on almost any instrument!

ToneGym has three free comprehensive music classes (ranging from 5 hours to 33 hours) on Music Theory Basics, Complete Music, and Orchestration.

PianoNanny has a free course that has been available since 1994, taught by Emmy Award-winning film composer Clinton S. Clark

ZebraKeys offers 50 free piano lessons, targeted for ages 13 and up.

Learning music doesn’t have to be expensive. There is value in having a music teacher, but even if you can’t afford music lessons, you can do this! With the right resources and approach, anyone can develop their musical skills and achieve their goals. So get started today and see where your musical journey takes you!