About
Distinctive Music Studios is located in Greenville, SC and maintains a strong commitment to providing quality music instruction. We work with students of all levels, beginning to advanced, and our studio is conveniently located. We also offer distance lessons to those outside of the Greenville area (video technology similar to Skype).
Thanks to our encouraging and skilled teachers who collectively hold over 33 degrees in music, our students have received numerous national awards and high scores in music testing. Our primary goal is to develop each student's love for music by investing ourselves in their learning. We offer lessons in many instruments including: piano, voice, classical guitar, violin, viola, cello, harp, flute, clarinet, trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba, theory and composition.
Contact us to schedule a free trial lesson and find out more about our family discounts.
We seek to invest ourselves in each student as a person, combining highly trained teaching with encouraging, fun relationships. We work hard to help every student succeed and it shows!
Reviews
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
We take each student from where they are (beginner or advanced) and help them achieve their full potential. Our teachers are very advanced and able to help students move very quickly to progress in their own playing ability.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Over 33 music degrees are represented in our teaching faculty and it shows. It normally only takes one lesson for students to realize their instructors are highly skilled and also very encouraging, able to help students feel comfortable. No judgement zone--mistakes are okay! We consider them opportunities to grow in accuracy and increased levels of playing.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
$90 monthly tuition (weekly half hour lesson) with significant discounts for multiple students/instruments within the same family.
How did you get started teaching?
I had the opportunity to study with skilled teachers growing up and began teaching at an early age. Most of our teachers started young but have obtained advanced degrees to rise the top of their field. Even for beginners, advanced teachers = better musical foundation and quicker progress. Students can tell the difference right away and that's exciting for us to see.
What types of students have you worked with?
We have students of all ages, literally 3 years to 83 year old--it's never to late to start lessons! Our specialty is classical technique and training (the core of almost all musical styles) and we help students refine their technique and expression so they can achieve higher levels in their own playing.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
We recently had a student begin lessons at Distinctive Music Studios. Before she came to DMS, she had taken lessons from less qualified teachers and was very discouraged with her slow progress. I'm pleased to say that once she started with one of our DMS instructors, she perked up like a thirsty flower that had just been watered and she is now making quick progress in her music. That's exciting to us and we're thrilled to help students make faster progress in their own musical journey!
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Consider taking lessons at a professional studio (not in someone's living room) and you will often get offer a more professional level of services and instruction as well as options for musical advancement in the future. We strongly encourage students to have an initial trial meeting with one of our teachers. When you actually meet one of our teachers in person, it will speak volumes about their professionality, musical ability and teaching style. We believe that good teaching speaks for itself and we are excited when students experience that difference for themselves!
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
It's good to ask yourself "What are my goals and how dedicated am I to achieving them." The way you answer those two questions will ultimately determine how much progress you are able to achieve. For students who are truly desiring of quick and steady progress, a professional teacher will help faciliate those goals, helping students progress more quickly while building a solid musical foundation for the future.