Pleasant Mountain Music offers private music lessons in Vancouver on a variety of instruments. Private lessons are a great way to get started on your musical journey, or to enhance your existing knowledge. Our instructors are highly trained to help all levels of musicians. We also offer lessons in notation reading, tablature, ear-training, improvisation, and composition.
Why Private Lessons Work
Private lessons give students exactly what most people need to actually stick with music: personal attention, a clear learning path, and a teacher who understands how they learn best. Rather than trying to keep up with a group or following a one-size-fits-all curriculum, students progress at a pace that feels achievable, motivating, and fun.
At Pleasant Mountain Music, every lesson is built around our Learn / Love / Live to Play philosophy:
- Learn to Play: Students build strong fundamentals from day one (posture, technique, rhythm, ear training, and musical vocabulary) all taught in a way that matches their age, personality, and learning style.
- Love to Play: As skills grow, so does confidence. Students explore songs they’re excited about, discover new styles, and start to experience music as something they genuinely enjoy.
- Live to Play: Over time, music becomes part of their life, not just a weekly appointment. Students develop professional skills, music industry connections, and the coaching to express themselves creatively.
Private lessons also make it easier to navigate the practical side of learning. Teachers can recommend the right instrument size, setup, accessories, and practice strategies (saving families from guesswork). And because instructors work one-on-one, they can pivot quickly: whether a student needs more challenge, more structure, or a moment to reconnect with the joy of playing.
In short, private lessons give students what group programs or online videos can’t: a relationship with a teacher who meets them where they’re at and helps them grow with confidence, clarity, and consistency.
Which Instrument Should I Choose?
A great instrument will feel like it’s calling you. The BEST instrument is the one that you play! You feel compelled to pick it up and play a tune whenever you have a spare moment. However, with so many options out there, how do you know which is the best instrument to focus on? Well, we can help you decide!
Bass
Bass is a sneaky instrument. You can start making music almost immediately with just a few single notes, but in fact there is a lifetime of complexity to discover on this instrument. It’s also a necessary part of multiple music groups like rock bands, jazz ensembles, and concert bands (especially in high school school). Plus someone has to keep the drummer playing on time! That could be you!
If you are a younger student or have a smaller sized hands, a short scale bass will sound the same as a full size 4-string bass, but it be much easier on your hand and muscles (especially in the long run). The bass can also translate well to other instruments which makes it fairly easy to transition over to the guitar or to the ukulele in the future.
Brass
The brass family includes a wonderful variety of instruments, the most famous of which are currently the trumpet, trombone, euphonium, baritone, tuba, and French Horn. But we know and love that there are still sousaphones, cornets, and flugelhorn enthusiasts out there, and the good news is the foundations learned on one brass instrument can translate pretty smoothly to other brass instruments!
The hardest part of learning a brass instrument initially, is working with the mouth piece. Developing an embouchure (the shape of the mouth and face muscles to produce sound) can take a hot minute (just like developing the strength to lift heavy weights, or calluses to play guitar, it happens gradually). But in the skilled hands of an instructor, you will find you can in fact make some fun sounds, from the very first lesson even! And it’s common within about 4-6 lessons to find you’ll be playing melodies.
Drums
It’s hard to name a best instrument, but it’s probably drums. If you play drums and have a vehicle, you can be in 4 bands by this weekend.
The main downside of the traditional acoustic drum kit is the sheer amount of space they take up, never mind how loud they are in the house! Fortunately, the modern-day electronic drums (e-kits) have solved this initial barrier with starting the drums and has helped the next generation of players to get started on their journey. Another bonus to learning drums is just how much pattern-recollection and memory-driven it is. So some folks find the theoretical/book learning components are a little less intensive than say, the piano is at the beginning. Having said that, not having to learn as much music theory can be a blessing and a curse so we can still teach you as you grow as a drummer.
