Kids & piano lessons

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

This is something I feel quite strongly about - music lessons are not a luxury item! Music tuition is associated with higher attainment at school, it is believed to help develop mathematical skills, discipline, dedication, co-ordination, reasoning and communication, and most importantly, it gives great pleasure! If someone can play a musical instrument, no matter how bad things get, they always have the option of putting on a few woolies and busking for an afternoon. It's a skill that gives far in excess of a couple of hundred pound a year's value.

I would live on boiled rice before taking away my kids' access to music.

I understand that not everyone feels this way, but to me, it's non negotiable. Animals get fed, kids get music.

And my DDs practice on keyboard. A piano just isn't going to happen, as I'm a) in a 3rd floor flat b) not going to cause that much disturbance to the neighbours c) Not going to chuck out my bed in order to fit it somewhere

Both sets of piano teachers are happy for them to practice on a keyboard, because when the alternative is no practice, a keyboard is perfectly acceptable to them.

Find someone nice, who is not so prescriptive/dismissive of what you can or cannot do at such a young age. It should be for fun at 5 years old, so I'd shy away from someone whose main focus is grades, grades, grades at this point. Later on you can look at changing, but for now you don't want to put her off music lessons for ever.

pinkshoes

You need to find a teacher that is good with young children. My first teacher was horrible, and nearly put me off for life!

Also, a piano is recommended, or a keyboard with weighted keys at the very least.

I started lessons aged 9, and am very pleased my parents made me have lessons!

moggylover

conradmum wrote: »

Suzuki teachers will take them that young, and would prefer to take them younger. However, they would say that you have to have a 'real', good quality piano to practise on.

Well, tbh - I would always avoid such music snobs as these! Access to making music is far more important than the quality of the instrument used to learn.

My son has an old (beautiful) and adequate piano we bought on impulse (we were actually looking for pokemon cards :rotfl: ) at a car boot fair, £80 delivered. The first tuner who came out to tune if for me (who does Eisteddfod pianos and so forth) was exactly the type of music snob that I detest. Took one look at the piano and pronounced it unworthy of the effort of tuning and tried to get me to buy another through him, and then had the audacity to charge me for coming out to offer this sales pitch - no return business for him there then;) .

The second gentleman that came was prepared to "have a go" although he said he could not guarantee the results! At the end he expressed himself quite impressed with how well it had turned out and the lovely tone it had once tuned - and that he could see plus points in starting on this old piano as it has a heavy keyboard action which will strengthen the fingers. It doesn't hold its tune quite as long as it should - but does not go far out of tune either - and is tuned at slightly shorter intervals than a better/newer piano would

The alternative would have been to carry on using the keyboard which my son had already received for Christmas - and whilst that would have been okay - I wanted him to have a piano if I possibly could, and if I could fit it in.

I do not consider music lessons to be a luxury - they are an opportunity that should be explored if at all possible if your child expresses an interest, and pursued (without undue pressure) if that child shows an aptitude. My son knows that he might get less of other things in order to pay for his lessons - he wants his lessons, and is doing really well!
I admit that the obsession with grades bugs me as well:mad: I wanted only that he made music for the love of making it: not to pass exams - but his teacher wanted him to try, and so he has, and he is quite enjoying them (although not the theory one he is currently on) but then he likes to "judge" his progress so the exams probably allow him to do this.

Every single thing that young people get the chance to learn is an opportunity - and sometimes the window for exploring that opportunity is small - I always try to grab those opportunities for my kids - even if it means going without other non-essentials to do so!

I'd rather go without holidays, for instance, than prevent them learning something new.:D

Ms-Pacman

I started playing piano at the age of 4 on a very old paiano in the house and started graded piano at teh age of 7.

I now teach piano not as main job more of a sideline and tend to do home visits so the child feeds more comfy at home, and charge the same rate. Quite a lot of teachers do that so you might want to consider home teaching.

If the child is new to learning piano, there is no need to get a big piano maybe start with an electronic one with weighted keys instead - prices start about £75 for a decent one from most large retailers (toysrus, argos, etc) as you don't need to have to pay hundreds. Of course I prefer pianos but there is nothing wrong with electronic ones especially with tight budgets. Yo can always buy a better one if your child decides he/she wants to continue learning.

I found from the kids I used to teach as well as now that the majority like home visits and use electronic keyboards as most flats / houses these days youd never get a piano in there!

Try your local music shop as well as you tend to get teachers listed there and you might find a second hand piano / keyboard as well.

Try not to go over the top in biuying music as it is expensive and if you are after a particular one ask your teacher if she / he can get it anywhere cheaper as you'd be surprised what you can find. Ebay is also good for cheap sheet music.

