Parent’s Guide to Music
Lessons
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 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 to 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.
Piano/ Keyboard
At our school, 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 – Acoustic, Electric, Bass & Ukelele
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 years and older.
Voice
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 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 (ages 6-9) and an Introduction to Music program
(ages 4-6) that teaches them how to use their voices properly, in a
fun, relaxed environment.
Drums
The average age of our youngest drum student is 8. 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, & Saxophone
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
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.
Trumpet & Trombone
The trumpet requires physical exertion and lung power. 9 years
and older is a good time to start the trumpet.
2. Make Practice 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 to practice every day. 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 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 instruments, but knows if they are on repetition
number 3 they are almost finished.
C.)
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 this case there is always
next week.
3. 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 on the 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.
4. 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 ale to enjoy the journey.
West Coast Music & Dance FX
618 San Benito St.,
Hollister, CA 95023
Phone: 831.635.0553 Fax: 831.635.0521 |
