1. HOW YOUNG IS TOO YOUNG - STARTING AT THE RIGHT AGE
Adults can start any instrument at any time. We have taught beginners in their 60’s and 70’s.
For children, starting private lessons 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. Many parents want their children to start private instruction at 5 years of age or even earlier. Depending on the child, this can be very stressful. Kindergarten is already stressful with new rules, new friends, and new teachers. At a time when children are learning through a brain body connection, having them sit still in a lesson for 30 minutes may not be the best path to take. They are still learning through movement.

If a child is put into lessons too soon, feelings of frustration may make them want to discontinue. Their first private instruction experience is crucial to their continuation and enjoyment of music making! Just waiting a year to begin lessons will bring quicker progress and a much more fun experience. Children who are older than the suggested earliest starting age tend to learn complicated concepts more quickly, progress faster and stick with music lessons longer than their younger
counterparts.

0-3 years Mommy/daddy & Me Group mommy/daddy and me music classes are a wonderful way to start. From the moment we are born, synapsis are fromed in the brain, that if stimulated, will increase a child’s aptitude for music. If these are not used, they disappear. Singing to/with your child is as important as talking to/with your child.

3 - 4 years Music and Movement. If a pre-schooler has a keen desire and wants to start music, a group music and movement class will give them a good foundation in music basics which will be helpful in later private lessons. 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 games, play and a movement oriented preschool environment.

5-6 years Music Fundamentals “pick and instrument!”We have music and movement classes for 5-6 year olds that involve intros to piano and violin as well as reading/writing rhythms and important music fundamentals. This ensures a strong and positive private lesson experience.

Guitar - Acoustic, Electric and Bass-7 or 8 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 small hands and may find playing uncomfortable. Bass guitar students generally are 10 years old and older.

Voice Lessons-10 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. For children younger than 10, we have a children’s singing class (ages 6-9) that teaches them how to use their voices properly, in a fun, relaxed environment.

Flute, Clarinet & Saxophone-Due to lung capacity (and in the case of the saxophone the size of the instrument), we recommend that most woodwind beginners are 9 and older.

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. For the 5-6 year old, we recommend considering our group music fundamentals class that involve intros to piano and violin as well as reading/writing rhythms and important music fundamentals. This ensures a strong and positive private lesson experience.

 Trumpet-The trumpet requires physical exertion and lung power. 9 years and older is a good time to start the trumpet.

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.

A professional school environment also ensures playing or performing opportunities and a chance to hear other students as well. 

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: Here is a short list of ideas.

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.

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.

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.