Online vs. In-Person Music Lessons: What Actually Works Better

By ABC Academy of Music teaching team · Updated August 2026

Parents ask us this often, especially since online lesson apps became common: “Would my child do just as well learning over video?” We looked at real research from the years when online lessons became widespread, mostly during the pandemic, to see what actually happened when students switched formats. See our full Music Education Research hub for every study behind our program.

What Happened When Beginners Switched to Video Lessons

A 2021 UK study followed ten young piano students, beginner and intermediate level, who moved from in-person lessons to online video lessons with the same teacher. Researchers also interviewed five instrumental teachers.

Students did gain some independence learning online. But both students and their parents noticed something missing: the teacher’s hands-on presence. Without a teacher sitting right there to guide a hand position or tap out a rhythm, students and parents said it hurt their progress. The researchers pointed to specific things a screen cannot fully carry: body language, small gestures, and physical guidance. Teachers said they felt satisfied teaching online. Students and their families preferred learning in person, and rated it as more effective.

A Large Survey of Music Teachers Found the Same Thing

A 2023 study surveyed 352 music teachers in Hungary about their experience teaching online during the pandemic. The teachers adapted fast. Their confidence using digital tools rose from an average of 3.2 to 3.7 on a five-point scale, and 40 percent built brand-new digital materials, like instructional videos, that they had never used before.

Even so, the researchers’ conclusion was direct: individual instrument lessons and group music classes work best in person. Personal, face-to-face interaction between teacher and student made the real difference, more than any app or camera setup.

One Case Where Online Delivery Held Its Own

Not every study favors in-person lessons. A 2021 US study looked at nine children with autism spectrum disorder. They took part in eight weeks of music, dance, and movement activities. Some children took part in person. Others joined by video call.

Both groups made real gains. They got better at coordination, running speed, and strength. The researcher found no real difference between the two delivery methods on most measures. For this kind of group movement activity, video worked about as well as being in the room, at least over a short program.

This finding is narrower than it sounds. It covered group movement games, not close, one-on-one instrument correction. It is a useful data point. It is not a reason to expect the same result from a solo piano or guitar lesson.

Why In-Person Correction Matters Most for Beginners

One idea repeats across these studies: young beginners need someone in the room. A teacher must fix hand position, posture, and technique in real time. A screen delay gets in the way. A bad camera angle gets in the way too. So does an app that cannot see a child’s hands clearly. Our article on the best age to start music lessons covers what young beginners need most from a teacher. Our article on music lessons and motor skills looks at how hands-on correction shapes coordination on an instrument.

What This Means for Choosing a Format

For most beginners, especially younger ones, the research favors in-person lessons. Teachers say the same thing themselves: face-to-face teaching works best for building real skill. Online delivery still has some value. It kept lessons running during a global disruption. It worked well for some group movement activities. But for the close, hands-on correction that builds real technique, nothing here beats a teacher in the room.

Music Lessons at ABC Academy of Music

This is exactly why we teach in person. Real-time, hands-on correction from a trained teacher is what the research says matters most, especially for a beginner just learning proper hand position and technique. Browse our class schedule for piano, guitar, voice, drums, and our Music Together® program, all taught face-to-face at our Toronto-area studios. Visit our rates and payment page for current pricing, or contact us with any questions about getting started.