How to get the most out of Music Lessons

1. Start at the right age
Adults can start any instrument at any time. An adult's success is determined by how much time can be committed to practicing (playing). We have adult students taking up lessons in their 60's and 70's.
For children, starting at the right age is key to their success on an instrument. While some think that "the sooner the better", this attitude is not always the right approach. If a child is put into lessons too early, he of she may feel overwhelmed and frustrated and come to feel that music is anything but fun. The last thing that we want to do is to turn a child away from music because of an unpleasant early experience. It is not unusual for us to recommend waiting a year or so when inquiries are made for a child we feel is too young for private instrumental instruction. On the other hand, children and teens older than the suggested ages tend to do well whenever they start. Following are general guidelines which we have found to represent good starting ages for children.

5 years old (and up)- Piano and Violin. At age 5, youngsters have begun to develop longer attention spans and can retain material with ease. Serious, productive learning on an instrument begins now. Piano and Violin are both age-appropriate with fractional-size violins available for the smaller students. We have also had some success with drummers starting at this age. Our full-sized studio drumset is too big for set playing, but a young drum student can begin learning rhythms and stick control.

8 years old (and up)- Guitar and Drums. Because of the physical demands of playing guitar, 8 years old is usually where we start students. Pressure on the fingertips and the finger strength, size, and coordination required to play the guitar establish this guideline. Likewise, at 8, young students are ready to sit themselves behind a full drum set and reach the pedals and cymbals.

9 years old (and up)- Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone,Trumpet, and Cello. These typical school-band instruments require a certain amount of lung power and physical prowess that a 9 year old is often able to supply. We find many third graders stepping into lessons on these instruments, giving them a 'leg up' on their peers when the whole school is introduced to band music in the fourth grade. This is a good time to start.

10 years old (and up)- Bass Guitar and Trombone. Because of the larger physical size of these instruments, 10 is sometimes a better age at which to start them. That is not to say that they cannot be started at 9, given the size and determination of the aspiring student.

10 years old (and up)- Voice. This is the youngest recommended age to begin private voice lessons. Due to the physical nature of voice lessons (proper breathing technique, development of the vocal cords, lung capacity) younger students are generally not ready for the demands of vocal training. Often we will recommend waiting until past puberty to start serious voice lessons. With enthusiastic younger students we will offer voice coaching, teaching them how to use their voices properly, without the physical demands of more vigorous training.

2. Insist on private lessons.
Group lessons work well for preschool music programs. However, when learning an instrument, private lessons are far superior. In private lessons, the student gets the full attention of the teacher, making it harder to miss anything, and the student can work at his or her own pace. The teacher is better able to focus on the individual student's strengths and weaknesses. Teachers can accomplish far more with the single student.

3. Take lessons in a professional teaching environment.
Learning music is not just a matter of having a qualified teacher, but also of having an environment that is focused on music education. In a professional environment the student is not distracted by TV, pets, friends, ringing phones, siblings or anything else. A private lesson in a studio environment can produce better results since the only focus at that time is learning music. Students in such a setting can also see and hear other students and be exposed to a variety of music and musical instruments. In the professional studio environment, giving lessons is not just a hobby or sideline for the teacher, but a responsibility which is taken seriously.

4. Make Practicing Easier.
As with anything, improving in music takes practice. There is no magic wand. Practice means work, but we prefer to call it 'play'.
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. Generally the earlier in the day, the better. And 'daily' is the key. It's better to practice 15 minutes every day rather than 40 minutes the night before the next lesson.

REPTITION: This method is quite ofted successful when setting practice schedules for beginners. Instead of setting a time frame ("practice for 20 minutes"), use repetition. For example, play this piece 4 times every day. Play this scale 5 times at the beginning of your practice session and 5 times at the end. This way the student is not watching the clock, but knows that at repetition number 3, he knows that he only has 2 times to go.
REWARDS: Everyone appreciates a reward, children and adults alike. Adults can reward themselves with a cappuccino after a good week's practice. With children, it can be as simple as praise and a hug for a practice session well done.

5. Use recognized teaching materials.
There are many excellent teaching materials which have been developed by music educators to cover a wide variety of situations. For example, in piano there are books for very young beginners as well as books for the beginning adult. Such materials have been researched and refined and are continually upgraded to make learning easier. These books ensure that no important part of learning the instrument can be left out. And if you ever move from one teacher to another, qualified teachers will recognize the materials and be able to smooth your transition of learning from where the previous teacher left off.

And Most Importantly:

HAVE FUN!
Music is something which you can enjoy for a lifetime. It should be fun. Don't put unrealistic expectations on your young student or yourself to learn too quickly. Everyone learns at his or her pace and the magic is in enjoying the journey!