Guitar
From tasty jazz licks, to campfire sing-a-longs, and face melting solos, the guitar is a versatile instrument. One of it’s highlight features is just how easy, and inexpensive, it is to get started with. The first few weeks can be tricky, as you have to build up finger calluses, but from the first class you’re guaranteed to walk away being able to strum a couple of chords with ease.
Although it’s temping to jump right into punk rock power chords and go on tour, guitar is also great at teaching music fundamentals such as scales, modes, and reading sheet music. So we highly recommend sticking with the guitar beyond the first few weeks. Especially to conquer those harder sections in that online tutorial video you haven’t quite finished watching, but hope to one day.
Percussion
A close cousin of the drum kit, percussion has it’s own place in the musical world. As a percussion specialist, you’ll have dozens, if not hundreds of different instruments at your fingertips, or mallets. It makes for a highly creative and experimental learning experience since nearly anything can be drummed on.
Percussion is also a beneficial for folks whom a full drum kit may be too big or loud to allow in the home. A handpan, set of bongos or a small djembe on the other hand are great alternatives to learn the fundamentals of rhythm and really feel the beat that makes you tick.
Piano
Piano is the quintessential starting instrument. It’s provides the foundation of music fundamentals which can be carried over to any other instrument down the road. It’s also a beautiful instrument that has a legacy of rich genres and styles to choose from, from classical to romantic, to jazz, blues and ragtime, as well as contemporary singer-songwriter self-accompaniment.
For those who worry about needing an acoustic piano to learn to play (especially if your home is a walk-up or condo!) rest assured that you can do a lot with a modern digital piano or keyboard! Plus we have acoustic pianos here at the studio, so you can still gain XP on the acoustic variety
Ukulele
The calming strums of a ukulele make it one of the most peaceful instruments of all time. Nothing much else tops the experience of sitting at the beach and playing some tunes on the ukulele with a gentle breeze and blue sky overhead.
Since the uke is a small size it is frequently a favourite of folks who find steel guitar strings too firm for their hand shape/size and it’s also frequently used for younger beginners since 4-strings can be easier to manage than 6-strings. The uke is also very cost-friendly, making make it an accessible instrument for nearly anyone. Existing musicians who want to branch out will find joy in the sound and timber of the ukelele while complete beginners will be extremely well prepared to migrate over to learning the guitar.
Violin
Violin is a beautiful and expressive instrument. It has more of a learning curve than other instruments, due to it’s lack of frets, and having to manage the bow, but the pay off is worth the effort. Violin brings satisfaction to thousands of players and has done so for hundreds of years. We love the violin and also we love that the violin is especially beautiful when played with others. It’s definitely an instrument that will expand your friend-group upon joining a community orchestra, or string ensemble.
Interestingly, violins are available in many different sizes which make them an ideal instrument for younger children who want to get started with music. Lessons on violin can start as early as age 3! Finally, violin has a cousin, the viola, which attracts players for it’s slightly deeper tone and timber. There’s enough overlap between the violin and viola, for folks to transition fairly smoothly from one to the other.
Voice
Voice is by far the easiest instrument to get started with because you can just start singing! Sing along to your favourite artists in the shower or join the office karaoke party for a spot in the limelight. However, for long-term health and longevity, voice lessons are the best option to ensure your voice stays in good shape for a very long time.
We guide singers at any stage of their music journey. From first timers to advanced musical theatre performers. From pop stars, to jazz serenaders, to heavy metal screamers, we’re certain to offer you the enjoyable surprise of discovering the range of sounds that you can make with a bit of training under your belt!
Interested in a different instrument?
We can offer lessons on all kinds of different instruments. Our instructors posses a broad range of music knowledge and we probably have an instructor, or know someone that can get you started.
Embark on your journey today!
If you’re excited to begin learning, you can book your first lesson using our simple online calendar. Getting started is easier than you think.
If you’d like to talk through your goals or figure out the best fit, we’re happy to help. We love meeting new students and answering any questions.