2cats1kid

My nephew started at 5, so it can be done, although my DD's school won't let them start till year 2, so rising 7. She actually started violin at 6 and piano at 8, and is doing really well and aiming for a musical career.

We opted for the best digital piano we could afford as we didn't know enough about pianos to avoid the duds out there, didn't want to have to tune it every time we moved it (as we were decorating the rooms it might possibly live in) and the one we have is as near a real piano as you can get. What it also has is lots of voices, e.g. she can make it sound like a synthesiser, strings, etc. which is a bonus when she is fed up with practising as she can play High School Musical and Abba and stuff on one of the different voices and it's more fun for her than playing on a piano. It also has record and playback, so she can listen back to something to see how she is getting on, and the best bit is it has headphones so when she is doing a grade we don't have to listen to the same thing 84,000 times like we do with her violin.

Ms-Pacman

"and the best bit is it has headphones so when she is doing a grade we don't have to listen to the same thing 84,000 times like we do with her violin."

Yes, a few of the mums whose kids I teach would agree with you on this one!

ailuro2

Our DD has lessons at school, started when she was 8, the teacher said it was fine to practise on a keyboard at home, and it is easier to keep the neighbours happy ( the last ppl who lived in our house had a piano and the sound travelled terribly)
We had a full size keyboard already, not a toy one, the keys are the same size, so octaves are the same hand-span away.

Once she is older I'd consider an electric piano, but she'd have to really be taking it seriously to shell out the high amounts of money they cost.

conradmum

moggylover wrote: »

Well, tbh - I would always avoid such music snobs as these! Access to making music is far more important than the quality of the instrument used to learn.

Sorry, I haven't read all your post, but I just wanted to say it isn't snobbery, it's to do with Suzuki theory. To put it far too simply than I should, they believe whatever you put in will influence the output. So if a baby constantly hears its mother singing out of tune, it'll learn to sing out of tune. Or if I grow up in a certain region of the country, I'll speak with that region's accent. If you play on a substandard instrument, you'll learn to produce substandard music. That's the theory anyway.

moggylover

conradmum wrote: »

Sorry, I haven't read all your post, but I just wanted to say it isn't snobbery, it's to do with Suzuki theory. To put it far too simply than I should, they believe whatever you put in will influence the output. So if a baby constantly hears its mother singing out of tune, it'll learn to sing out of tune. Or if I grow up in a certain region of the country, I'll speak with that region's accent. If you play on a substandard instrument, you'll learn to produce substandard music. That's the theory anyway.

I'm afraid I think that is "b******"! I can't sing to save my life - but my eldest has a voice to die for and his choir teacher literally begged him to join! The younger has a sweet and true voice - but lacks the power of his older brother.

They sure didn't inherit it from me:o :rotfl: , if I tried to sing my babies to sleep they used to scream:eek: . Both my sons can pick up a guitar and tune it to within an inch of its' life, by ear! They can also both play bits of music by ear on both the piano and the guitar. They both have guitars and got lessons in this at primary school.


My own feeling is that only a very few can afford to have the very best of intruments - others make do with what they can afford: and I suspect that many very, very fine musicians have come from the second school of thought. I think what makes the biggest difference is whether the child wants to learn - or whether mum and dad want them to learn. It's a subtle difference - but a child forced to sit their endlessly practising without enjoyment seldom makes music sound "alive" no matter how proficient their skill.

My kids Dad has taught himself to play the guitar, by ear and with a computer programme with tabs and so forth - he does so for the pure joy of making music - I'm sure the purists would decry this - but he sounds "s*** hot" for all that!;)

I would tell those Suzuki folks that there has been a long history of poorly skilled people blaming their tools;)

heather2409

Hi,

I would just reiterate what other posters have said - pianos frquently available on Freecycle, or in small ads in local papers. I managed to get one for free, only had to pay collection/delivery costs. This was about £80 from the other end of the county. I was advised that you need to check that the removal firm have the proper equipment to move a piano.

With regards to other instruments, initial costs shouldn't be a problem - check if your local education authority operates the 'Wider Opportunities Scheme' or similar. Where I am all Year 4 pupils should now have the chance to try a range of instruments for free. This can lead to more formal lessons in Year 5 if they choose to and you usually get the instrument free for the first year (just pay for lessons in school). After this you will have to buy an instrument unless your child chooses a 'minority instrument' when you can usually hire one for the year. Also remember that most serious musical instrument suppliers are registered with Education Authorities under a VAT-free scheme. You choose the instrument, your child's school purchases the instrument Vat free and you then pay the school for the instrument. We bought DD a Yamaha baritone horn in January. List price is close to £1500. Discounted & VAT free by buying through school £835. Your school or County Music Service should have a list of suppliers who they deal with.