Before undertaking this journey it is important you enter into the process with your eyes wide open. A number of factors will predict your child's success. To help you stack the odds in your favour here are some important points to consider.
Has your child had any form of musical training before?
By this we don’t mean formal instrumental training rather, has your child been exposed to the world of music in general terms? Do they have music sessions in school/nursery? Do you engage in musical activities at home? Learning a musical instrument is not just about learning the physical aspects of the instrument. Performing on a musical instrument needs for your child to have a foundation of steady beat, rhythm and pitch before they begin to tackle the complexities of the instrument itself. This is the reason that so many children ‘quit’ early on as it can be completely overwhelming.
In order to give your child the best chance at success, engage in musical activities that promote the foundations. You can find a variety of these on our YouTube channel and on our social channels too. Take some time, have some fun with them, then when you think your child has grasped them, discuss with them about what instrument that would like to learn.
A well qualified teacher is a MUST.
At Music in Unison we advocate the importance of high quality music education from the beginning.
The teacher is imperative to your child’s musical success and getting it right is vitally important. Opt for a teacher who is well qualified in the instrument area of expertise you decide upon. Be careful about getting a teacher who teaches a whole array of instruments. Instead pick a teacher who is a specialist in one or two fields. This will pay dividends later on when technique comes into play. Specialist teachers will have an unrivalled knowledge of their specific instrument (s) will be able to plan a clear path of progression for your child fast-tracking them to success. Often when specific technique is overlooked and not understood, children become stuck and cannot progress any further.
At this point one of two things happen; your child wants to quit, or you change teacher to a specialist. It can take up to a year for technique to be modified and requires a lot of patience by both the teacher and pupil to unpick the bad habits before progress can then continue.
Often specialists teachers charge more than the market rate, there is a reason for this as they are experts in their field. In the long run it will save you money!
If you are looking for quality tuition, look no further than Tuneful Tuition. These are Conservatoire trained musicians who offer the highest quality instrumental instruction.
Does your child like the teacher?
The like-ability of the teacher is also very important. If your child doesn’t like and respect the teacher it will be a continuous uphill struggle for all involved. Choose carefully. Request three trial sessions before committing to a long term arrangement. Any teacher who is confident in their ability will be more than happy to agree to this. After all it has to be the right fit for them too.
Does the instrument fit your child and vice versa?
1. Does your child have the natural physiology towards the instrument? For example, if they are playing a trumpet does their mouth allow them to form around the mouthpiece correctly in order to produce a buzz. Some children will be more naturally suited to certain instruments than others. Unfortunately this can be a little bit of a trial and error exercise.
2 . Is the instrument suitable for your child? If you have a small child, many of the standard instruments may not be suitable for them to access initially. For example, a saxophone is heavy and has large keys which a small frame and hands would find it difficult to navigate. This doesn’t mean that this is the end of that idea, now we have lots of junior instruments that are designed for this purpose. Take a look at the links below to see some of the alternatives.
This is the big one...
Are you prepared to be invested in this journey both emotionally, intellectually and financially?
Children who embark on this musical journey are going to need your help and guidance. Having open channels your child's teacher and being actively involved your child's practice will be a big indicator for their success. It should not be viewed as something you can outsource by dropping your child off at a lesson. You need to be actively involved. Go to the lessons, practice alongside your child and take an active interest in their learning. Yes this will take time and patience but it will guarantee you are giving your child the best chance of fulfilling their musical potential.