Starting music (piano)

505 Views 2 Replies 3 Participants Last post by Gracefulmom, Mar 31, 2006

BohoMama

Discussion Starter · Mar 30, 2006

Any piano-playing parents out there? Do you teach your own children?

I started learning at 5 from a professional teacher. (My parents don't play and couldn't teach me, and this teacher was, well, very special in the best way.) The teacher said that 5 is the minimum age for starting music lessons.

Is there anything worthwhile I could teach a 3.5 yo boy who seems to have a good ear and an interest in music?

Are there good books out there on teaching kids?

p.s. I don't play and sing little ditties. I play only classical music and find myself unable to sing and play at the same time when I try, for example, Xmas carols. Right brain/left brain miscommunication, probably coupled with rusting of the neurons that might have been capable of learning these skills at a more tender age.

Thanks.
Melinda

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eirual

· #2 · Mar 30, 2006

at 3.5 i think i'd just mess around with him and have some fun...let him explore....do a littl 'do-re-me" scale. teach him that knuckle song (where you use a fist to play the black keys...know what i'm talking about? if not, let me knowand i'll go into mre detail). i don't think he needs to be getting technical. i mean, maybe some middle C action and learn that going to the left the notes go low, and going to the right they get higher....play off his cues, if he catches on quck and wants to know more then give lessons a go if you want. I don't remember what the books i used when i was little were called, but i'm sure you can find an appropriate one at any book or music store.

HAVE FUN!

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Gracefulmom

· #3 · Mar 31, 2006

I'm trained as a music teacher... working now as a homeschooling mom.

I do teach my 4(almost 5) and 8 yo piano, but would have to say 4 is quite young to start. We started her with a book series called Music for Little Mozarts that has a CD and workbook along with the lesson book. We're taking it really slow, enjoying all the great activities -- coloring to music, learning about quiet and loud, low and high sounds, marching to a beat. She enjoys it and often asks when her next lesson will be. Having said that, though, it's nothing you couldn't do just by playing music in your home and letting your child play around with instruments.

My 8 yo started piano lessons when she was 5, and she's just now really starting to "take off".

But they both started lessons when they asked for them.

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