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/or experiences with teaching hundreds of students each year.
01. How Young is to 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 that attitude can actually backfire and be a negative. If a child is put into lessons to 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 an unpleasant experience which could have been prevented. The following are guidelines we have found to be successful in determining how young a child can start taking music lessons.
- 3-4years old
If a pre-school child has a keen desire and wants to start music, a group preschool music class will give them a good foundation in the 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 school 5 years old is the youngest age that we can 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
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 age 10 years old or 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, development of vocal chords and lung capacity), the younger body is generally not yet ready for the rigors of vocal technique. For children younger then 10, we suggest that the lesson be divided into two fifteen minute sessions. 15 minutes are devoted to voice and 15 minutes are devoted to piano.
- Drums
The average age of our youngest drum students 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.
- 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.
- Brass Instruments- Trumpet, Trombone, Sax, etc.
Any instrument that you blow in requires physical exertion and lung power. 9 years and older is a good time to start these.
02. Insist on Private Lessons when Learning a Specific Instrument
Group classes work well for preschool music programs and theory lessons. However, when actually learning how to play an instrument, private lessons are far superior since in a private lesson it is hard to miss anything, and each student can learn at their own pace. The teacher also enjoys 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 they can be.
03. Take Lessons in a Professional Teaching Environment
Learning music in 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 TV. pets, ringing phones, siblings, or anything else. With only ½ an hour 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 different t musical instruments. In a music school, the lessons are not just a hobby or a side-line for the teacher but a responsibility which is taken very seriously.
04. Make Practicing Easier
As with anything, improving in music takes practice. One of our 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 practice easier:
- Time
Set the same time to practice everyday so it becomes part of your routine or habit. This works particularly for children. Generally the earlier n the day the practicing occurs, the less reminding is required by the parents to get the child to practice.
- Repetition
For a young child 20-20 minutes a day can seem like an eternity. Instead of setting a time frame, we use repetition. For example, practice this piece 4 times everyday 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 done.
- 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. 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.
05. 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 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 the 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 to quickly. Everyone learns at a different pace and the key is to enjoy the journey.
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