Frequently Asked Questions

How much do lessons cost? Are there any other fees?

Our rate is competitively priced at:
$40 - thirty minute private music lesson
$50 - forty five minute private music lesson
$65 - one hour private music lesson

Our prices are the same for every instrument and voice. Payment is due by the 10th day of each month. If we do not receive payment by the 10th day, a $10 late fee applies, and lessons will be suspended until payment is made.

There is no extra charge for travel. There are no surprise fees. All fees and policies are outlined in our Student Agreement. For further questions, please Contact Us. We will respond to you the same day.


What are you offering for your price? Why should I choose In Home Music over other options, such as music stores or another private teacher?

Should you shop around for the best price? Of course! We all want to save money. We invite you to compare our price and quality of service with our competitors in the area. At In Home Music we can offer you more. Most music stores do not offer any cancellation policy at all. In Home Music offers a 48 hour cancellation policy. We assure the high quality of our teachers through an application and interview process. We also perform criminal background checks on all teachers, except for those who are currently public school teachers in good standing. We can also offer you piano tuning service through our company. Best of all, In Home Music brings the teacher to your home! No more driving in rush hour traffic or waiting outside in your car during your child’s lesson.

How can you assure the quality of the teacher?

While finding a teacher can be “hit or miss” anywhere, In Home Music strives to find a high quality teacher with a fun, inspiring personality for you or your child. The application process includes a music-related resume including teaching background, their music philosophy, teaching style and/or goals. We have an in-person interview with all of our teachers. All teacher applicants, except those already teaching in a public school, agree to a criminal background check. If you would like references for any of our teachers, feel free to e-mail us at: info@inhomemusic.com

How do I schedule lessons?

From our website: www.inhomemusic.com, click on “Find a Teacher” or CLICK HERE. From there, you can search for a teacher in a particular area on a specific instrument and see if they have a time slot available that matches your preference. You may also email: info@inhomemusic.com or call: (703) 307-3444 to get the scheduling process started. We answer all calls and emails the same day.

Is the lesson day/time I schedule via the website guaranteed?

We will strive to honor the lesson day and time that you requested from the website. However, due to scheduling before and after your lesson, your teacher may need to suggest a different day and/or time.

The online scheduling system is therefore not a guarantee, but a reservation which will need to be confirmed by the teacher.

How do I make payments?

You will be billed for the entire month’s lessons on the 1st of the month. Payment is due by the 10th day of each month. A $10 late fee applies if payment is not received by the 10th day, and lessons will be suspended until payment is made. Payments can be made through PayPal and by Visa/Mastercard via our online credit card processing system.

Is there anything I can do to help the music lessons run smoothly?

Yes. The area in the home where the lesson will be taught should be free of distractions. Things like pets, siblings, television and toys can be very distracting. It’s a good idea to keep these things away during the lesson, and also while practicing.

May I sit in on my child's lesson?

Yes, you may! Just be sure to not distract the child or the teacher. Try not to interrupt the teacher while he or she is talking with the child. Save all your questions or concerns for the end of the lesson. Sometimes children can grow dependent on their parents if they are always around to “save the day”, so it may be a good idea to let your child have a few lessons without you so they can form a bond with the teacher.

How should I practice? How can I help my child practice?

Your instructor can help you with this. Discuss this with him or her after the first lesson. You instructor will be able to make good recommendations about how much to practice, when to practice, and what to focus on each week.

Depending on the age of your child, you may have to help the child retain the information exposed to them during a lesson. Older children may not need your help retaining the information, but may need you to help them set some designated practice times and goals. Developing independence during practice is a must, so refrain from always being there when the child is practicing. A good beginning scenario would be to start together, leave for 5 minutes, then come back to see how it went while you were away. Continue this process, and eventually you can increase the amount of “alone time” they spend at the instrument. Encourage your child to write any questions that arise during the week down on paper so that the teacher can answer them first thing during the next lesson. If your child is working out of a lesson book, it is often helpful to re-read the written material in the book that applies to that week’s lesson. This will often “spark” their memory of what the teacher taught them. Encourage them to practice things slowly at first. Practicing too fast will only bring mistakes and discouragement in the beginning, and the child will want to give up easily.

Lastly, be gentle when encouraging your child to practice. If you convey it to the child as a “chore”, music learning is no longer fun – it is something they “have to do”. Everyone will learn a lot more when it’s fun!

Can In Home Music accommodate children with special needs?

Yes. Please tell us about the child’s special need, and we will find a suitable teacher to help you. The more detailed information you can give us, the more likely we will be able to help. Examples of a special need can range from physical to mental to emotional, and we will do all we can to assure that your child has a rewarding experience learning music.

Is there a cancellation policy?

Yes. You are allowed one cancellation per billing cycle (month) with 48 hours notice. Our teachers have busy schedules, and have reserved a specific time slot for you alone. We ask that you contact In Home Music no less than 48 hours before the scheduled lesson time to cancel a lesson. You may contact us by e-mail: info@inhomemusic.com, or on the phone: (703) 307-3444. In the near future, you may also cancel lessons on our website. We will notify you when that feature is available.

