Comments on: How, when do you start formal music training for kids?

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By: Christy

Christy — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:01:26 +0000

MUSIC LESSONS:

Almost forgot-you can try your local Musician’s Union to find a private music teacher. Look up American Federations of Musicians Union in your phone book, and they should have a good list of qualified teachers in your town.

By: Christy

Christy — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:56:39 +0000

I am a professional clarinet player, and I started piano lessons (formally at age 8), before that at home with my mom since she had piano all the way through college and could get me started. I remember I didn’t really like practicing that much, but it did give me the life and music skills that helped me learn to play the clarinet, and eventually saxophone also. I plan to start my daughter on piano since it is the easiest instrument to start on. You don’t have to worry about how to ‘blow’ into it or if your fingers are too small to cover the holes like on clarinet and some flutes. If you don’t own a piano-go buy a keyboard, but first find a piano instructor and get their advice on what to buy. It can’t be a Disney Princess keyboard because you can’t play real chords on those! I had a small Korg keyboard, but also was fortunate enough to have a real piano too. Your kid will NOT get better without practicing, so if you can’t find, borrow (from a church, school, teacher, or friend), or own one this will be frustrating to the kid because he/she will not really keep advancing with just one lesson a week and no practice time. Music just does not work that way. Suzuki is usually a string method that is taught to beginning string players-which is another great instrument to start early on. Violin is probably easiest because it is the smallest-and they do have kid size violins and cellos-so make sure to ask a professional teacher which one to get. Some schools have orchestra programs and you can borrow instruments through the schools. Most schools don’t, so you may have to go to your local music store to track down a beginner stringed instrument. I’d say either start a young child on piano or violin. Piano will teach more about chords and have a more visual way of seeing chords, and hearing how they all sound together. A violin can only play one note at a time, so you may want to wait til later for the child to play a string instrument-but don’t wait to long if they decide to get serious about it. To see the most accomplishment and productive results from investing all that money into whatever instrument-music lessons with a quality teacher is the best bang for your buck. Private lessons (or also Suzuki classes for strings) prices vary on the state and city you live in. Usually, the bigger city, the higher the cost for lessons. I am in Tulsa, OK. and teach clarinet lessons for $30.0-$32.00 per hour. I have a Masters Degree in Music Performance and teach at two Universities here. However, if I was in TX, I could charge more…in NYC probably quite a bit more than that, it just kind of depends on what your community can afford to pay and the qualifications your instructor has. Beginning students with on a budget, could try calling a local university and hiring a student who is pursing a music degree to get them started. Ask the music office secretary who they’d reccomend to teach your instrument. They may even have a college professor there that would be able to teach your child-and if not at the beginning level, then maybe eventually a more advanced level in years to come. Whatever instrument you choose to start your child on-make them practice-but also give them lots of encouragement so they don’t get discouraged. Practicing is hard work and lots of repetition which can be boring at times, and then there is the whole being nervous to perform factor…don’t pressure them to hard to perform for everyone, try to just let them enjoy learning new songs, and skills on their instrument. Then, in about 5th or 6th grade, they may want to switch to, or add another wind or percussion instrument-and that would be a good time to do so. With help from the schools band director, they can guide you to an instrument that would probably suit your child best. Start with what instrument they think they want to play, and then have the band director help them find their true match! Best of luck in your musical endeavors! I can’t wait til my 3 year old gets the love of music that my husband and I have. She already likes to dance, draw, and play her toy clarinet…so who knows…another musician in the family???? Only time will tell.

By: Latest by Easy To Learn Piano

Latest by Easy To Learn Piano — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:32:07 +0000

[...] How, when do you start formal music training for kids? [...]

By: Sara

Sara — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:01:43 +0000

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Sara

http://pianotutorial.net

By: Cecilia Rowe

Cecilia Rowe — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:34:57 +0000

What a great blog with so many good comments! My BFF sent me this link to answer some questions – My family and I own Courtnay and Rowe Corporation, Atlanta’s premier In-home Music and Education Company, started in 1989. I have been a private instructor since 1992, stopping teaching to run the business when I started having my own children. While I do not consider myself an “authority”, I can give some insight from about 20 years of personal experience – and again, this is only my opinion and personal experience.
1. When to start? You can start pretty much anytime the child is interested – that is the KEY – but in most cases, around 7+ is best (begging for lessons is good! ;-). Their attention span can usually hold for a full 30 to 45 min lesson by then. And they can practice and can do their “homework” (theory games or coloring, flashcards, etc) with minimal supervision on your part.

2. Good instrument to start with? A good instrument to begin with is piano (or weighted keyboard if you don’t have a piano). The piano is the gateway to all other instruments. You are learning both clefs (high and low notes), using both hands together and separately, and music theory and notes that can be applied to all other instruments. There also is instant gratification by learning simple songs, which is a HUGE plus to keep interest going.

