# Do you tip music instructors? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 24, 2008, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-music-instructors/434813 "2008-01-24T14:29:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pithy\_Moniker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8dc957/32.png) [@Pithy\_Moniker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pithy_Moniker)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-music-instructors/434813/1 "2008-01-24T14:29:56Z")
This is probably a dumb question but I’m horribly ignorant to the rules of tipping. (I never thought to tip a pizza delivery person until within the last few years.) Anyway, I’m planning to start with guitar lessons soon. In America, does proper etiquette necessitate tipping this person? Please note, I’m really not looking for a discussion on the inherent rightness or wrongness of tipping. That’s been done to death already. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Foxy40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Foxy40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foxy40)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-music-instructors/434813/2 "2008-01-24T14:31:46Z")
[QUOTE=Pithy Moniker] This is probably a dumb question but I’m horribly ignorant to the rules of tipping. (I never thought to tip a pizza delivery person until within the last few years.) Anyway, I’m planning to start with guitar lessons soon. In America, does proper etiquette necessitate tipping this person? Please note, I’m really not looking for a discussion on the inherent rightness or wrongness of tipping. That’s been done to death already. 😛 [/QUOTE] Other than a gift at the holidays, I have never tipped a music instructor. I don’t believe that is expected. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-music-instructors/434813/3 "2008-01-24T14:33:30Z")
Not really a tipping situation. Maybe a holiday gift but only if you get on well. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-music-instructors/434813/4 "2008-01-24T15:07:44Z")
My daughter took guitar lessons, mandolin lessons, and voice lessons. We never tipped. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-music-instructors/434813/5 "2008-01-24T15:13:58Z")
I took private classical flute lessons for a number of years, and I never tipped my instructor. There was usually a small Christmas gift, but no tips. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-music-instructors/434813/6 "2008-01-24T15:45:55Z")
Christmas gift? Yes. Tip? No. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-music-instructors/434813/7 "2008-01-24T15:50:05Z")
Yes please 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-music-instructors/434813/8 "2008-01-24T15:54:33Z")
Definitely not. Tipping instructors of any kind is not expected, in my experience. We gave our piano teacher a gift each Christmas, and occasionally a small token of appreciation if my sister or I passed a Royal Conservatory exam with flying colours. ---
**Author:** ![Pithy\_Moniker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8dc957/32.png) [@Pithy\_Moniker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pithy_Moniker)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-music-instructors/434813/9 "2008-01-24T16:01:11Z")
Thanks for the replies. ---
**Author:** ![Contrary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/db5fbb/32.png) [@Contrary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrary)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-music-instructors/434813/10 "2008-01-24T16:39:35Z")
I was never tipped when I had a studio. I did receive Christmas gifts but not tips. BTW my biggest gripe was people “forgetting” to bring their checks to pay me. GRRRR. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-music-instructors/434813/11 "2008-01-24T17:24:31Z")
We paid before every lesson directly to the instructor. Nobody paid the guy a tip. It’s a cash up front payment to the person that instructs you. I guess you might if they went way beyond normal in training you on a day. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2008, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-music-instructors/434813/12 "2008-01-25T05:33:59Z")
I’m a guitar teacher. I have never received a tip of any kind, ever. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2008, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-tip-music-instructors/434813/13 "2008-01-25T07:19:58Z")
No tip.