I was curious after being asked by a student about the number of lessons that I've given during the nearly 40 years of teaching guitar full time. So, math... here we go. 🙂
I’ve been teaching guitar since 1986, with an average of 45 - 50 students a week, doing 30 minute lessons for each student. Minus 4 years (touring)… how many lessons have i given? Let's do the numbers...
To calculate the approximate total number of lessons given, factoring in a range of 45–50 students per week, here's the breakdown:
1. Determine Total Teaching Years
- Start Year: 1986
- Current Year: 2026
- Total Years Teaching: (2026 - 1986 = 40) years.
- Minus 4 Years Touring: (40 - 4 = 36) active years of teaching guitar full-time.
2. Estimate Total Weeks Taught
- Weeks per Year: 52
- Total Weeks Over 36 Years: (36 x 52 = 1,872) weeks.
3. Estimate Lessons Per Week
- Range: 45–50 students per week.
- Lesson Duration: Each lesson is 30 minutes.
4. Calculate Total Lessons Given
- Lower Estimate: (1,872 x 45 = 84,240) private lessons.
- Upper Estimate: (1,872 x 50 = 93,600) private lessons.
Result: Between 84,240 and 93,600 lessons in total over 36 active teaching years!
It's pretty surreal, and I am extremely fortunate to be able to do something that I absolutely love and share that with so many.