3. Which instrument? Any good teacher or company offers a free evaluation, so take advantage of that. As with our company, we teach most all instruments, so we have many teachers to be able to assess initial aptitude for many instruments. Again, piano is usually the best to start with as it is a painless beginning. I wouldn’t recommend guitar for a young child as they don’t have the grip or the hand size. Voice is fine, but not “formal voice” until teen years – “karaoke” type voice (i.e. singing along with a CD) is fun for children. If a child is interested in voice, but is young, we try to encourage mixing a lesson of 30 min piano and 15 min voice (or 20/25) as to keep it fun and moving forward. Violin is a beautiful instrument, but one that needs commitment and much practice to make pleasing sounds. And as a parent, you have to “get real” with what you think your child’s commitment level will be, and choose an instrument from there. Like I tell parents, just because your child is interested in horseback riding lessons, I wouldn’t run out and buy a horse. See if you can play on a neighbor’s piano a couple times, rent a piano or keyboard or buy a smaller sized keyboard before spending a fortune on an instrument.

4. Group or Private lessons? Personally, I truly believe in private lessons over group. Personal attention, easier to notice where child is “missing it”, doesn’t have to hold back for others in the group. But, if that’s all you can do (or that’s available for you) right now, any music is better than no music!

5. Don’t have a piano? Rent a piano or keyboard or purchase a small one. Please ask the teacher for recommendations. Do not just rush out and buy something (horse example above) so you don’t spend more than you need to. If you need advice, my Dad (Jack) has been helping people for years purchase the appropriate instrument (as did my Grandfather before him!).

6. How to find an instructor and some good questions? My answer to this is to ask your friends and see who they use and are they happy with the service, quality of instructor/instruction, facility (if applicable), and are the policies fair and will fit your needs (making up missed lessons, etc.)? Also take into account YOUR schedule, drive time, wait time (if you have other children involved that are having to wait with you), sports, etc. and would it be worth someone coming to your home vs. going to the studio to keep peace and less stress for your family and you?

7. Cost? The last time I checked, the going rate for an in-studio lesson (like a music store or someone’s home studio) is anywhere from $20 to $30 per half hour. In-home lessons are a bit more due to drive time, gas, convenience, etc. and is anywhere from $30-$40 per half hour. It is in your best interest to shop around and see what exactly you are getting for your money. And please take into account the quality of the teacher – it’s all about “relate-ability” to the student – and the more your child enjoys the teacher, the more they will enjoy the lesson and learn to love music for a lifetime. (My mother’s lessons early on were from “The Wicked Witch of the West” and the teacher had multiple degrees and was extremely accomplished, but didn’t relate at all with my mother. My mother almost quit piano before luckily changing teachers.)

8. What is Suzuki? Suzuki is a method of teaching – like Kumon is for tutoring. There are several different approaches when you hear of Suzuki training – you will sometimes hear that the parent needs to be a part of the lesson, and much of the beginnings of Suzuki is not reading the music or learning to read the music, but by imitation and repetition, and maintains classical music . I know that this is successful with some, but I’ve seen far more success with actually teaching notes so that you can pick up any music and play. Comparable to saying “Do you want me to just read this book to you, or do you want me to teach you how to read so then you can read ANY book?”
I hope I’ve helped in some way!  Feel free to call our office (or check our website) if you have any specific questions or needs (www.courtnayandrowe.com).

