Hello Minim Family,
The assumption we hear most often from new families is that private lessons are always better than group lessons because they cost more, feel more specialised, and give the child a full lesson of undivided teacher attention. Fair enough. That assumption is true about a third of the time. The other two-thirds, a well-run group class does something private lessons simply cannot.
The short version. Group music lessons win over private in three specific situations: when a child needs social motivation more than technical correction, when the child is at an early stage where ensemble timing matters, and when the family budget is real. Private lessons win in a different three: when a child is preparing for exams like ABRSM, when personality (perfectionism, shyness) makes group settings hard, and when the family wants weekly rescheduling flexibility. This piece walks through each of those situations, from teachers who have run both formats across 12 Tokyo international schools for the past 8 years.
The assumption we hear most
Most parents arrive at the decision with a version of this reasoning: private is more expensive, therefore better; group is cheaper, therefore a compromise. Sometimes true. Often not.
Group and private are different products. They are not two versions of the same thing at different price points. Group teaches things private cannot (ensemble timing, social motivation, performance in front of peers). Private teaches things group cannot (deep technical work, exam preparation, individual pacing).
Ask which one your child needs, not which one costs more.
When group music lessons win
Three scenarios where the group format outperforms private.
1. Your child is socially motivated more than technically curious
Some children practice because they want to keep up with their friend, get to sit next to a favourite peer, or be included in the group performance at the end of term. That kind of motivation is very hard to manufacture in a private lesson. If your child is that type, the group class is what will get them practicing on the days you are not watching.
2. They are early enough that ensemble timing matters most
Playing in time with other musicians is a skill that develops through actually playing with other musicians. A private student can be technically strong at age eight and completely at sea the first time they play in a school ensemble at age eleven. Group classes fix this early by building it into every lesson.
3. The family budget is genuine
Group class prices are typically 40 to 60 percent of private-lesson equivalent. If the honest choice is one year of private lessons or three years of group lessons, three years of group almost always produces a better outcome for the child. Music is a long-arc skill. Continuity beats intensity.
When private lessons win
Three scenarios where private is the right call.
1. Your child is preparing for external exams (ABRSM, RSM, Trinity)
Exam preparation needs pacing, individualised feedback, and repertoire choices that suit the specific child. Group formats cannot deliver this well. If ABRSM Grade 3 or higher is on the horizon within a year, move to private.
2. Personality makes group settings hard
Some children freeze in groups. Some rush to keep up with peers who are ahead. Some are so perfectionist that a wrong note in front of others is genuinely painful. If any of these describe your child, a private lesson unlocks progress that a group setting will not. This is not a permanent state for most children, but it is a real season, and forcing group during it usually damages the relationship with the instrument.
3. You need weekly rescheduling flexibility
Group classes generally cannot reschedule. Private lessons can. If your family's calendar changes weekly (business travel, sports schedules, hospital appointments, moves between Tokyo and a home country), private lessons will simply be more usable.
The hybrid path
Many of our long-term families use both. The typical pattern is one weekly private lesson for technical progress, plus one weekly group class for social motivation and ensemble skill. The child gets both benefits. The child also has two adults in the music life (the private teacher and the group teacher) noticing them each week.
If that is more than the family budget allows, the fallback is a single format for a full year, then reassess. Constant switching between formats within a term is what causes the habit to break. Pick one, commit for at least six months, then decide whether to add or swap.
What to ask before booking either
Six questions worth asking any format.
- How large is the group in the group class? Four is small, ten is large, seven is common.
- In a private lesson, how often will the teacher check in with the parent about at-home practice?
- Can we start with a trial? Private lessons usually yes, group classes sometimes yes but usually only in the first week of term.
- If we start with group and want to add private six months later, what does the transition look like?
- What happens if my child changes their mind about music altogether in the first four weeks?
- Does the teacher's schedule accommodate the specific afternoon we can commit to?
The answers reveal more than the price sheet.
When Minim's group option isn't a fit
Because we run both formats ourselves, here is the honest disqualifier list for group specifically.
- If your child needs deep technical remediation of an early habit (poor hand position, weak breath support, inconsistent bowing), private is the answer. Group cannot untangle these effectively.
- If the group class schedule at your school does not line up with your family's other commitments, do not force it. The one-week-a-year adjustment cost is real.
- If your child is genuinely uncomfortable in group settings and none of the above will change soon, respect that. Move to private and revisit group in a year.
FAQ
How many children are in a typical Minim group class?
Between four and eight, depending on the school and instrument. Ukulele classes tend to run six to eight. Speakers Club (drama and debate) runs four to six because the format needs closer teacher attention.
Can my child switch from group to private mid-term?
Yes. The most common trigger is an exam horizon, a personality shift, or the child asking for it themselves. Give the teacher one week's notice so the private lesson can be scheduled.
Do you offer a discount when a family does both formats?
Sometimes. It depends on the school and the term. Write to us with your family's situation and we will tell you honestly what is available.
My child does private with another teacher. Can she still join a Minim group class?
Yes, and this is a common pattern. We do ask the family to let both teachers know so they can coordinate on repertoire.
What if my child hates the first group class?
Talk to the teacher after week one. Often it is a specific child in the group, a specific song, or a specific time-of-day issue. If it is genuinely the format, we would rather move you to private early than watch you drop out at week four.
The Minim options
Group format: our Minim Afterschool Ukulele programme runs at partner schools including Tokyo International School, Willowbrook International School, Nishimachi International School, and Montessori School of Tokyo. Each partner school's collection page shows the current schedule and pricing.
Private format: our Music Academies (Ukulele Academy, Piano Academy, Voice Academy, Violin Academy) run private lessons in your home across central Tokyo. Trial lessons start at ¥4,000 to ¥4,500, and subsequent lessons start from ¥9,900.
Not sure which is right for your child? Write to us through the contact form and tell us a little about your family. One of the teachers who runs both formats will come back to you with an honest read within a day. And if the wider afterschool decision is still open, our piece on how to choose an afterschool program in Tokyo walks through the five questions we use with families.
Love, all of us at Minim.
Written by the Minim teaching team.
