Piano related: 8 year old son can't read music

[Italianasoitis]

I can't play an instrument, neither can my husband. Our 8 year old has been taking piano lessons since Year 1. I had a baby in the middle of this and for a while, practise went out the window. We resumed daily practise and in June, he did the prep test.

We live abroad and I don't know if that had anything to do with this, but the piano teacher always writes the numbers under the musical notes. When presented with music to read, he cannot play it. He learns everything by heart and plays like that.

His teacher thinks that reading the notes will come with time and the most important thing is that he had an ear for music and can play the tunes well once he knows them. I always have a feeling that her methods are a bit inconsistent (he doesn't follow a book, just sheets she sends home). Maybe this is OK, I really don't know!

My son also does Simply Piano ad an alternative for of piano practise and on the advice of another music teacher, we sometimes ask him to make up his own tunes to get a feel for composing. He seems to have an aptitude for it, but I feel like I'm trying to help him do his homework in another language!

Do you think he should be able to read music enough to just play what's in front of him, or will that come in time? How can we support him when we have no musical knowledge? Are there any red flags we should be looking out for in a teacher? I would consider changing her but I work in the school where she has her lessons so it might be a bit awkward without a really good reason!

Thanks

You will get different opinions on this. I think that music is worth doing for its own sake and because the skills it teaches you are really enriching and help with all sorts of other things, so the most important thing is that he's enjoying it. Reading music is useful but not really a musical skill - it's a reading skill.

If you want him to do well in exams, become a professional musician, or 'achieve' in music then he probably should learn to read it, but if he hates that aspect of it I would carry on focusing on the bits he does like, especially for now.

It’s a useful skill to have for a piano player, but there are musicians who don’t read music (I think Paul McCartney can’t / couldn’t?)

Not reading music will put him at a disadvantage if he ever wants to play with / accompany others, but if he’s happy just playing independently then may not matter. I think I’d be encouraging his teacher to work on this with him, though.

The fact is that I don't know how effective she is as a music teacher. She is a very nice lady but I, as a complete novice to all things music, have absolutely no idea if she is a good piano teacher. That's why I've posted.

Thank you. Do you think it will come in time, through exposure? My husband says we could just let him teach himself via the Simply Piano app and save the money spent on the teacher, but thought proper training would be better. Maybe he's right, I'm not sure.

Well that's it, I want my son to look back and be glad he learned to read music because of all the doors it opened for him. I just don't want him to look back and say 'why didn't you push me to learn it properly, now I can't do xyz'

You sound pushy, your child is so young. Let them lead.

How is your son with maths?

He could have dyscalculia as it affects a person's ability to read sheet music, as music theory is basically just maths.

If he loves his lessons and is practicing okay just let them get on with it. Instilling a real love of playing is what’s important, the exams are months and months of banging away at the same piece. Nothing is more guaranteed to turn a child off. If you want the UCAS points later he can do the exams in his teens.

I’m a music teacher, classroom
based now but have taught piano from ages 3. It’s complicated, is there something preventing your son learning the notes? Any SEN? Why does she write the numbers on. If not, I’d honestly be really shocked that a child having piano lessons for that long and has sat a prep test cannot read the notes. Honestly, my students read the notes from lesson one learning to read a middle C in treble and bass. I always used a child tutorial book too.

Suzuki method might be helpful. But even they will eventually teach notation and theory.

In the uk you can learn an instrument and not take the exams, if that’s an option. Takes the pressure off.

I play the cello and whilst I read music I do tend to ‘read’ the notes as finger positions. Perhaps this is how your son sees notation.

I think it's fine to let him not read music but you are paying for this teacher to teach him how to play the piano and unless she's an expert jazz pianist and teaching him how to riff etc then her job also involves teaching him technique and read music. There's only so far numbers under the notes can get you because at some point he'll need to move his hand.

I am not pushy. I am asking if a child who has been doing piano lessons for 3 years should be able to read music by now or not. I'm trying to work out the best thing to do for my son. If I let him lead at everything he would never go to school, would never look at his reading books or do his homework and would spend all day watching unboxing videos on YouTube and eating Coco Pops. Give over.

Do you mean he literally has no idea what the notes mean, or that he can't read fluently enough to read and play?

If you want him to take exams, then he'll have to be able to read fluently enough for the sight reading section of the exam. If he just wants to play for himself, then it doesn't matter. I can read music, but it's fairly laboured these days (I'm out of practice!) Any piece I play well I have always learned by heart.

Great question. He is OK at maths, better than I was at his age but it's not his strongest point. I think I have dyscalcula actually.

This sums up the issue very well. Learning to read music is a large part of learning to play an instrument.

Definitely want him to love it and really enjoy playing intrinsically.

Ps would you consider taking a course of lessons yourself? It's not rocket science learning to read music, and play simple tunes on a piano, but it would help you understand the whole process. Plus, it's addictive!

I don't understand what you mean by numbers, there aren't numbers on the keys? I think that yes, he does need to know what the notes are, I can't see how else you can play other than by ear in which case you wouldn't have music at all.
I started learning piano as an adult and was immediately taught how to read the music. I feel it's a basic element of lessons.

Thank you. This is what I was wondering. No SEN. I don't know why she is writing them on.

Letters corresponding to the note under each key I could understand for very young children. But numbers - that's just bizarre. And confusing.

I almost wonder if it would be worth getting him to learn something where he only has to deal with one clef at a time?

My husband suggested this actually!

Re the numbers. I don't know what they mean but think they have something to do with finger placement. The teacher doesn't refer to notes by their letter name but literally do, re, me, fa, so la...(think Sound of Music). We are in Italy so think it's different here. Again, no idea!

I learned to read music alongside learning two instruments and singing in a choir. One day I just realised I could do it. I was a lot older than eight - had probably been doing music more formally for a couple of years, but started at 11 so it probably came quicker. Also, a lot more to think about with piano - two hands, two staves, two different clefs. Really, it's fine