Brill Music Academy
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702-212-8745
When Should My Child Begin Lessons?
The following guidelines will help you to have a successful, rewarding experience learning an instrument. These are practical tips that we have discovered from years of teaching and our experiences with teaching hundreds of students each year.
How Young is too Young? - Starting at the Right Age
Adults can start any instrument at any time. Their success is based on
how willing they are to commit to practicing. We have taught many beginner
students in their 60's and 70's.
One family can take multiple instruments on the same day and not have to travel to different locations to get the lessons that we offer in one place. This saves you time and money.
For children, starting at the right age is a key element in the success of their lessons. Some people will tell you "the sooner the better" but this attitude can actually backfire and be a negative. If a child begins lessons too soon, he or she may feel overwhelmed and frustrated and want to stop lessons. We don't want to discourage a child just because of one unpleasant experience that could have been prevented. Sometimes if the child waits a year to start lessons, progress can be much faster. Children who are older than the suggested earliest starting age usually do very well. The following are guidelines we have found to be successful in determining how young a child should start taking music lessons. Bear in mind that these are general guidelines and there are exceptions to every rule.
Before Age 5:
If a pre-schooler has a keen desire and wants to start music, a group
preschool music class will provide a good foundation in music basics,
which will be helpful in later private lessons. At this age, private lessons
generally do not work, as the child has not yet experienced the formal
learning environment of kindergarten or school and learns more effectively
through the game-oriented preschool environment. We can recommend a licensed
KinderMusik teacher for this age.
Piano/Keyboard:
At our school, 5 years old is usually the youngest age that we start children
in private piano lessons. At this age, they have begun to develop longer
attention spans, can retain material with ease, and have developed the
manual dexterity to be successful.
Guitar - Acoustic, Electric and Bass:
Eight years old is the earliest we recommend for guitar lessons. Guitar
playing requires a fair amount of pressure on the fingertips from pressing
on the strings. Children under 8 generally have small hands and may find
playing uncomfortable. Bass guitar students generally are 10 years old
and older.
Voice Lessons:
We recommend students begin vocal lessons at age 10 or older. Due to the
physical nature of voice lessons (proper breathing techniques, development
of the vocal chords and lung capacity), the younger body is generally
not yet ready for the rigors of vocal training.
Drums:
The average age of our youngest drum students is 8 years old. This varies
greatly depending on the size of the child. They have to be able to reach
both the pedals and the cymbals.
Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone (wind instruments):
Due to lung capacity (and in the case of the saxophone, the size of the
instrument), we recommend that most woodwind beginners are 9 and older.
Violin:
We accept violin students from the age of 5. Some teachers will start
children as young as 3, but experience has shown us the most productive
learning occurs when the beginner is 5 or older.
Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn (brass instruments):
The brass instruments require physical exertion and lung power. Nine years
and older is a good time to start.
Lessons are first come, first served, so contact us today to arrange your first lesson!
(702) 212-8745
8534 Del Webb Blvd
(At Del Webb and Rampart, between Cheyenne and Lake Mead)
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