Suzuki piano vs traditional methods - Which to choose???

[Mamasjoy]

Hi everyone,

My 5 year old son (won't be 6 till May) will be starting piano this month. The only problem is that we're still not sure whether we should take the Suzuki route or the traditional. I have spoken to teachers of both methods and have done a bit of internet research on both methods, which just leaves me more confused. I'm leaning toward Suzuki, but from what I understand, I will learning right along with my son and will need to sit with him to practice daily. Realistically, I don't know if I could do that since I have an 11 month old and a 3 year old.

I thought the best thing would be to ask those whose children have taken one or the other (or both) and ask what are the advantages and disadvantages of each. When I mentioned to the Suzuki teacher that I'm concerned about the delayed note reading, she assured me that her students are note reading by book 2 (after about 2 years).

We need to make a decison by this week as lesson time slots are filling up fast.

Thanks.

[BellinghamCrunchie]

We haven't taken both. We are doing Suzuki.

Honestly, I don't think the method matters nearly as much as the teacher. Our first attempt at Suzuki was with a teacher who was a little more hardnosed, had lessons at her house, was particular about the furniture staying clean, child having perfectly clean hands on the piano, etc. Her style was friendly but wasn't flexible enough for a 4-year-old's attention span. The child was expected to stay focused for an hour. So we didn't continue.

The second Suzuki teacher is a wonder. Her style fits very well with our style. Instead of forcing the child to stay on task and pay attention, when DD's attention wanders, the teacher will change tactics or go to another topic or stop and play a while with DD, incorporating whatever music she can into the play. When DD gets tired of being on the piano, she gets out her music box and they play clapping to the beat, or she gets out her puppets. She tries hard to keep music fun and not a chore. She put a sticker right over middle C because DD seemed to need it. She also comes out to our house because she believes the child learns best in their home.

Whichever method you choose, you will have to sit in during the lessons because your little one will need your presence to practice. He won't remember what to practice and you will have to show him. You can also expect his practice times, at that age, to be broken up into five minute intervals four times a day rather than sitting for 20 minutes solid. You can also expect, probably, to have to be on alert for times during the day when the child seems ready to practice and times when he's just not into it. So its good to be very flexible. At his age I don't see any way the parent isn't going to have to be heavily involved.

Edited to add: Oh, I see he is almost 6, not the 3 year old. Lol. A 6 year old can probably practice for 20 minutes straight, or 2 10 minute periods, and might not need the parent's presence quite so much, but still will need some.

[Super Pickle]

My 6 yo DS is in traditional piano and Suzuki violin. He likes the traditional lessons more but he has learned so much more in Suzuki. The traditional lessons require much less parental involvement. Consider the following:

LESSON TIME
Traditional: One private lesson a week. I drive 2 minutes to the teacher's house (traditional piano teachers can be found in almost any neighborhood) and drop him off. I read a book in the car or walk the dog for 30 minutes while he's in his lesson.
Suzuki: One private lesson a week and one group lesson a week followed by a reading class. I am expected to attend every lesson, participate, and take notes. The nearest Suzuki teacher is 15 minutes away, and the group lesson is 20 minutes away.

PRACTICE TIME
Traditional: He can practice anytime, whether I'm available to help him or not. Sometimes I help (usually the first night after a lesson), but often I don't.
Suzuki: I have to do every practice session with him.

PERFORMANCE COMMITMENTS
Traditional: One recital per year
Suzuki: Three recitals per year for the overarching school that sponsors the group lessons, one recital for his private teacher's studio, and several group performances throughout the year
ETA: Although my sons have made amazing developments in Suzuki, I have not been very happy with it because of the commitment required of me (I also have a baby), and also because our teacher sounds a lot like Bellingham Crunchie's first teacher. Our traditional piano teacher is also trained in the Suzuki method, and sounds like BC's currrent teacher. Guess which one the kids like more? Guess which lessons they look forward to?

[zeldamomma]

I have one child taking traditional piano lessons, and am starting another child in suzuki violin. Both teachers are warm and wonderful (and friends, actually).

