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Original poster

learning piano

30 replies

dexter · 11/01/2006 10:10

Can I have advice? I learnt (well, was learning till my son came along!) to play piano as an adult. Got to grade five and absolutely loved it. My son is three and a half.

I wish that I had learnt as a kid, because I think it's easier to learn then and it's bloody expensive paying for it now!

Does anyone teach piano, or is anyone's child having lessons? What is the best age to start? What should I look out for in a good teaching approach? Thanks!

OP posts:
Freckle · 11/01/2006 10:13

DS3 (age 7) is learning piano. He started at 6 which I think really is the earliest age. Prior to that, children tend not to have the concentration required. Although obviously it depends on the child.

When looking for a teacher, try to find one that has trained as a teacher as opposed to someone who merely teaches piano because they play themselves.

Original poster
dexter · 11/01/2006 10:25

thanks freckle. I had no idea at all re: the age thing. Six sounds sensible and also lets him have time to really settle into school before having another learning activity thrown at him.
Just out of interest, does your son enjoy his lessons and practice? Or do you have to cajole him into it?

OP posts:
julienetmum · 11/01/2006 11:21

They need to have started to read. Around 7 years old is ideal depending on the child. Dh has taught a 6 year old but it was just playing games on the piano and general musical training.

I don't know a huge amount about Suzuki but think that method is good with very young children.

snailspace · 11/01/2006 11:25

Message withdrawn

Bink · 11/01/2006 11:28

Ds started at 6.5. Agree that reading matters, as you've got to be able to handle "decoding" the written notes. Concentration - interesting one - ds has had concentration difficulties almost everywhere except piano - school suggested it as a way of helping his focus. But they had seen that he was/is very intensely responsive to music, so likely to work.

Adores his lessons, and I am still struggling to believe how keen he is to practice - we do it every evening (just ten mins) and he thinks it's a treat!!

Bink · 11/01/2006 11:32

Oh, another thing: size of hands. Ds is very big for his age and has enormous paws, so no problem there.

Original poster
dexter · 11/01/2006 14:20

thanks folks, this is really useful. My son is also big for age and could probably span an octave by next week the rate he grows!!! so should be ok on that!!

I'll definitely try to get the book about which instrument for which child - as he grows it'll be interesting to see how he goes but at the moment (3) he could probably only play drums, it being the only thing that makes a satisfactory amount of noise...

I will step right back from thinking about lessons I think in view of all that's been said about age. so thanks again everyone.

OP posts:
Beetrootfultoyourself · 11/01/2006 14:22

All mine started at 7 except for my daughter who atarted at 6. Good teaher is someone who i tained and loves kids. If ou have a music schoo nearby perhaps you coudl ask them

Enid · 11/01/2006 14:23

dd1 is keen to learn (6)

I bought her a recorder for xmas so she can start to get the hang of reading one line of music.

piano at 7 if she is still keen

HRHQueenOfQuelNoel · 11/01/2006 14:29

I would say they could start younger if they are really keen. There are lots of schemes out there which don't rely totally on having to read (and lets face it most children know 'shapes' (which is all notes are really) long before they can read words.

Also please don't restrict yourself only to 'trained' teachers - one of the best music teachers I ever had was someone who wasn't trained as a teacher - but merely played - the worse teacher I ever had was an organ teacher who had every letter under the sun after his name

Freckle · 11/01/2006 14:34

Do you now anyone else who plays? The best teachers are those who are recommended. DS3's teacher is quite young - she's just had her first baby, but is clearly used to dealing with children and their little ways. She's very good at cajoling DS3 when he's having an "off" day.

He will practise spontaneously at times. At others, I have to press quite hard to get him to even open the lid.

snailspace · 11/01/2006 14:49

Message withdrawn

SueW · 11/01/2006 15:12

Freckle, I'm having similar problem with DD. From someone who used to practise loads, knocking out a tune whenever she went near the piano, I think she has played in only once in the past few weeks and has been reluctant since last summer.

Perhaps it's just that she got out of the routine over the summer when we were away but she seems to have lost interest in both the piano and the violin, except when she has a friend round and they can play together.

kitegirl · 11/01/2006 22:09

Having the right teacher is everything. Some students may not respond very well to structured lessons, learning to read music, scales or theory, but may still be very musical. For example improvisation or playing by ear may keep them interested and motivated until the time is right to start nailing the theory. Personally I regret that my piano studies were so much about grades and exams and so little about making music and creativity. Musicality is innate and very much alive in the little ones and it really makes me sad when playing becomes yet another competition! Try to find a teacher who has a special interest in teaching children, maybe someone with a wide-ranging musical background as they are the ones who can make the lessons interesting week after week.

