The SoundLab Music School & Store
The SoundLab Music School & Store is a Melbourne-based, founder-operated music education and retail business offering one-on-one guitar, bass, piano, drum, singing, and violin lessons in-person and online, alongside instrument sales and repair services from its St Kilda studio.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersSaint Kilda, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The SoundLab Music School & Store does
The SoundLab Music School & Store is a privately held, founder-operated music education and retail business headquartered at 7-9/1 Chapel Street, St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia, beneath the iconic Astor Theatre. Founded in 2009 by Leah Gallin and relocated to its current St Kilda site in 2021, the company operates as a single-location hybrid combining one-on-one music lessons across guitar, bass, piano, drums, singing, and violin with an instrument retail store, repair services, and pre-owned instrument sales. The legal entity, The SoundLab Music Pty Ltd, is governed under Queensland law and remains entirely under founder control with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or acquisition plans.
The core product surface is lesson delivery, with private 30-minute and 60-minute sessions priced at $55–$95 AUD depending on package (5-week, 10-week, single casual, direct-debit membership, and a $550-per-term school program). Lessons are delivered in-person at the St Kilda studio and online via Zoom, the latter extending geographic reach nationally and internationally. Revenue is generated through three streams: recurring music lesson subscriptions, one-time instrument and accessory retail (in-store and via a WooCommerce e-commerce site with Afterpay), and professional services for instrument repair, setup, and customisation. The customer base is fragmented across individual families with school-age children (the primary segment), adult hobbyists, and advanced learners preparing for AMEB exams or performances.
Underlying technology is minimal and non-proprietary: Zoom for online delivery, WooCommerce for e-commerce, Afterpay for buy-now-pay-later financing, and standard marketing channels (Google Reviews, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube). Distribution combines a physical Chapel Street storefront with a national e-commerce shipping capability. The company maintains 70+ five-star Google reviews and uses a Refer-a-Friend program plus community events (SoundLab Jams and annual concerts) as its primary acquisition and retention mechanism. The SoundLab Music eBook serves as a free top-of-funnel content asset. No AI, data, or platform capabilities are present.
The SoundLab Music School & Store firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The SoundLab Music School & Store
- Legal name
- The SoundLab Music Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://thesoundlab.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The SoundLab Music School & Store is a Melbourne-based, founder-operated music education and retail business offering one-on-one guitar, bass, piano, drum, singing, and violin lessons in-person and online, alongside instrument sales and repair services from its St Kilda studio.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The SoundLab Music School & Store industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Music Education
- NAICS
- Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (459140)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Online / Virtual Music Instruction & Platforms (EDAMANAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra) (CRALAEAA), Educational Music Products Retail (Method Books, Exam Prep, Classroom Instruments) (CRALAEAJ)
Keywords
Where The SoundLab Music School & Store is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Kilda
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
The SoundLab Music School & Store business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Music Lessons: The primary revenue stream comes from providing music lessons across multiple instruments (guitar, bass, piano, drums, singing, violin). Lessons are offered as private one-on-one instruction in 30-minute or 60-minute sessions, available in-person or online. Multiple pricing tiers are available including course packages (5-week, 10-week), casual lessons, direct debit memberships, and school term programs.
- Music Retail: Sale of musical instruments, accessories, and related music products through both the physical store and online e-commerce platform. Product categories include guitars, bass guitars, amplifiers, drums, keyboards, violins, accessories, print music, and pre-owned instruments.
- Instrument Services and Repairs: The company offers instrument repair and maintenance services including restrings, setups, structural repairs, electronics repairs, customisations, and valuations/appraisals. These services generate additional service revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 60-minute private lessons (10-week course) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 60-minute private lessons (5-week course) |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | 60-minute private lessons (single casual) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 30-minute private lessons (10-week course) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 30-minute private lessons (5-week course) |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | 30-minute private lessons (single casual) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Direct Debit Membership |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | School Term Program (30-minute lessons) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The SoundLab Music School & Store product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The SoundLab Music School & Store operates a combined music education and retail business offering personalised one-on-one music lessons across guitar, bass, piano, drums, singing, and violin, delivered both in-person at its St Kilda studio and online via Zoom. The business also operates a music retail store selling instruments, accessories, and pre-owned gear, and provides instrument repair, restring, and setup services.
