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These
guidelines will help you to 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
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 60’s and
70’s.
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 a child off music 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 much 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 pre-schooler 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 as the child has not yet experienced
the formal learning environment of kindergarten or school
and learns more effectively through the game oriented
preschool environment.
Piano / Keyboard
At our studio 5 years old is the youngest age that we
start children in private piano lessons. At this age
they have begun to develop longer attention spans and
can retain material with ease.
Guitar - Accoustic, Electric and
Bass
7 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 7 generally have small hands and may find playing
uncomfortable. Bass guitar students generally are 9
years old and older.
Voice Lessons
8 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.
Drums
The average age of our youngest drum student is 8. This
varies greatly depending on the size of the child as
they need to be able to reach both the pedals and the
cymbals.
2. Choose a studio
which offers a choice of group or individual lessons
for beginners
Different students require different teaching approaches.
Some students progress best with the peer interaction
and class motivation of a group session. Other students
prefer the focused concentration of an individual one
on one lesson. Once a student is more advanced it will
be necessary to take private lessons to master the advanced
techniques of an instrument or voice with individual
attention. Make sure that your student has the option
to select the learning style that is best suited for
them.
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 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.
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 of practicing with stars
and stickers on their work. 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. 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.
Most Importantly...
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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Starting
Lessons Right
