These guidelines will help you to have a successful, rewarding experience with music study. These are practical tips that we
have discovered from years of teaching and our experience with teaching hundreds of students each year.
Adults can start any instrument at any time. Success is based on how committed a person is to their weekly practice schedule. We teach beginning students in their 60s and 70s.
For children, beginning 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 formal music lessons.
Newborn - 3 Years Old
With an adult caregiver, a child can begin a music program as soon as their first year of life! Kindermusik provides the very best musical experience for a baby, and the nurturing classroom environment instills a positive reaction to music and its benefits for a lifetime of music making.
3 - 4 Years Old
If a preschool student 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 are not advisable as the child has not yet experienced the formal learning environment of kindergarten, and learns more effectively through the game oriented preschool environment.
Piano/Keyboard
At our school, five years old is the youngest age that we start children in piano lessons. At this age, they have begun to develop longer attention spans and can retain material with ease.
Voice
Twelve years old is recommended as the youngest age for private vocal lessons. Due to the physical nature of voice training (proper breathing techniques, development of the vocal chords and lung capacity), the younger body is generally not yet ready for the rigors of good vocal technique. For children younger than 12, we have a children’s choral ensemble and a preschool singing program that teaches them how to use their voices properly, in a fun, relaxed environment.
Guitar - Acoustic, Electric, & Bass
Eight 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 hands that are too small and may find it uncomfortable. Bass guitar students generally are 10 years old and older.
Group classes work best for preschool music programs, beginning piano and voice lessons, and theory lessons. Students learn musical concepts faster in a group, attendance is noticeably higher, and lesson preparation is at a maximum with weekly practice habits, as students will work harder to please their friends in class than for a teacher in a private lesson. When students learn in a social atmosphere, there’s a real team spirit, and friendships have developed in some of the classes. The students also learn from each other and have become very proficient accompanists because of the group playing experience. Also, group playing turns students into relaxed performers. When learning other instruments, it is sometimes best to have private lessons. This is greatly determined by the student’s skill level, practice habits, personality, and maturity level. The music teacher should be able to assess the student and determine which format is best for the individual student.
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 televisions, pets, ringing phones, siblings, or other such things that learning in a home environment includes. With only 30 to 60 minute lesson times 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 side-line for the teacher but a responsibility which is taken very seriously.
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 - 30 minutes 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 finished.
- Rewards - This works very well for both children and adult students. 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, and sometimes a trip to the “treasure chest” for a small prize. Praise tends to be the most coveted award - there is no substitute for a pat on the back for a job well done. Everyone needs recognition. Sometimes we all have a week with little practicing; in that case, there is always next week.
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 very good books that begin at any level a student is comfortable with. These materials have been researched and are continually upgraded and improved to make learning easier. The methods also ensure that no crucial part of learning is looked over. Also, if the student should 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. Be sure to choose a school that uses the very best methods and technology for your student’s music education.
