To have a strong private music studio, there are THREE important things to consider: 1) How much to charge your students? DON'T CHARGE TOO LITTLE – being the cheapest service in town will probably make others assume you're not that great as a teacher or musician. Usually looking in an ad for a service, most people don't go for the cheapest thing and go for something a little bit more, thinking it will have better quality. Consider charging a little MORE than the others (you can always negotiate later). - It might attract wealthier clients that can afford to pay more AND can make you stand out as someone who is a stronger teacher and musician.DO RESEARCH about your town or particular neighborhood, if you're from a huge place like NYC. What's the median family income? What do other musicians typically charge for lessons? The information you find will give you an idea what people are willing to pay.Charge a tiny bit more if you will be traveling to the student as opposed to them coming to you. Consider the transportation cost and time. (unless they live down the block or something) 2) How to get new students? Ask other musicians and friends to REFER you to others/others' clients. You'd do the same for them.Have an easy-to-navigate WEBSITE with a demo audio and/or video of your playing (video is usually a better idea, as it's more interactive), short description of yourself/your style of teaching/goals as a teacher, some photos of your students performing (be sure to ask parents for permission first to post these photos on a website!!).Your studio should be fairly ACCESSIBLE. In other words, if you're teaching in Long Island, you'll probably not get any students come to you from most parts of Queens or Manhattan! However, if your studio is in Midtown Manhattan or Upper West Side, not only does it give you better credibility as a strong musician/teacher but you can now have students from Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and even parts of New Jersey come to you. 3) What to teach your students so you keep them? First, learn about the values of each individual student. Why did they decide to take lessons in the first place? What are their goals? And do they have potential to exceed those goals and realize they can do something they never imagined before? Some students come for lessons in order to audition somewhere. Others are just picking up the instrument for fun. Many times, a parent “forces” a child to learn an instrument – make it fun for the kid so they realize how awesome it can be!DO NOT USE THE SAME TEACHING METHOD ON EVERY STUDENT. Students come at different levels and ages. A 5-yr-old beginner must be taught differently from a 50-yr old beginner. Get a sense of their learning style – do they learn best by listening and imitating? Or are they potentially great note-readers? Are they self-motivated or need extra direction in lessons?As much as possible, have students walk out of the lesson feeling better/more inspired than they did before they walked in. (This won't always happen.)