Below are some guiding principles that we feel will make learning a musical instrument an experience of great reward and achievement for you or your child. These tips are just a few that we have learned through years of teaching hundreds of students at Infuzion.
Adults can begin learning any instrument at any time; it's never too late to start. As with learning any new trade, patience and a commitment to practice regularly will impact the success of adult students.
For children, it is essential that they do not begin lessons too early. The phrase “the sooner, the better” does not necessarilly apply to children taking music lessons, even if your child seems to show a great interest in doing so. Children that begin too soon may become very frustrated, discouraged, and overwhelmed, which can turn their once positive attitude into an especially negative one, possibly resulting in desires of never returning to the study of music. The following are the age recommendations we have found to be most beneficial to children wishing to begin music lessons. Keep in mind that if your child falls below these recommendations, an early childhood music program (such as Kindermusik®) would be an excellent way to introduce your child to music in an environment that is more conducive to his or her learning process.
Students should be at least 5 years old before beginning piano lessons. At this age and older, we find it is easier for children to remain focused for an entire 30-minute lesson, while still retaining what they have learned.
Due to the amount of pressure required to properly press down the strings, we recommend that acoustic and electric guitar students be no less than 8 years old. Generally, if children are younger than 8 years old, their hands are too small to play the guitar. We suggest a minimum age of 10 for bass guitar since its strings are much thicker than those of acoustic and electric guitars,
Students should be at least 10 years old before beginning private voice lessons. This type of lesson requires a great deal of lung capacity and rather developed vocal chords. We advise students younger than this to look at different options until they are old enough. Joyful Noise offers Children’s Choir (ages 6-9) and Kindermusik® (ages 3-5). These programs present children with an opportunity to learn how to properly use their voices in a fun learning environment.
We suggest that a child be at least 7 years old before beginning drum lessons. The student should be able to properly hold the sticks while also being able to reach the pedals and cymbals.
Students wishing to learn to play a woodwind instrument should be at least 9 years old because of the lung capacity required to play these instruments. Their fingers also need to be able to properly reach each key (and in some cases, completely cover a key) as well.
Since brass instruments also require a great deal of lung capacity, we recommend students wishing to learn to play these instruments be at least 9 years old.
Although some students begins learning violin as early as age 3, we suggest waiting until your child is at least 5 years old before pursuing this instrument.
The following information was paraphrased from an article written by Christopher Knighten in North Carolina Music Educator; Fall 2000 (pg.16).
The most significant benefit of private instruction is in the inherent modeling of musicianship a student receives during a private lesson with a professional musician. Regardless of the quality of instruction and the level of dedication of the student, an instrumentalist cannot improve without a vivid concept of good musicianship. Unlike the setting of group lessons, the private lesson is designed specifically for the individual student’s level of experience with his or her instrument. This allows the instructor to focus on the unique skills that the student needs to develop. Beyond the study of technique, private lessons offer students the wonderful opportunity to develop their own musicianship. Instructors can include time in each lesson to focus on solo literature, audition material, current repertoire an ensemble is preparing, music theory, or even jazz styles and improvisation. Above all else, students are offered an enhanced opportunity for success in their musical endeavors.
When learning how to play a musical instrument, the environment in which one learns is crucial. Lessons that take place at a home are hindered by distractions such as telephones, televisions, siblings, pets, and more. Most private lessons range between 30-60 minutes in length. Due to the short amount of time a lesson involves, it is imperative that distractions are at a minimum. Lessons that occur at a music school environment eliminate these potential distractions, while placing the focus of the lesson solely on learning music. Students are often also encouraged and compelled to practice when they hear other students their age playing other instruments or instruments like their own.
Practicing a musical instrument regularly can be a challenge for children and adults alike. Unfortunately, like most trades, mastery does not happen without a bit of hard work. Consistency is key in learning an instrument. Beginners and professionals must practice on a regular basis in order to increase or even maintain a certain level of musicianship. For beginners, we recommend a minimum of 20-30 minutes daily. Children younger than 8 years old may benefit from dividing these 20-30 minutes into 2-3 small segments. Often, it is even better to ask them to play a song or songs a certain number of times (usually 5-10 depending on length) rather than requiring 20-30 minutes. We recommend scheduling practice time at the same time each day so that it becomes part of a daily routine. Remember, consistency is key when learning a musical instrument.
For more hints, suggestions, and a table for keeping track of practice sessions, please read our guide on "How to Get Your Children to Practice."
