Daily Practice (musical instruments)

[ANightingaleSang]

How did you support your child with daily musical instrument practice?

I am planning on starting Suzuki violin with my DC when she is quite young.

When I was learning I used to be very hit and miss, some weeks I'd barely practice and others I would spend several hours a day.

How do you make sure practice is consistent in your home? For example, do you practice at ? specific times or had success with reward charts? How involved were you with daily practice early on?

Thank you 🙂

Every weekday morning after breakfast 650-720

After school does not work for us.

Mine does his during his time before bed. After his story. He's not someone who falls asleep easily and he is not a morning person to say the least. He's 7 for context

You played violin at 6.50am? I hope you live in a grand mansion far from your neighbours 🤣

I didn't bother.
Like you, I was very sporadic with practice and still managed to get a music degree and a performance diploma. Don't make it a chore. If your child enjoys playing enough to ant to become a professional musician then they will practise enough.

We don't insist she practices for very long but it has to be every day except one when she is out late for a sport. We do it before she can read her book or watch TV so she's motivated to get it done. We can't practice before school as it would be too early to subject the neighbours to it. It is hard going at first but a few years in it sounds lovely now and she enjoys playing.

My DS is 17 and has been playing violin for 10 years.Have always struggled to get the practice thing right- bribery, incentives, rewards, bargaining and more or less gave up bothering to influence. Recently decided to work for his Grade 8. Teacher has lent him a £££ bow in return for 15 mins practice a day and it's working. 5 week streak!

Yeah we're the same. I practiced because I wanted to. DS has lessons at school and at a local music group through the week but outside of that I leave it up to him, if he doesn't want to practice he doesn't. It doesn't really matter how good he is, I just want him to enjoy it.

Before school also worked best for us....no mansion sadly but we are detached.

After homework, before screens. Build the habit early.

10-15 mins when young, 3-4 times a week. As they progress it needs to increase

Thanks for the replies. Music has always been a huge part of my life. I would like to encourage my DD to play for as long as she is interested and enjoys it. When she is older I will leave it down to her how much or how often she practices (within reason, because I won't pay for lessons if she Never practices!).

The big question on my mind is how to establish a routine when she is younger (I'm talking below 6 years of age). I would like to help put on place a routine that she can then choose to continue. Would you suggest incorporating it into play and not even calling it practice? Or using things such a colouring in charts etc as an incentive. I'm really interested in strategies for motivating and encouraging very young children. Please let me know if you found something that worked 🙂

One of my DSs practises a lot, the other is very hit and miss and is impervious to bribes. So I think it depends on the child!

Close parental supervision is a big part of it at that age. Especially with Suzuki, the parent is very involved.

I would make it as regular a part of the routine as brushing teeth. Same place in the timetable every day, don't countenance arguments. You want her to develop the understanding that practice is something that we just do, it's not negotiable. Be prepared that they might not like practising because it's hard, but they are learning that we can do difficult things with perseverance and the rewards are lovely.

Definitely sticker charts, and lots of praise. You will need bucketloads of patience for yourself.

We ask for ten mins a day, even if it’s just scales, unless she has a clan. She normally does it after dinner.

We tried all the things and our dc was resistant until about 6. We did a bit of music every day, most consistently through prodigies music. Any pressure exerted at the age was met with enormous resistance. Since primary school there have been formal lessons and small amounts of practice fitted in every day. Mostly before school. Again there was a lot of resistance until such a level was achieved (past grade 1) where they started to feel some competence and they were playing more fun stuff.

@melchim Thank you. I followed the Suzuki books using a violin I borrowed from the music room cupboard. I could already read music at that point and my mother wasn't interested so it wasn't the true Suzuki approach. I always wished my parents had been interested in my music (it skipped a generation) and would like to give my DD that opportunity. I hope she takes to it. I don't want to push her but I'm sure she will need some healthy encouragement.

Out of interest, what kind of rewards did you give for sticker charts? I am so new to this, I have no idea what is appropriate!!

@Sneakybusiness thank you. That's really interesting, and worth keeping in mind. I think regular concerts to an audience of teddies may become part of our daily routine.

DD has been doing violin Suzuki method (in theory) for 3yrs. The most she's done practice wise is what she does now, 1 lesson a week, 1 group session, 2 practices at home, which is a condition for her pocket money! They kids I know that properly follow the method have the violins out in the bathroom and do it there after brushing teeth! To be fair they are way ahead of my DD. But I'm not fussed.

I think the most important thing is that the child wants to do it.

We never had to bribe or force DS to practice piano. He just did because he enjoyed it. The lessons were all his idea, not driven by us.

DD tried lessons, didn't enjoy it and stopped. The end.

Rewards can just be whatever she's into. But also she might be motivated just by the stickers. Or she gets one big glittery sticker every ten practices.