Music lessons

[DCJenn]

I have to say, this was the best thing we've done as parents-

We bought a piano from Craigslist and he started before the holidays and is now going once a week for 30 minutes. (age being the limiting factor)

He LOVES the piano lessons and he's doing very well. Practicing is always a trial to get him to put down the legos and practice but when he does, he has fun.

He's definitely not the athletic type- although given his (skinny Russian) build, I can totally see him doing track and field later on. Music has always been a motivator for him.

Whew.

anyone else have any tips or tales of woe that we should avoid.

I do need to find a better piano bench. The teacher has one that has a mechanism to raise and lower the seat. (and it's upholstered!) that I'm coveting.

Jenn

[Ladybug]

Those Russians have such a flair for music. He's gonna love it.

Lucy has just restarted piano lessons too. Our teacher was out with open heart surgery. Practice can be a struggle here too. The other day she told me that "You can't make me practice." Oh yeah...wellllll...if I have to pull you out of piano lessons because you won't practice then I'll take you out of ice skating too. She considered, she stomped and she practiced. Once she sits down she enjoys it and plays well, but it's the getting her to stop playing and sitting down that's tricky.

[houseelf]

That's awesome! We're signing our oldest up for guitar lessons when we get to our new house. I'm sure that I'll have to nag errr...remind him to practice often.

He's got the skinny-white-marginally-athletic thing going on too. I'm thinking golf, tennis, or cross country are going to be our best bets to find a good sports fit. Honestly, I'm totally cool with those routes because we have paid thousands to resolve my DH's hockey related dental issues. I just didn't think having a surgeon with missing teeth engendered a ton of confidence in parents and patients. Of course, he does hold clinic in Northern Kentucky so it might give him that home town feel...

What was the original topic about?

Kelly

[HouseofWool]

I just didn't think having a surgeon with missing teeth engendered a ton of confidence in parents and patients. Of course, he does hold clinic in Northern Kentucky so it might give him that home town feel...

What was the original topic about?

Kelly

Very nice! This completely made my day.

We have an adjustable piano bench. I think it was called a "keyboard bench" or something like that. I found it at a music store and it wasn't all that expensive.

Our deal is if we (parent or child) is not having fun with the instrument then we take a break from the instrument or lessons. That seems to work pretty well. I also have found that once practice gets started, things get a lot easier so I will sometimes suggest doing a mini-practice and she ends up doing the whole thing.

eta: we have a bench like this
http://www.amazon.com/World-Tour-Del...3432951&sr=8-2

[Ladybug]

I also have found that once practice gets started, things get a lot easier so I will sometimes suggest doing a mini-practice and she ends up doing the whole thing.

Genius!

Our deal is if we (parent or child) is not having fun with the instrument then we take a break from the instrument or lessons. That seems to work pretty well. I also have found that once practice gets started, things get a lot easier so I will sometimes suggest doing a mini-practice and she ends up doing the whole thing.

I like this. As someone that took lessons from age 7-18 I hated being forced to practice. I used to have to sit and practice till the timer went off. When I was older (teen years) I would bang out some loud Beethoven stuff as loud as possible whenever the phone would ring just pretty much to piss my mom off. And then act like, what? You wanted me to practice, I'm practicing! AHHH, I am not looking forward to those years with my own girls!

[DCJenn]

That's funny.

Our deal is that he can play on the computer for twice as much time as he practices the piano. (which does two things, makes him practice AND limits the time on the computer)

jenn

[oceanchild]

Nice.

My mom was my piano teacher, so there was no getting away with not practicing.

Being able to play the piano is something he can keep his entire life. I started playing when I was 4 and still enjoy it. We finally have enough space for a piano and hope to be getting one soon!

Gah! Grammatical error quoted. We is...sheesh.

[SoonerTexan]

My only advice is make sure he learns to read the notes when that time comes...I took two years of piano at his age and got by reading by ear.

Then it came time to start moving hand positions...

Guess who's taking basic piano in college close to 15 years later

[Vanquisher]

This is the thing I love best about my son's public school. He has piano class every day. How cool is that? He is also taking band (clarinet). He has learned so much by having to play piano and practice every day. Also, because it is school, he is learning a lot of music theory. He also wants to take guitar, but we have a household rule that you have to learn piano first.

I want to get Lexi into piano lessons too. As soon as I find out where we are going to be for the next few years, I will sign her up.

[NYCHoosier]

Re: Music lessons

Aw, yay! I took piano from Kindergarten through high school.

I love the practice / computer ratio!

The one thing I found tricky was staying focused while practicing. My parents' house has a very open floorplan. The living room, den and dining room are kind of like a giant L, with the living room (with the baby grand) the first after the foyer, then only furniture sectioning off to the den (with the main tv!), then turn left for the dining room. So, it was good in that the first thing I wanted to do when I walked in the front door was throw my bag down and sit at the piano... Until someone turned the tv and I wanted to see what was going on! There's nothing my parents could have really done short of getting rid of the downstairs tv, but if you can remove distractions, I think that's good.

Also, a good teacher is key. Lots of people play the piano, but many neglect proper technique and theory... Or some may be flustered as teachers and choose to just focus on playing the songs to the detriment of the student's overall development as a musician. I remember noticing this among my friends when I was in elementary school.

Congrats; that's so exciting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DCJenn]

I'm really impressed with the teacher- she's recently graduated with a Master's in Music and she's a performer as well.

She's got him working on the notes already, too. He gets written homework and playing homework.

and the best part is that she's exactly between his afterschool care and our house- in other words, two blocks away. and she's staying in her aunt and uncle's house: http://www.inntravels.com/usa/tx/joske.shtml which is just too fun.

Jenn