Music teachers have a peculiar business model: weekly recurring lessons over months, one-off lessons, packages, and the particularity that many students are children (billing goes to parents). This guide shows how to configure BookHero to serve all these cases without complication.
The teacher profile
Before configuring, identify your profile - each has nuances:
| Profile | Main characteristic |
|---|---|
| Solo instrument teacher | 10-25 weekly students, 1:1 ratio |
| Teacher with small school (home studio, 2-3 teachers) | Team, multiple instruments, more admin |
| Mobile music teacher | Student's home, travel-time management |
| Masterclass + course teacher | Irregular workshops, seasonality |
Catalog: by instrument + duration
For single-instrument teachers, the catalog is simple. For multi-instrument, organize by instrument:
- Piano lesson - 30 min - €18 (beginner kids).
- Piano lesson - 60 min - €30.
- Piano lesson - 90 min - €42 (advanced, competition prep).
- Guitar lesson - 30 min / 60 min same prices.
- Voice lesson - 60 min - €35.
- Online video lesson - 60 min - €25 (cheaper, broader reach).
- Initial assessment (free) - 30 min.
- Masterclass / themed workshop - 120 min - €60.
Weekly series booking: the heart
The big win in music teaching is predictability. The student has a fixed slot (Tuesdays at 5pm, for example) for months. Book all the month's lessons at once:
On the first meeting, define regular hours
Agreement: Tuesdays at 5pm, 60 min, throughout the school year.
Book all the term's lessons
Calendar lets you create one at a time quickly. 12 lessons per term = 5 minutes.
Each lesson has automatic confirmation
Student (or parents) get email for each one.
Reminder 24h before
Reduces no-shows, especially in younger students with busy schedules.
At end of term, book the next
Continuity agreed in conversation, quick booking on the calendar.
Lesson packages (the right way)
Many teachers offer discounted packages (8 lessons 10% off, 12 lessons 15% off). BookHero doesn't have automatic lesson counter, but the pattern is simple:
Create packs as one-off products
Pack 8 piano lessons (60 min) - €216 (instead of €240). Pack 12 - €306 (10% off).
Student pays upfront (first lesson of the pack)
Checkout adds the pack as a product. You receive full amount.
Book the 8 lessons on the calendar
Agreed dates (weekly or as agreed).
Each subsequent lesson logged as Pack
At that lesson's checkout, log €0 with note Pack.
Private notes log the active pack
Pack 8 lessons started 03/01, expires 04/30, lessons remaining tracked mentally.
Private notes: the teacher's notebook
Each student has technical progress, pieces worked on, difficulties. In private notes, log per lesson:
- Pedro, 12, piano for 2 years.
- Level: Bastien book 3, scales up to 3 sharps.
- Lesson 12 (03/15): Clementi Sonatina op.36 no.1 - 1st movement. Difficulty in left hand (third scales).
- Lesson 13 (03/22): scales reinforcement. Played Sonatina slowly all the way through.
- Lesson 14 (03/29): Sonatina ready to record. Next piece: Bach Prelude C major.
- Homework: practice 30 min daily, 15 min for scales.
- Parent notes: very dedicated, motivated by competitions.
Online lessons
Post-pandemic, many teachers keep 30-50% of lessons online. BookHero handles the booking; the lesson runs via Zoom, Google Meet or Skype:
- Create a distinct Online video lesson service.
- After each confirmation, send the session link by private message (not in the public description).
- For recurring students, fixed link (same Zoom room every week) is convenient.
- Online lessons are usually 10-20% cheaper - reflect in price configuration.
Billing for parents and companies
In music teaching, there are three billing cases:
| Case | How you bill |
|---|---|
| Adult student, pays self | Informational document with student's tax ID |
| Child, parents pay | Document with parents' tax ID (saved on the student's card) |
| Company subsidizes training | Invoice to the company, with company tax ID and address, precise description |
Cancellation policy
In music teaching, no-shows are particularly costly (each lesson is a unit of progress). But for younger students, there's flexibility:
- Cancel up to 24h before: can be rescheduled to another free slot.
- Cancel <24h: lesson consumed (no automatic makeup).
- Illness or major event: case-by-case exceptions.
- Communicated in service description with understanding tone.
Team: small music school
In schools with 2-5 teachers, each has their catalog (piano, guitar, voice). The public page shows all teachers and their instruments. The student picks:
Monthly reports
| Indicator | Healthy | Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Lessons / student / month | 3-4 (weekly) | <2 (student disengaging) |
| Quarterly renewal | 80%+ | <70% (review experience) |
| Online vs in-person mix | Balanced per demand | Excessive on one side may reveal an opportunity |
| Cancellations | <10% | >15% (review policy) |
5-day launch plan
Day 1: catalog by instrument and duration
Include free initial assessment.
Day 2: packs as products
Create the packages you offer in the products catalog.
Day 3: notifications
Email is enough (younger students / parents prefer).
Day 4: import current students
CSV or manual.
Day 5: test the series flow
Book a term of lessons, see confirmations, see reminders.
FAQ
How do I handle lessons for couples or small groups (2-3)?
Book under one leader's name (of the pair or group). Private notes log participants. BookHero doesn't have slot capacity > 1 - it's one booking that occupies the slot, even with 2 students.
Can I have a different calendar for kids vs adults?
No automatic separation. Manage via service description (Piano lesson - kids vs Piano lesson - adults) and different hours (kids until 6pm, adults from 6pm).
And on exam or competition dates, can I block bookings?
Yes, mark time blocks in Calendar for the days you need free (rehearsals, performances). They appear as blocked, no booking possible.
How do I handle students who pay monthly?
Instead of a pack, charge a fixed monthly fee. At the start-of-month checkout, add March monthly fee as a one-off product. Subsequent lessons log €0.
Can I sell material at checkout (books, sheet music)?
Yes, add as products in the catalog. Bastien 3 - €18, Czerny op.299 - €15, etc. Free sales at checkout time.