Music Lessons for kids!!!!
5 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Music Lessons!
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 music.
1. Starting at the right age?
Adults can start any instrument at any time. Their success is based on how willing the 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 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.
P-K
Littles love to make music and shake and shimmy while doing so! 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. For toddlers we recommend our Toddler Music and Movement which is designed for children and their caregivers. This class is a wonderful introduction to movement and music for children 18 mos-3 yrs. Our preschool music program is a fun, group music and movement class for children ages 3-5 designed to teach the basic fundamentals of music. All classes are space limited and are 30 minutes once per week. The classes cover:
For the melody component they learn the concepts through lots of singing. They will learn high – low, loud – soft, pitch, major – minor, etc.
For notation they learn how to recognize musical symbols such as treble clef, bass clef, half note, whole note, etc. (Much the same as learning your alphabet before you learn how to read.)
We also teach them how to recognize all the instruments of the orchestra both by sight and sound. For example, by the end of the program they can quickly tell you if the sound they hear is a trumpet or saxophone.
The preschool music classes are taught by our instructors with university degrees in music who love working with young children. The instructors are patient, fun and very encouraging. The preschool music program offers a unique enrichment opportunity for children to bond with caregivers and to also prepare the students to go on into private instrument lessons when they are older.
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 - 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 10 years old and older.
Voice Lessons
6 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.
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.
Drums
Abundance has a drum set and is ready to accept your kiddo into our percussion program! We suggest children ages 7 and older for this instrument.
2. Choose a school that offers the combination of private and group lessons.
Students benefit from varied teaching approaches. In an effort of reach all students with different learning styles our program not only offers private instruction once a week, but also wonderful peer to peer interaction during our monthly group lesson.
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.
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 music.
1. Starting at the right age?
Adults can start any instrument at any time. Their success is based on how willing the 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 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.
P-K
Littles love to make music and shake and shimmy while doing so! 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. For toddlers we recommend our Toddler Music and Movement which is designed for children and their caregivers. This class is a wonderful introduction to movement and music for children 18 mos-3 yrs. Our preschool music program is a fun, group music and movement class for children ages 3-5 designed to teach the basic fundamentals of music. All classes are space limited and are 30 minutes once per week. The classes cover:
- Movement and music
- Learning to sing and listen
- Making music with percussion instruments
- Recognition of orchestral instruments
- Rhythm
- Melody
- Elementary note recognition
For the melody component they learn the concepts through lots of singing. They will learn high – low, loud – soft, pitch, major – minor, etc.
For notation they learn how to recognize musical symbols such as treble clef, bass clef, half note, whole note, etc. (Much the same as learning your alphabet before you learn how to read.)
We also teach them how to recognize all the instruments of the orchestra both by sight and sound. For example, by the end of the program they can quickly tell you if the sound they hear is a trumpet or saxophone.
The preschool music classes are taught by our instructors with university degrees in music who love working with young children. The instructors are patient, fun and very encouraging. The preschool music program offers a unique enrichment opportunity for children to bond with caregivers and to also prepare the students to go on into private instrument lessons when they are older.
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 - 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 10 years old and older.
Voice Lessons
6 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.
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.
Drums
Abundance has a drum set and is ready to accept your kiddo into our percussion program! We suggest children ages 7 and older for this instrument.
2. Choose a school that offers the combination of private and group lessons.
Students benefit from varied teaching approaches. In an effort of reach all students with different learning styles our program not only offers private instruction once a week, but also wonderful peer to peer interaction during our monthly group lesson.
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.