If we do not receive notice within 48 hours, you will still be charged for that lesson. If we do receive proper notification, you will receive a credit for one lesson to be applied to the next month’s lessons.

Please note that most music stores do not offer a cancellation policy.

What about holidays, vacations, and inclement weather?

When there is inclement weather, we will leave it up to the discretion of the student and teacher as to whether or not a lesson will be held. Please communicate with your teacher on lesson days when there is inclement weather.

Individual teachers may offer lessons on holidays, but parents are not obligated to have a lesson at those times. Check with your teacher or contact us if you are in doubt of a particular holiday or situation.

For scheduled vacations, please follow our cancellation policy of 48 hours notice.

What if I decide to quit music lessons?

You may withdraw from lessons at any time. However, In Home Music requires two weeks notice, as a courtesy to the teacher.

What kind of equipment or books will I have to purchase?

The teacher will give you this information. You may also contact In Home Music with any questions through e-mail: info@inhomemusic.com, or phone: (703) 307-3444. Some teachers will know which method books they will want to use before starting, while some will want to have a lesson with you before deciding on method books.

What are your hours?

Our operating hours are Monday-Friday from 9AM - 5PM via telephone and 24x7 via email and website.

What is READ, REGISTER, RESERVE?

Read, Register, Reserve is our quick and easy three step process to signing up for In Home Music Lessons.

1) READ the teacher profiles
2) REGISTER with "In Home Music"
3) RESERVE the teacher for your preferred day and time

What does a piano tuning involve? And, what does the tuner do?

Tuning is the process of readjusting the tension of each string to bring the pitch of the piano back into harmony. A basic tuning through In Home Music includes minor adjustments and repairs such as squeaky pedals, adjusting damper pedal, removing foreign objects from between keys, etc.

What do I need to do to prepare for my tuner's visit?

Tell your technician about any problems you have experienced with your piano. Sometimes the technician won't see an intermittent problem if it's not acting up at the time of the visit. Your technician will appreciate lots of light. Clearing off the top of the piano and the floor around the piano will be greatly appreciated - your technician will likely be sitting or even laying on your floor.

How often does my piano need to be tuned?

Most Piano Technicians recommend twice a year for a home piano. Even if the piano is not being used, it should be tuned every year. Waiting much longer than a year between tunings may result in needing a pitch raise, which costs a little more. If you own a new piano, the new strings will stretch more readily, and so keeping to the twice a year schedule, at least for the first two years, will help keep the piano from dropping too far in pitch.

What is a pitch raise?

When a piano has dropped 25 cents (or ¼ of a semitone) or more, a regular tuning likely won't hold. This is because bringing the piano up to standard pitch (A 440) will result in stretching the strings more than usual. That great a change in tension will result in the piano going out of tune within several weeks. In this case, Piano Technicians will perform a pitch raise. Our tuner will do this in one tuning session by carefully pulling the tension of the strings above standard pitch and waiting briefly for the strings to stretch and settle. Usually, it will be necessary to tune again earlier than usual (anywhere from several weeks to a couple months). Thereafter, it will be possible to wait six months or a year between tunings.

What caused my piano to drop in pitch so much?

The most common reasons for a piano to drop in pitch significantly are time and age. The strings on your piano (over 200 total strings) are stretched and under a great deal of tension, a total of thousands of pounds. They tend to become slack over time. If your piano hasn't been tuned in a couple of years, strings can stretch lower than A-440 (this refers to the note A above middle C, which is tuned to 440kHz as the standard). Also, over shorter periods of time, the piano will go out of tune due to changes in relative humidity. Changes in humidity expand and contract the wood of the piano, thereby altering the tension of the strings which affects the pitch of each string. On the other hand, if your piano's pins are loose, this can also cause the pitch to drop, even if you have your piano tuned regularly.

What are loose pins and what do I do about them?

The tuning pins are what the tuner turns clockwise or counterclockwise to change the tension of the string, therefore changing the pitch. The tuning pins are held in place by the pin block into which they are driven. Sometimes, the wood in older pin blocks has dried out, causing the pins to become loose. Your technician can sometimes improve the tightness of the pins by hammering them deeper into the pin block or, as a last resort, increasing tension using pin tightening solution. These are fairly simple procedures. If neither of these techniques works, you can replace the pins with larger pins. When this is done, the strings are also replaced, an expensive procedure usually recommended only for valuable pianos.

Where should I place my piano and how should I care for it to help keep it in tune?

It is preferable to have an upright piano against an inner wall unless your home has excellent insulation for the outer walls. Keep all pianos far enough away from air vents to prevent air from directly blowing on them. As with all furniture, direct sunlight will damage the finish of the wood of the piano. The temperature changes are also not good for stable tuning. The ideal level of humidity is 35 to 50%. You can use a home or room humidifier/dehumidifier that can be set to about 42% humidity level, or you can have a qualified piano technician install a piano climate control system in your piano.