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 practical tips that we have discovered from years of teaching
and our experiences with teaching hundreds of students.
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 they are to commit to practicing. Adults who’ve
waited for that “right” time often find renewed vigor
in life studying music.
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 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 off a child just because they had one unpleasant
experience which could have been prevented. Sometimes if the child
waits a year to start lessons their progress can be faster. Children
who are older than the suggested earliest starting age usually do
very well. The following are guidelines we have found to be successful
in determining how young a child can start taking music lessons.
3-4 Years Old
If a preschooler has a keen desire and wants to start music, a group
preschool music class will give them a good foundation in music
basics which will be helpful in later private lessons. At this age,
private lessons generally do not work well as the child has not
experienced the formal learning environment of kindergarten or school
and learns more effectively through the game oriented preschool
environment.
Piano/ Keyboard
Our experience has shown us that 6 years old is the youngest advisable
age to start children in private piano lessons. At this age they
have begun to develop longer attention spans 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 generally
are 10 yrs. and older.
Voice Lessons
10 years old is the earliest we recommend for private voice lessons.
Due to the physical nature of voice lessons (proper breathing techniques,
development of the the vocal chords and lung capacity), the younger
body is generally not yet ready for the rigors of vocal technique.
For children younger than 10, we have a children's choir, elementary
music classes and/or music & movement classes. These opportunities
help build rhythm & melodic awareness along with sequential
patterning skills in a fun and relaxed environment - Great building
blocks for success!
Drums
Our experience has shown us that students wishing to start drum
lessons should be at least 9 years old. This varies greatly depending
on the size of the child. They have to be able to reach both the
pedals and the cymbals.
Flute, Clarinet and Saxophone
Due to the lung capacity (and in the case of the saxophone the size
of the instrument), we recommend that most woodwind beginners are
9 years and up.
Trumpet, Trombone and Tuba
Brass instruments require physical exertion and lots of lung power.
9 years and older is a good time to start the trumpet and trombone.
We recommend tuba students to be at least 11 years old.3. Insist
on Private Lessons when Learning a Specific Instrument
2. Insist on Private Lessons when
Learning a Specific Instrument
Group lessons work well for preschool, elementary music programs
and theory lessons. However, when actually learning how to plan
an instrument, private lessons are far more superior since in private
lessons it is hard to miss anything, and each student can learn
at their own pace. This means the teacher does not have to teach
at a middle of the road level, but has the time and focus to work
on the individual student’s strengths and weaknesses. For
that lesson period, the student is the primary focus of the teacher.
The teachers also enjoy this as they do not have to divide their
attention between 5 -10 students at a time and can help the student
be the best that they can be.
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 can not be distracted
by t.v., pets, ringing phones, siblings or anything else. With only
a 1/2 to one hour lesson per week, a professional school environment
can produce better results since the only focus at the 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, lessons are not just
a hobby or side-line for the teacher, but a responsibility that’s
taken 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
fights between parents and students to practice. Here are some ways
to make practicing easier:
a) 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.
b) 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 suggest 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. Recording part of a practice session
and then listening with a critical ear often reveals hidden secrets.
Home computers make great recordings and even burn CDs. Ask us
about software recommendations that are inexpensive and sometimes
even free!
c) Rewards - This works very well for 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 of practicing with stars and stickers on their work. Praise
tends to be most coveted award - there just is no substitute for
a pat on the back for a job well down. 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 a very young beginners,
and books for adult students who have never played before. There
are books that can start you at any level you are comfortable with.
These materials have been researched and are continually upgraded
and improved to make learning easier. These materials ensure that
no important part of learning the instrument can inadvertently be
left out. If you ever have to move to a different part of the country,
qualified teachers and institutions will recognize the materials
and be able to smoothly continue from where the previous teacher
left off.
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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