Product overview
The SoundLab Music School & Store operates as a unified music education and retail business offering personalized one-on-one music lessons across six instruments (guitar, bass, piano, drums, singing, violin) both in-person at their St Kilda studio and online via Zoom, complemented by a fully-equipped music store selling instruments and accessories. The product portfolio includes core music lesson services with various pricing packages (individual lessons, term programs, membership plans), the Lil' Rockstar program for young children, instrument repair services, and a retail store featuring guitars, keyboards, drums, and accessories from brands including Martinez, J&D, Yamaha, and Sanchez. The company was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in St Kilda, Melbourne.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Music Lessons Personalised one-on-one private music instruction for individuals of all ages and skill levels, covering guitar, bass, piano, drums, singing, and violin, with curriculum tailored to goals such as AMEB exam preparation, genre mastery, and performance.
- Online Music Lessons
Companies that use The SoundLab Music School & Store
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The SoundLab Music School & Store technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
The SoundLab Music School & Store partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The SoundLab Music School & Store competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TakeLessons: Online marketplace connecting students with private music instructors across guitar, bass, piano, drums, vocals, and strings with both in-person and online formats. Comparable business model: per-lesson and package pricing with online delivery option extending geographic reach.
- School of Rock: Global franchise music school offering private and group lessons across guitar, bass, drums, keys, and vocals with performance-based programming. Comparable because it pairs structured lesson programs with a community/performance ecosystem targeting children and adults — the same hybrid model The SoundLab operates locally in Melbourne.
- Melbourne Guitar Academy: Melbourne-based private guitar instruction provider serving inner-south and bayside suburbs overlapping The SoundLab's catchment. Directly competes for beginner-to-intermediate guitar students in the same geographic market.
Broad incumbents
- Sweetwater: Largest US online retailer of musical instruments and pro audio gear, also offering free lesson content and gear consultations. Comparable in the combined retail-plus-education model, though at much larger scale and serving a different geography.
- JMC Academy: Australian creative industries college with music performance and production programs, including private lesson offerings. Comparable as a multi-instrument Australian music educator, though operating at a larger accredited-institution scale than The SoundLab.
- JB Hi-Fi: Australia's largest specialty retailer of consumer electronics and musical instruments with significant store footprint across Melbourne suburbs. Comparable as a music instrument retailer competing for the same Melbourne customers, though at far larger scale and without the lesson business.
- Australian Institute of Music (AIM): Largest private music education institution in Australia, offering accredited diploma and degree programs in performance across guitar, bass, drums, vocals, and keyboards. Comparable as a music-education specialist with multiple instruments taught, though serving a more advanced/accredited student than The SoundLab.
- Yamaha Music School Australia: Global music brand operating franchised music schools and selling instruments, including the Yamaha CG122MC carried by The SoundLab. Comparable as a hybrid music-school-plus-instrument-retail brand with national Australian reach that The SoundLab's online channel competes against.
Emerging players
- Fender Play: Fender-branded online guitar, bass, and ukulele lesson subscription platform with structured curriculum. Comparable to The SoundLab's guitar lesson offering at the beginner/entry level, and represents the premium-brand digital alternative.
- Yousician: Subscription app offering interactive guitar, bass, piano, and ukulele lessons with progress tracking. Represents the technology-driven competitive threat to beginner private lesson pricing that The SoundLab faces for its core 'Children and Families' segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The SoundLab Music School & Store social profiles
Digital presenceThe SoundLab Music School & Store financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The SoundLab Music School & Store leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The SoundLab Music School & Store funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The SoundLab Music School & Store M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The SoundLab Music School & Store
What does The SoundLab Music School & Store do?
The SoundLab Music School & Store operates a combined music education and retail business offering personalised one-on-one music lessons across guitar, bass, piano, drums, singing, and violin, delivered both in-person at its St Kilda studio and online via Zoom. The business also operates a music retail store selling instruments, accessories, and pre-owned gear, and provides instrument repair, restring, and setup services.
Is The SoundLab Music School & Store a public or private company?
The SoundLab Music School & Store is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The SoundLab Music School & Store founded?
The SoundLab Music School & Store was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The SoundLab Music School & Store based?
The SoundLab Music School & Store is headquartered in Saint Kilda, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does The SoundLab Music School & Store make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Music Lessons are the primary driver. The others are music Retail and instrument Services and Repairs.
Who are The SoundLab Music School & Store's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TakeLessons, School of Rock and Melbourne Guitar Academy. Broad incumbents are Sweetwater, JMC Academy, JB Hi-Fi, Australian Institute of Music (AIM) and Yamaha Music School Australia. Emerging players are Fender Play and Yousician.
Does The SoundLab Music School & Store have an API?
No public API is recorded for The SoundLab Music School & Store.
What industry is The SoundLab Music School & Store in?
The SoundLab Music School & Store's product category is Music Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMANAI, Online / Virtual Music Instruction & Platforms, with a secondary code of CRALAEAA, Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra). Its NAICS code is 459140 and its SIC code is 8200.