These guidelines will help you to have
a successful and rewarding experience learning an instrument.
These are practical tips that we have discovered from years of teaching
and our experiences with teaching hundreds of students each year.
1. How Young is too Young - Starting at the right age
Adults can start any instrument at any time. Their success is based
on how willing an adult is to commit to practicing. We teach many beginner
students in their 40s and 50s and beyond.
For children, starting at the right age is a key element to their musical
success. Some people will tell you 'the sooner the better' but this
attitude can actually backfire and be a negative. If a child is put
into lessons too soon they may feel overwhelmed and frustrated and want
to stop lessons. The last thing you want to do is turn a child off music
because of one unpleasant experience that could have been prevented.
Sometimes if the child waits a year to start lessons, their progress
can be much faster. Children who are older than the suggested earliest
starting age usually do very well. We have found the following guidelines
to be successful in determining how young a child can start taking music
lessons.
4-5 years old
Prior to age 4, parents can do a lot with their own children at home
just by using song-books, clapping games, and listening to music. If
a 4 or 5 year old shows a keen desire to start music, a small group
music program, such as the Music for Little Mozarts program, is a fun
and gentle way to get them to experience music hands-on. From having
a simple foundation at the piano, children can then generally move to
another instrument and progress much more quickly than if they were
simply starting music later and without a piano background.
Piano/Keyboard
At our school, the youngest age that we start children in piano is 4.
At this age, they have developed longer attention spans and can retain
material with ease. Students from 4 years old also have a slightly more
developed hand-size and strength required for the keyboard.
Guitar - Acoustic, Electric and Bass
8 years old is the earliest we recommend for guitar lessons. Guitar
playing requires a fair amount of pressure on the fingertips from pressing
on the strings. Children under 8 generally have small hands and may
find playing uncomfortable, especially on acoustic guitars. Bass guitar
students generally are 10 and older.
Voice Lessons
10 years old is recommended as the youngest age for private vocal lessons.
Due to the physical nature of voice lessons (proper breathing techniques,
development of the vocal chords and lung capacity), the younger body
is generally not yet ready for the rigors of vocal technique. Or children
younger than 10, we have a children's choir (ages 6-9) and a preschool
singing program (ages 3-5) that teaches them how to use their voices
properly, in a fun, relaxed environment.
Woodwinds (Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, etc)
Due to lung capacity (and in the case of the saxophone the size of the
instrument), we recommend that most woodwind beginners are 9 and older
Violin and Viola
We accept violin students from the age of 5. Some teachers will start
children as young as 3, but experience has shown us the most productive
learning occurs when the beginner is 5 or older.
2. Insist on the right class environment when learning a specific
instrument
Private lessons are necessary for students when learning voice and
strings and woodwinds as these instruments have specific requirements
in generating tone in early technique development. By contrast, piano
is an excellent instrument to learn in small groups (4 students per
class maximum) because the piano is a more forgiving instrument in the
early learning stages; for example playing "in tune" on the
piano is a very different experience than playing a violin or singing
in tune (called intonation). When piano classes are correctly assembled
(by age, level and even gender), and a concept-based learning environment
and method is firmly in place, young students build the correct foundation
that easily leads to more advanced piano study or the study of another
instrument later.
Private lessons in piano are required for more advanced students when
technique and musical nuances need more specific and scrutinizing attention
3. Take lessons in a Professional Teaching Environment
Learning music is not just a matter of having a qualified teacher,
but also having an environment that is focused on music education. In
a professional school environment a student cannot be distracted by
T.V., pets, ringing phones, siblings or anything else. With only 30
to 60 minutes of lesson time per week, a professional school environment
can produce better results since the only focus at that time is learning
music. Students in a school environment are also motivated by hearing
peers who are at different levels and by being exposed to a variety
of musical instruments. In a music school, the lessons are not just
a hobby or side-line for the teacher but a responsibility which is taken
very seriously.
4. Make Practicing Easier
As with anything, improving in music takes practice. One of the main
problems with music lessons is the drudgery of practicing and the fight
between parents and students to practice everyday. Here are some ways
to make practicing easier.
Time
Set the same time everyday to practice so it becomes part of a routine
or habit. This works particularly well for children. Generally the earlier
in the day the practicing can occur, the less reminding is required
by parents to get the child to practice.
Repetition
We use this method quite often when setting practice schedules for beginners.
For a young child, 20 or 30 minutes seems like an eternity. Instead
of setting a time frame, we use repetition. For example, practice this
piece 4 times every day, and this scale 5 times a day. The child then
does not pay attention to the amount of time they are practicing their
instrument, but knows if they are on repetition number 3 they are almost
finished.
Rewards
This works very well for both children and adult students. Some adults
reward themselves with a cappuccino after a successful week of practicing.
Parents can encourage children to practice by granting them occasional
rewards for successful practicing. In our school, we reward young children
for a successful week with stars and stickers on their music. Praise
tends to be the most coveted award - there just is no substitute for
a pat on the back for a job well done. Sometimes we all have a week
with little practicing, in that case there is always next week.
5. Use Recognized Teaching Materials
There are some excellent materials developed by professional music
educators that are made for students in a variety of situations. For
example, in piano there are books for very young beginners to adults
who have never played before. There are books that can start you at
a level you are comfortable with. These materials have been researched
and are continually upgraded and improved to make learning easier.
Have Fun!!
Music should be something that you enjoy for a lifetime. So try not
to put unrealistic expectations on yourself or your children to learn
too quickly. Everyone learns at a different pace and the key is to be
able to enjoy the journey.
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