Piano Lessons - should we continue

tamlem

My dd started piano lessons recently, she has just turned 8 but was 7 1/2 when she started.

The learning to read music is as much a part of the lessons as the piano playing (IMHO) and her teacher is really good and bringing her along in both. A few questions spring to mind here.

Our daughters teacher, who is also a friend, is a professional pianist and currently doing her phd in music. She advised us not to start our daughter too young for several reasons but mainly because finger stretch is not wide enough to make learning successful when children are too little. Since learning should be enjoyable and fun setting up obstacles before kids start seems fruitless.-So I guess I am wondering why your daughters piano teacher took her so young? Although clearly she is loving playing and not struggling so that's good.

Her age might also be a factor in her reading music however said friend teaches music in schools & nurseries to children as young as 3 and they can learn to read music whilst having fun with her methods (kodaly I think).

So I guess the next question is why has your daughters teacher in 2 years, when they did take her on at a young age, not been successful in teaching her to read music to some extent?

The bottom line is that I agree with others, if she enjoys it then great, but I am wondering about her teacher....

I also totally understand where you're coming from with time. I have 4 children between 6 & 12. They all do 2 or 3 things a week and i sometimes feel I am just running them from one place to another! Only thing we do do is keep weekends activity free- we all need to be able to spend some time together!

starbump

Unless she has any other reading or counting problems, I'd expect her to have acquired some basic music reading skills after 2 years. I'd probably start looking for a new teacher. Has she at least done the old mnemonics: FACE and Every Good Boy Deserves Football? Are you able to read at home with her?

mkbswimstar

I have passed grade 8 in 2 instruments but I wish I could play more by ear rather than off the paper. Its talent to be able to do it like that. Definatelty keep her on the lessons as long as she enjoys them. Hopefully for a long time!

blackcoffee

She is very bright in school, at maths and reading. We think because she finds it so easy by ear, she hasnt had to realy concentrate on reading the notes. we are worried that one day it will all become to much for her and then she will lose interest. Im not expecting a musical genius, but i just want her to understand the basics.

she has nagged and nagged us for lessons since she was 3. Her teacher didnt start her off only on piano at 4, she did singing, a few little dances, rhythm, playing other instruments etc.

i think the suggestion made by panpipe is excellent, Im going to ask her teacher for some theory sheets. Just drawing the notes on the lines, spaces & bars, whole notes, rests etc, making it fun ofcourse, not a trial !! she has covered it all previously, but because it was all related to a specific tune, i think it went way over her head. Im going to dig out her old theroy books, she has 3 upstairs.

we are also (i have asked on the wales board) going to see if we can change her teacher for someone local, (not at a dig at him at all, but he is too far away for us to travel to on our own, we lift share at the minute) and my daughter have lessons on her own. she is getting realy frustrated that the boy she has her lessons with obviously understands more than she does and plays better, maybe the mum says she doesnt mind my daughter being in the shared class as she/we pay a lot smaller amount for 2 on 1, rather than 1 on 1.

thankyou everyone. i appreciate your time replying.

Sensemaya

I think it would be best if your daughter has lessons on her own.

I recommend you meet a teacher for a consultation ( this should be free ) and the teacher should offer a trial period of, say, 4 lessons. I would also ask to sit in the lessons. But I emphasise you should not interfere. The teacher should have a notebook in which they should write down everything covered in the lesson and you can write down comments and list her practise times.

Like other posters have said, music should be fun!

At her level and age I would recommend about 10-15 mins 5 times per week. Perhaps 5 mins in the morning and 5 mins at night. Star charts are very useful.

There are two books called Theory Made Easy for little children by Lina Ng ( Level 1 & 2 ) which are great. They retail about £2.50 each. Try googling the name and they should come up.

frivolous_fay

I used to play by ear a lot. It was something I kind of grew out of in the end. At 9 I was asked to play a piece of music for school assembly - come the day, my teacher gave me a funny look and said 'Don't you need your music?' Umm, no....!

Eventually things changed somehow and I couldn't follow the tune so well unless it was in front of me.

But sight reading (playing a new piece just by reading the music) was actually really really difficult for me... well, I could do it, but it wouldn't have the rhythm or tempo it should have! Being able to play music first go just by looking at it must take an amazing amount of work.

I got as far as grade 5 btw.

skintchick

I'm 33 but have also only been learning for two years. I cannot play by ear, I have to read the music and work it out, so I think your daughter is doing really well!

I am now grade four in theory but never took a playing exam cos I don;t feel confident - I might do if I could play without the music. Don;t discourage your daughter, but it does sound like she might need a better teacher - she should definitely be doing some theory as it helps with playing, but not too much at her age and the playing is the thing really, isn;t it?

PolishBigSpender

blackcoffee wrote: »

My daughter has been having piano lessons for 2 years (she is 6) she loves them, but it has become evident she plays by ear. Her teacher says this isnt a problem, but when we get out old pieces, she cant read the music, if she hears the tune she then plays it. MY son has been having lessons for a term, and he can now read music and has over taken her. (He is 8 )

Should we continue with her lessons ? ?

Apparently she's talented if she can play a tune after hearing it... Continue the lessons, but only if she's enjoying them. My boyfriend was forced to learn which resulted in him hating the piano lessons and giving it up altogether.

blackcoffee

I loathed lessons too polishbigspender, totally loathed them and I refused to practise, it was a painful 4/5 years !!

my piano teachers husband had a long illness before he died and she took a long time out, that was when my parents said i could stop !! i often think they would still be dragging me to lessons now if he were still alive.

thanks again everyone.

Lunar_Eclipse

blackcoffee wrote: »

he wants her to do her grade 1 at christmas, she does play beautifully.

Which means she is really good. Although I would have thought you would need to be able to read music to pass Grade 1?

If she loves it and you can afford it, I would continue. If not, then stop.