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5 WAYS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF MUSIC LESSONS

These guidelines will help you to have a successful experience learning an instrument. These are practical ways that we have discovered from years of teaching and our experiences with teaching many students over the years.

1. Starting at the right age: How Young is too Young?

For children, starting at the right age is a key to the success of their lessons. Some people will tell you the sooner the better but this belief 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.

Piano
At our school, 4-5 years old is usually the youngest age that we encourage private lessons. At this age they have begun to develop longer attention spans and can retain material with ease. Every child is unique in that they may develop concentration skills later or earlier than this age. Our young students that want to progress quickly can enroll in two separate 30 minute lessons per week instead of a one hour lesson which can be overwhelming for the child. Studies have shown that shorter more frequent lessons can benefit the child in his/her progress.

Violin
We accept violin students from the age of 5. Some of our 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.

Guitar
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 old and 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 techniques, development of the vocal chords and lung capacity), the younger body is generally not yet ready for the rigors of vocal technique. The child may consider piano or another instrument prior to this age to give them a head start in note reading and ear training.

Flute and Clarinet
Due to lung capacity, we recommend that most woodwind beginners are 9 and older.

2. 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 private lessons it is hard to miss anything, and each student can learn at their own pace. This means the teacher 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 they can be.

3. Taking Lessons in a Professional Teaching Environment versus in your Home

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 = hour to one hour of lesson time 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, the lessons are not just a hobby or side-line for the teacher but a responsibility which is taken very seriously.

4. Make Practicing at Home More Effective

As with anything, improving in music takes practice. One of the main problems with music lessons is the drudgery of practicing and the conflict between parents and students 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 instrument, 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 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 insure 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.

© 2008 - La Canada Music Studio
2512 Foothill Blvd
La Crescenta, CA 91214
(818) 957-7438

Serving Los Angeles, Pasadena, Glendale, La Cañada, Burbank, Tujunga, Montrose, and Sunland
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