The following are guidelines to help you have a successful, rewarding, experience in learning an instrument. We have arrived at these conclusions after many years of teaching hundreds of students.
Of course adults can start an instrument at any time. The real determination of success is the ability and willingness to commit to practicing. Although chances for fame may be slim, students in their 60's and even 70's can start an instrument and find it an enjoyable and rewarding experience. It can be a great way to have fun and stay sharp during the golden years.
For children, starting at the right age is key to the success of their lessons. The sooner the better isn't always right for an optimal learning experience. Waiting until the child has reached the right age greatly improves the odds of success.
For guitar lessons we recommend waiting until 7 years of age. In some cases where the desire is great, we will do a 10 minute evaluation of a younger student to see if they are physically and mentally ready to start. The size of the instrument is also a factor in learning the guitar. There are child-size acoustic guitars, which would be suggested for the small beginner. An electric guitar is easier to handle (less bulky) than an acoustic, and the tension on the strings is also lighter than on an acoustic. Therefore, contrary to popular belief, we encourage starting on an electric when the child is leaning that direction. The skills developed on one guitar will directly translate to the other. Due to the larger size of a bass guitar we recommend waiting until 10 years old before beginning. Until that time, learning on a standard 6 string would be an excellent starting point.
At the age of 5 some children are able to pay attention well enough to begin piano. As with all instruments the desire of the student is critical. Physically the piano is less demanding than most other instruments and therefore is a great starting place. Musical knowledge learned while studying the piano translates to other instruments that one may choose to pick up at a later time.
9 years of age would be our recommendation for starting vocal lessons. Due to the physical nature of the voice, the younger body is generally not ready for the rigors of vocal training i.e. proper breathing techniques, developing lung capacity, etc. For children younger than 9, we would recommend singing in groups at church or school.
Usually 8 years of age would be about right for beginning drums. This can vary quite a bit depending on the size of the child. Being able to reach both the pedals and the cymbals is the main physical concern. Mentally, the concentration developed by the time a child reaches 8 years of age is enough to provide success for the motivated student. An evaluation would be recommended before starting a student younger than 8.
Due to the lung capacity demands and sometimes the size of the instrument, we recommend that most woodwind and brass players be 9 or older. A younger child can learn note recognition and rhythms by starting on piano or guitar and pick-up a woodwind or brass instrument when they are ready.
We recommend 5 years as the youngest age for beginning violin. Some teachers accept students younger than 5, but our experience has shown that significantly better results are obtained by waiting until at least 5. For other strings like the cello and bass violin it would be best to wait until the teenage years due to the larger size and extra difficulty of the instrument.
You don't have to be a great musician to perform. A student with only a few months of dedicated practice should be able to play at least one simple song from start to finish. It doesn't have to be a difficult piece. The experience of performing builds the student's confidence and creates the desire to tackle even more challenging material. A well-rounded musical program will include performance opportunities in the way of recitals, outdoor concerts, and other occasional events throughout the year.
Group lessons work well for beginners to get exposed to an instrument, and to let parents know the desire level and practice habits of the child. Band and seminar situations obviously require a group. However when actually learning how to play an instrument, private lessons are undeniably superior since the student has the undivided attention of the instructor. Also, the student can progress at his or her own pace, with extra time being spent on the individual student's desires and weaknesses. The pressure of having to keep up with other students, or the frustration of having to wait for other students who may not have even practiced their lesson can be very discouraging. With private lessons, progress is expedited and the student gets a customized lesson providing him with the knowledge he wants and needs.
Of course there are many very good musicians that never studied their instrument formally. Some have learned by ear or picked up knowledge from friends along the way. But to be able to properly teach someone else, there should be a certain level of formal education that has been achieved. This way you know the instructor has taken the time to train in the field that they teach. You probably wouldn't want your child's school to employ just anyone who says they know a lot about Math or English. You'd want some type of assurance that they have mastered their subject. It is just as important when learning music to have fully qualified teachers. With children, knowing how to relate at their level and keep them motivated is just as important as being knowledgeable on the instrument. A good school will choose from a pool of many potential instructors, saving you the time and trouble of searching for a well qualified, professional teacher. In a music academy, the lessons are not just a hobby or sideline for the teacher but a career and responsibility, which is taken very seriously.
Not only is it necessary to have a qualified teacher, but also having an optimal learning environment is very important. With ½ to 1 full hour of lesson time per week, a professional school environment can produce better results since all of the time is focused on learning music and all of the tools and materials necessary are already in place. Although a traveling teacher sounds like a good idea for convenience sake, the reality is that there are distractions like phones, pets, or other kids which sometimes make concentrating difficult. It is also common during a lesson to have a situation come up where a specific problem needs to be addressed. With a complete library of musical materials readily available a teacher can address the problem immediately rather than putting it off until the next week. Hearing peers who are at different levels of progress can also inspire students.
As in all things, improvement in music takes practice. One of the main problems with studying an instrument is the drudgery of practicing and the fight between students and parents that ensues. How to make practice easier:
- Time - Set the same time each day to practice so that it becomes a routine or habit. This is especially good for children but works for adults too. The earlier in the day that this happens the more likely the practice will not be put off until tomorrow.
- Repetition - This method works quite well when setting practice schedules for beginners. For a younger person 20 or 30 minutes may seem like an eternity. Therefore instead of a time frame we suggest repetition. For example do this song 4 times each day and this scale 5 times a day. Then the clock is not the enemy, as soon as the work gets done (correctly) the child is free.
- Rewards - Children respond well to rewards. As parents we can reward the child by saying when your practice is complete you can have x number of minutes on the PlayStation or other coveted activity. As teachers we sometimes will use stickers or more importantly, the praise of the teacher "Excellent job, keep it up" can be the best reward. For adults, usually a nice cup of java or other beverage will make the experience a little more rewarding.
In conclusion, playing a musical instrument should be an enjoyable experience, not a stress inducer. There will be times, usually at the end of the term for children, or a big project at work for adults, when the student will not able to practice. The goal is to learn at your own pace, not at the pace your friend or idol learned. As long as you know that you want to learn the instrument and that you are giving it your attention as much as is realistically possible, then you are being successful. The fun is the journey.
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