Music Teachers? Others? How do I help DS1 practice?

[NotQuiteCockney]

DS1 has been playing recorder since September. He's only recently been actually interested in practicing at home. School are having a presentation about 'how to help your child practice' but helpfully, I can't make it.

So - we have pieces he's meant to play. He tries to play them. He flubs them. How do I help?

Bumping for you. DS1 started violin last term and will not practice, except under duress and with a face like a slapped arse.

You take a look and see where he's going wrong. Or just listen. Oh, sod it, just say

COUNT!

very loudly every few minutes. Failure to do that is the usual problem...

Oh, and if he's squeaking horribly, make sure his fingers are covering the holes properly.

Is he putting the wrong fingers down for the notes or getting the rhythm wrong? For the former, practise small chunks seperately, for the latter try clapping the tune first.

How old is he? Might getting another recorder and you playing along too help?

Do it very slowly. Practice awkward rhythms and fingerings over a few times before trying the whole phrase. Don't always start at the beginning. Clap rhythms out first.

The main thing really is not to just play through things but to repeat a few bars over and over, especially the ones where he is making errors.

He's 6. The errors he's making are:

• not counting, losing track
• playing the wrong duration of note (quaver vs whatever the other ones are called here)
• playing the wrong note
• not covering the whole fully, so he squeaks

Getting another recorder isn't a bad idea ...

I do get him to repeat bars, or at least lines, that he's struggling with, I'll try going down to bars.

Same age as dd then ans she makes similar errors.

Slow it right down and mnake him clap the rhythms. If he doesn;t cover the holes properly get him to practice just changing between two notes in the piece eg B G until he gets it right then play just thatr bar with those two notes in.

Also get him to vocalise the rhythm, wether by counting 1 and 2 3 4 or by using Ta, tah, te te tah

Tah = crotchet
Te Te = quaver
Tah ah = minim etc