5 WAYS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF MUSIC LESSONS

These guidelines will help you have a successful, rewarding experience learning an instrument. These are some practical tips that have been discovered through our staff’s cumulative years of musical experience and instruction.                                      

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.

For children, starting at the right age is a key element to the success of their lessons. Some people will tell you “the sooner the better” but much depends upon the parent's involvement - as well as the child's readiness.  If a child is put into lessons too soon they may feel overwhelmed and frustrated and want to stop lessons.  The following are guidelines we have found to be successful in determining how young a child can start taking music lessons.      

Piano/Keyboard-At our school 3 years old is the youngest age that we start children in Suzuki private piano lessons.  Please see our special article on Suzuki piano lessons for more detailed information.  We generally start children in traditional private piano lessons at age 7.  At this age they start to develop longer attention spans, have better physical hand abilities, and can retain material with ease.

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. Bass guitar students are generally at least 10 years old.

Drums-The minimum age for our drum students is age 7. This varies greatly depending on the size of the child. They have to be able to reach both the pedals and the cymbals.

2.  PRIVATE LESSONS, BUDDY LESSONS, or GROUP LESSONS?  How do you decide which is best?

Group classes work best for preschool music programs, beginning lessons and theory lessons.  However, when actually learning how to play an instrument, private lessons and buddy lessons may provide more flexibility for your child's learning style.  Groups encourage students to maintain a steady pace, while a private lesson may allow the student to drag along on theirown.  For the student who does best when the primary focus is on them, private lessons are ideal - or when they have progressed to a level that is more difficult to match with another student.  Our classes are limited sizes - providing the experience of ensemble playing as well as individual 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 TV., ringing phones, siblings or anything else. With only 1/2 to one hour 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 sideline 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 every day. Here are some ways to make practicing easier. 

TIME - Set the same time every day 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.

QUALITY 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 simply setting a time frame, we use repetition with a specific focus. For example, practice this piece 4 times every day, and this scale 5 times a day - paying close attention to rhythm and counting. The child then does not focus on the amount of time they are practicing their instrument, but has a clear sense of what they are trying to accomplish - as well as knowing that 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. 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, and books for adult students that have never played before. There are books that can start you at a level you are comfortable with.
Most Importantly…..

HAVE A GOAL and 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.