The purpose of this study is to find out how music teachers talk about motivation within instrument education in primary and secondary schools, more precisely about promoting students’ motivation. Four music teachers that works with primary and secondary schools’ music education participated in interviews independently. The music teachers interviewed stress that skill development should be carefully planned to avoid overwhelming students while providing sufficient challenge. A well-structured progression helps demystify musicality for students and often gives them a sense of their ability to learn. Therefore, goal setting is crucial, and music teachers argue that initial strong guidance from the teacher with gradual transition to student autonomy enables a more independent learning process. The study also points out that group dynamics can impact motivation both positively and negatively. The music teachers interviewed in this study use role models as a tool to inspire student motivation, including using older students to motivate younger ones, and emphasize that music education should be relevant to students' everyday lives and interests: it must be meaningful to them.