By: Cecilia Rowe

Cecilia Rowe — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:12:36 +0000

What a great blog with so many good comments! My BFF sent me this link to answer some questions – my family and I own Courtnay and Rowe Corporation, Atlanta’s premier In-home Music and Education Company, started in 1989. I have been a private instructor since 1992, stopping teaching to run the business when I started having my own children. While I do not consider myself an “authority”, I can give some insight from about 20 years of personal experience – and again, this is only my opinion and personal experience.
1. When to start?
You can start pretty much anytime the child is interested – that is the KEY – but in most cases, around 7+ is best. Their attention span can usually hold for a full 30 to 45 min lesson by then. And they can practice and can do their “homework” (theory games or coloring, flashcards, etc) with minimal supervision on your part.
2.Good instrument to start with?
A good instrument to begin with is piano (or weighted keyboard if you don’t have a piano). The piano is the gateway to all other instruments. You are learning both clefs (high and low notes), using both hands together and separately, and music theory and notes that can be applied to all other instruments. There also is instant gratification by learning simple songs, which is a HUGE plus to keep interest going.
3. How do you know which instrument?
Any good teacher or company offers a free evaluation, so take advantage of that. As with our company, we teach most all instruments, so we have many teachers to be able to assess initial aptitude for many instruments. Again, piano is usually the best to start with as it is a painless beginning. I wouldn’t recommend guitar for a young child as they don’t have the grip or the hand size. Voice is fine, but not “formal voice” until teen years – “karaoke” type voice (i.e. singing along with a CD) is fun for children. If a child is interested in voice, but is young, we try to encourage mixing a lesson of 30 min piano and 15 min voice (or 20/25) as to keep it fun and moving forward. Violin is a beautiful instrument, but one that needs commitment and much practice to make pleasing sounds. And as a parent, you have to “get real” with what you think your child’s commitment level will be, and choose an instrument from there. Like I tell parents, just because your child is interested in horseback riding lessons, I wouldn’t run out and buy a horse. See if you can play on a neighbor’s piano a couple times, rent a piano or keyboard or buy a smaller sized keyboard before spending a fortune on an instrument.
4. Private or group lessons?
Personally, I truly believe in private lessons over group. Personal attention, easier to notice where child is “missing it”, doesn’t have to hold back for others in the group. But, if that’s all you can do (or that’s available for you) right now, any music is better than no music!
5. Don’t own a piano?
Rent a piano or keyboard or purchase a small one. Please ask the teacher for recommendations. Do not just rush out and buy something (horse example above) so you don’t spend more than you need to. If you need advice, my Dad (Jack) has been helping people for years purchase the appropriate instrument (as did my Grandfather before him!).
6. How to find a good teacher?
We have grown so large by word of mouth – the BEST advertising there is! My answer to this is to ask your friends and see who they use and are they happy with the service. It is SOOO important to have a teacher that relates with your child – you know you remember your favorite teacher from school and how much they made an impression on you – well, it needs to be that way with your music instructor, too. The more the kid likes/relates/enjoys the lessons, the further they will progress and longer they will take.
7. Cost?
The last time I checked, the going rate for an in-studio lesson (like a music store or someone’s home studio) is anywhere from $20 to $30 per half hour. In-home lessons are a bit more due to drive time, gas, convenience, etc. and is anywhere from $30-$40 per half hour. It’s best to shop around and weigh what you are getting for your money – please make sure to factor in quality of instructor! A good teacher is not necessarily one with lots of degrees, but one that can help your child be the best they can be and instill the love of music for a lifetime.
8. What is Suzuki?
Suzuki is a method of teaching – like Kumon is for tutoring. Different teachers use different approaches when you hear of Suzuki training – you will sometimes hear that the parent needs to be involved (sitting in and learning) as well in the lesson, and much of the beginnings of Suzuki is not reading the music or learning to read the music, but by imitation and repetition, and maintains a classical bend to their music selections. I know that this is successful with some, but I’ve seen far more success with actually teaching notes so that you can pick up any music and play. Comparable to saying “Do you want me to just read this book to you, or do you want me to teach you how to read so then you can read ANY book?” And of course, kids would rather play what they want to play – it keeps them practicing more!

I hope I’ve helped in some way! :-) Feel free to call our office (or check our website www. courtnayandrowe.com) if you have any specific questions or needs.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 06:13:36 +0000

Barbara

http://keyboardpiano.net

By: Whitney

Whitney — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:20:27 +0000

Hello, I’m a Student Counselor with TakeLessons – a national music lesson provider, and we have found that maintaining a child’s interest in their musical instrument is most successful after the age of 5 years old. We have noticed that holding a child’s attention span and motivating a child under 5 years of age to sufficiently practice is exceedingly difficult and results in less progress than children ages 5 and up. Since your child is 6 and ½, she is definitely old enough to excel in her music lessons.

We believe it’s imperative to continually document and track our students’ progress conjointly with their teachers. We do this online by having our students and their parents record practice sessions while our teachers create online lesson journals following each lesson to remind the student of what they can work on during their practice sessions in preparation for the next lesson.

We also feel that setting goals is a very important aspect in terms of maintaining a child’s focus and ambition in their musical progress. The key is to really listen to your child and learn where their interests and passions lie, what genre of music they wish to pursue, and then help them get the education necessary to achieve these goals.

Also, finding a good match in a teacher is essential in holding the attention of your child and serving as a musical mentor that they can aspire to emulate. With the right teacher, a child can be motivated and driven to meet and exceed all goals and expectations and rise to any challenge that their teacher presents.

I took 13 years of piano lessons and 8 years of voice lessons and started my piano lessons when I was 5 years old. Having inspiring teachers as role models in conjunction with my motivating parents were the reasons why I pursued my musical aspirations for as long as I did. Finding the right formula for your child is crucial to tapping into their love of music.

Hope this helps!