People arrive at a first lesson expecting to be tested. Nobody is tested. This is what happens.

The first ten minutes

A conversation about what you want. "I want to play in the school jazz band", "I played twenty years ago and want it back", and "I've always wanted to and finally bought one" are three completely different plans, and picking the wrong one wastes months. If you have a piece of music you want to be able to play, bring it. That's a better statement of a goal than anything you could say.

The instrument

We check that the thing works. A leaking pad, a bent key or a mouthpiece that doesn't fit is responsible for more people quitting than any lack of ability, and a beginner has no way to know that the problem is the instrument rather than them. Reeds get looked at, because a beginner playing a reed that's too hard sounds and feels exactly like a beginner with no talent.

Making a sound

Then we make a noise, on the mouthpiece alone first. The first sound is usually terrible and that is the correct outcome. Within the first lesson most people get a stable tone and a few notes, which is enough to practice something real during the week.

What you leave with

Something to do every day, that takes less than twenty minutes, that you understand the purpose of. Practice that you understand is practice that happens. There's more on that in how to practice between lessons.

What a month looks like

For most beginners: a controlled tone across an octave and a bit, a handful of notes read from a page, and one recognizable tune. That's a realistic first month and it's deliberately not ambitious, because the people who quit are the ones who were promised more.

Practical things

Lessons are $50 for thirty minutes, $75 for forty-five and $100 for an hour, in person around Cincinnati, Covington and Newport, or online. Teaching materials are provided, so you don't need to buy a book before the first lesson. If you're unsure which length to book, that has a page of its own, and if you haven't bought an instrument yet, read choosing a first instrument before you do.