Hattie05 · 11/01/2006 22:23

snailspace, interesting thought about that book you mentioned in your first post, but i'm shocked by the stereotypical comment from book that children should be good or top of class at school to play piano!
I learnt to play from the age of five until 16 and thoroughly enjoyed it, only teenage embarrassment caused me to stop, now in adulthood i have started it again. But the only thing i was top of the class at was music! because it was the one thing i enjoyed.

My dd is only 3, and just beginning to recognise letters in books, we often have a play together on the piano and i discuss the music notes with her, i will continue doing this until the time may or maynot come when she shows no enjoyment anymore. If and when it seems appropriate i will offer to send her piano lessons.
I liken this to bilingual children. If a child learns another language within the home from birth, they will pick it up far faster than a 7 year old attending a French lesson once a week. Learning the languages simultaneously at the age you start to speak is fool proof. Trying to teach a child who only knows and understands one language can confuse them.
My theory ( i have no evidence yet ) is that a child can simultaneously learn to read language and music, assuming at least one parent can read music and help them to learn this.

I don't expect my dd will be able to play and read music any earlier than another child who has professional lessons, i just think that being surrounded by musical parents who talk about music must give a bit of basic knowledge to help the learning process.

Sorry for my waffle, does it make sense to anyone else?

SueW · 11/01/2006 22:33

Hattie you should read Tony Buzan to back up your theory! In "The Power of Creative Intelligence" he says that Beethoven, Mozart and Bach were all great musicians because they were born into a world of music - musical families who surrounded them with the language of notes in the same way other children are surrounded with language of words and encouragement, support and tuition all around them.

Plus lots of hard work - up to 18 hours a day.

Hattie05 · 11/01/2006 22:39

LOL thank you suew, i knew someone would have thought of it before me .

Not sure that dd is quite up to 18 hours a day yet, give her another year or so ...

Kittypickle · 11/01/2006 22:46

DD has just turned 7 and started last Easter. She wanted to learn and I was happy to let her have a go as she has dyspraxia and I had read that learning the piano can help. She concentrated more in her piano lessons than in school from what I can tell. Her piano teacher used to be a first school teacher and has made it really good fun for her. We have only just got a piano, it's a very knackered one from a local church that arrived by tractor last weekend, so up until now she hasn't been practising inbetween, but now seems fairly keen. Her progress has been pretty slow but she's now definitely reading music.

Hattie05 · 11/01/2006 22:48

Sorry kitty, i hope my post doesn't look as though i'm saying learning piano at 7 is rubbish - i don't mean that at all, just was trying to prove the book quote wrong, which your dd is also evidence of!

Kittypickle · 11/01/2006 22:50

No Hattie, I didn't think that at all I just thought I'd post in case anyone else had a child with dyspraxia and had been considering piano lessons.

snailspace · 11/01/2006 23:36

Message withdrawn

bobbybobbobbingalong · 12/01/2006 02:22

I teach a boy who is 4 and a lady who is in her sixties and everything in between.

I am very much in favour of the "being born into a world of music" approach, rather than the "okay you are six, time for lessons" approach.

The suzuki method (which I don't use) doesn't require reading for at least a couple of years, and so can be learnt early.

I just use ear training and memory, calling the notes from 1-8 and using a lot of imitation, improvisation on given notes, dozen a day exercises taught without reading, chords, playing in different styles, joining in different pieces within their ability level, using italian terms from the start so they learn what they mean by hearing them, rather than always having to translate, singing along, half an hour flys, and I certainly don't have any problems getting a 4 year old to stay focused for 30 minutes. It's very tiring for me though!

Ds has picked up a tremendous amount from hearing other kids lessons, and I have picked up heaps of techniques from the wonderfully talented ladies that run his music group. They also do music therapy, and I think this stops them from being too fixated on reading music and more into being able to participate in real music at your own level.

fairyglo · 12/01/2006 07:41

how do you find a teacher for eg the Suzuki method? I see the local music shop has a list (although none of them Suzuki) but it only gives names, qualifications (in some cases) and telephone number. How do you then pick the child-friendly ones? interviewing them all?!

bobbybobbobbingalong · 12/01/2006 08:27

I googled suzuki new zealand to find a list when I was looking into it.

Maybe you could ask at the music shop if they have any favourites.

tatt · 12/01/2006 08:49

my children had an excellent "music " teacher who taught song and basic rhythm - so they clapped in time and had some drums to bang. The oldest started keyboard at 9 but had already learnt to read music playing recorder. We've had different teachers because we moved - one was useless. A good teacher does make a real difference to willingness to practise. There were some good websites posted for finding teachers - do a search on mumsnet.