Learning Music

Learn One Musical Instrument

Learning a musical instrument is a decision often left to the child to stumble upon or a school music program to enforce at random. So, here's Tip No. 4. Encourage your child to learn to play at least one musical instrument. Introduce your child to music as early as you possibly can, yes, that's right, think womb, may be even conception. Point is, the earlier the better

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Right from an early age, as early as infancy, expose your child to a variety of music, including traditional, classical, soft rock, pop, jazz, (may be even opera, you never know), and excluding hard metal and punk rock. Never blast at high volume, but keep it in the background to be absorbed subconsciously while enjoyed consciously.

Instruments Brass, Woodwind, Stringed…

As for musical instruments, the choices range from a harmonica or a flute to a grand piano. If you play a musical instrument, chances are your child will be encouraged to do so as well. Even if not, it is your job to get him interested. The piano is an all-time favourite that most kids are happy to start on. You don't have to get the grandest one immediately. Start with the lowly electronic keyboard and let your child work her way up.

On entering school, kids get the opportunity to explore the brass band and the orchestra. They get to be part of a group where each instrument has pride of place. Instruments in a brass band are usually the tuba, the trombone, the trumpet, and the French horn. These instruments require considerable lung power and permanent teeth. So curb your ambitions till your child has these capacities.

Woodwind instruments include the flute, oboe, clarinet, piccolo, saxophone, and bassoon. Instruments that have air holes call for the use of strong flexible fingers at least big enough at the tips to covert the holes as required. It's best left to children at least 10 years of age. Always be aware of the weight of the instrument and make sure the child can easily handle it.

Stringed instruments include perennial favourites such as the violin and the guitar, as well as the viola, the bass, and the cello. Then there's the harp. While the violin and the guitar come in small sizes the others are better put off till children can comfortably reach up to them.

Kids love percussion instruments and those that start on one mostly stick with it. There's an immediate attachment that usually lasts a lifetime. Choose from a range including cymbals, timpani, bass drum, snare drum, and others such as the Latin, African and Asian variety of drums. Apparently there's something reassuring about the steady beat of a drum that is soothing and comforting, and that's probably the reason why kids take to it with pleasure.

Learning Music the Easy Way

Introducing kids to music has to be as natural as a duck takes to water. The experience should be pleasant for the mother/father duck as well as the baby ducks. Stress enters the scene when you have to stick to strict lesson timings and long drives in search of a good teacher, not to speak of the expenses involved.

It's really not a good idea to go all out and shop for top of the range instruments and very expensive music lessons even before your child has shown a decided liking for any sort of music. Take that step when and only when your child literally begs for that instrument and shows solid promise. Make it a huge treat. Till then you should be content to play music and learn music notes the fun way with online music lessons that offers the flexibility of time and space.

Kids learning music can be taxing on parents in other ways as well. The early stages, especially, may be characterised by horrible noises that sound like cats dying miserable, agonising deaths. If your kid picked a percussion instrument, God help you. If it’s not a passing fancy, quickly make arrangements to sound proof the garage or basement while hanging on desperately to your encouraging smiles.

I Hate Music Lessons I Hate You

Yes. There will be days when her enthusiasm wanes and she states emphatically that she hates her violin, the music teacher, and you. She might refuse to get out of the car to go for her lessons. Well, you're a parent; such scenes are part of the deal.

Grabbing your child in one hand and the tuba in the other and marching down to the class should generally be avoided. Neither should you spout wisdom on how Mozart did it or how much you have to pay for the ungrateful pipsqueak's lessons or how you never had any of these opportunities yourself as a kid. At least don't do it in the middle of the tantrum. Instead wait for reason to prevail. Keep your cool. Give it time. She will turn around, if the whole idea of taking lessons came from her in the first place.

This is why I have to emphasize the importance of not signing up for any formal classes without ensuring your child's interest in the procedure first. Make them beg for it before you give in. Till that happens, your job is to cause an interest in music from the earliest possible moment by exposing them to the best of music, pictures of musical instruments, stories of immortal musicians, and how good grandad was with that old fiddle of his he could make the dog dance.

Kid's Cool Music and Instruments

Cool music and musical instruments may be a sure-fire way of making music lessons attractive to kids. Let's not forget the immense possibilities to be discovered in world musical instruments such as the Chinese Erhu, Pipa, Wind Gong, the African Djembe and Ashiko drums, and the Indian sitar, shenai, and tabla, and a whole lot more. Give your child the chance to get acquainted with a wide range before deciding on one.

Even after deciding on one, chances are he might want to give up or switch to another. Be flexible. Your goal is that he learns an instrument; not that he play one because you bought one. You do not have to go for the top of the range instrument right at the beginning. That would be putting an inordinate amount of pressure on your child and your patience.

Learning to Play Music Has its Benefits

Music stimulates both the left and right brain. It helps memory, concentration, and relaxation. Once children have begun to master an instrument it brings about a steep rise in their self-esteem. Regular practice instils discipline and concentration in children. Of course, we all know how helpful these traits can be in other fields as well. It helped Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein resolve problems. It can definitely help your child.

My next tip is on why you should learn songs and sing them to your child. Yes, music is certainly different from song though they are often seen as two sides of the same coin.