I am very happy with the traditional method for my older dd in piano-- she is the "dive right in" type, and Suzuki's careful, measured approach would make her crazy. Her teacher has been teaching piano for years, and knows a lot of different methods of teaching. She tailors the lessons to the child, but has the traditional expectation that kids will start reading music fairly soon. The goal of my daughter's traditional lessons is to help her learn to play piano as well as possible.

On the other hand, my younger dd likes to ease into things slowly, and I think Suzuki will be ideal for her. Interestingly, Suzuki is a slower, gentler approach, but, because there's a very specific ideology behind it, it seems to be a more rigid approach in some ways. I think the structure will be a positive for my younger dd too, she likes to know what is expected. The goal of my daughter's Suzuki teacher is to help my daughter grow as person through learning to play violin.

If I were to start taking lessons, I'd want traditional lessons, but I'm more like my older dd than my younger one in learning style. I can see value in both approaches.

ZM

[flapjack]

With seriousness, your son will get more out of his lessons if you get involved in his practice time. If you can't commit to finding half an hour every other day to help him practice, maybe this isn't the right time for your son to be learning right now and you should wait a year.

At six, I'd jump in to traditional methods. I know several suzuki-trained musicians who did very well, but the general consensus seems to be that it works better starting younger.

I will say that as a piano teacher myself, I model washing hands before I sit down at the piano for my students. My piano is my pride and joy, I treat it with respect, which means keeping the mud and grub and grease and chocolate and all the other debris of life off the keys. I haven't met a kid yet that has taken offence to this idea, though I have several parents who think it's hilarious when they look at the rest of the house.

[lindberg99]

My kids took traditional piano lessons. My nephews do Suzuki. I don't think I could do Suzuki. I was always at piano lessons with all 3 kids so during one's lessons, I would have the other one and my pre-schooler. I would not have been able to sit during the lessons and take notes like my SIL does for her children (she is able to leave one at home with BIL). I needed the teacher to write things down for my children.

I also couldn't afford the two lessons a week (one private and one group) schedule she does and I know I would not sit down and supervise their practice every day like she does. Additionally, we have a digital piano. Suzuki requires a regular piano. I don't want a regular piano and sure don't want to spend $$$$ just so my children can take Suzuki lessons.

Now, this is just my experience through talking to SIL. I don't know if their Suzuki experience is typical or not.

About the handwashing, I would not see it as a big deal to have a piano teacher require my children to wash their hands before a lesson. Children's hands can get pretty grimy! I made my kids wash theirs before we went and would make them wash again at the teacher's if they were coughing or sneezing or had a snack in the car.

[Super Pickle]

Washing hands is of course very important. Not only would it be plain rude and gross to touch a piano with dirty hands, it also prevents the spread of germs. I always remind my sons to wash their hands before practice and lessons, and if we have to go straight from school, we ask the teacher if we can use her powder room.

But BC's comment about her first teacher requiring perfectly clean hands didn't strike me as complaining about hand washing. A teacher can make hand washing part of the routine or remind children gently without expressing disapproval. I imagined the teacher subtly reprimanding a child for having dirt under his fingernails. It's about control--how much control over the child does the teacher insist upon having, and how willing is she to accept that kids are kids.

[pinky]

I would echo the PP who said that it has more to do with the specific teacher than with the method used.

We started with Suzuki and (at least in the hands of our teacher) wasn't a good fit for my dd. There were things that I loved...all the listening and playing by ear was a GREAT fit for my dd. However, she would sit down at the piano and start picking out pieces that she wasn't "ready" for--finally the teacher said that I would need to sit with her at the piano at all times, and that I shouldn't "let" her play pieces that weren't on her practice list. I couldn't fathom preventing her from exploring, especially since it was so fun and exciting for her! This was coupled with the fact that the practicing was pretty intense (30-40 minutes 6 days a week, plus her lesson day) and there was a LOT of repetition (which I understand, but playing the same piece 6 times at one sitting every day was a bit much). Anyway, while I appreciate the emphasis on careful development of technique, it undermined my dd's JOY for playing, so it just wasn't working for us.

She is now 8 and taking traditional lessons and that's working very well, though again it has a lot to do with her wonderful teacher.

good luck!