Cost versus quality of Music Lessons

Without getting into a great philosophical debate about what should and should not be included in the education your child is receiving through the educational system, let me state clearly that music and the arts in general do not take up enough space in the curriculums created by most school boards.

It seems to me that more money is given to schools for computers and gym equipment than art supplies and musical instruments.  I realize we need to keep our children fit and exercise is of the outmost importance, but couldn't we get kids to play outside after school and save everyone loads of money on school equipment?

Physical activity is accessible through community centres, parks and backyards, for free, but we still pay extra taxes to have bigger gyms and more fitness equipment in schools.

Bands in schools need to raise funds to even get instruments to play on.  Parents have to rent instruments at a cost if none are available through the school.  If kids want to play in a competition, fund raisers are put in place and parents fork out more money to cover the costs.  I have been known to write cheques for hundreds of dollars for my child to play in a national competition with her high school band.  Some families just can't afford these activities.

For those who have the budget, music lessons are a great way to get children involved in the arts.  Most schools simply cannot give a child the resources to see him past very basic rudiments on an instrument. The irony is that most kids WILL benefit from playing a musical instrument.

Study after study have proven that kids who play an instrument at school will see better grades, higher self-esteem and lower drop-out rates.  Governments just don't seem to see the correlation between art dollars and students' successes.

So onto the subject at hand, cost of music lessons.  I would like to address the gift you are giving your child before we put a dollar sign on it.

Self-esteem
Pride
Discipline
Work ethics
Eye hand coordination skills
Brain development of the highest order
Learning the read another language (music)
A communication device that transcends words
World history (through composers and music eras)
World culture

I will stop there because I will run out of space.  Music is, to me, one of the greatest gifts you can give your child.  That being said, for a proper music education, you will most probably have to pay.  The odds are, your school will not have all the support your child will need.  Of course, by the time your child is a teen, you can choose to send him or her to a specialized high school with a great music program.  Still, you may need to supplement an ambitious child's learning with private lessons.

When you choose your child's teacher, important decisions will have to be made.  Budget is certainly one of them.  Location of lessons (at your home, in a private studio or an academy) and schedules will also be priority.  Funny enough, lots of parents will take into account these aspects but never actually ask about the teacher's credentials.  I see it everyday.  There is an assumption that all teachers are created equal, if not in attitude and personality than certainly in training.  NOT TRUE!

I have had the unfortunate experience of finding out that one of my students (an intermediate level student), was teaching at a neighbourhood music school.  Not only was she teaching, but she was teaching voice, for which she had no training.  She was a pianist!  Having this girl as your child's teacher would be a waste of your money.  Something might be learned, but perhaps not.

You must ask for qualifications.  There are no governing bodies to protect parents from charlatans when it comes to the quality of music lessons.  Anyone can set up shop.  Whether in a private home, or a neighbourhood studio, questions must be asked.

If you are lucky, you will find a teacher that is associated to different groups that require a certain level of training.  In Canada, we have the Teachers Music Association that requires a university degree in music.  You can also check if your potential teacher has sent students to exams through conservatories. Asking for references is also a good idea.  We are talking about someone who will potentially become important to your child so being picky is a good thing.

Depending on your child's goals in music, all of the above will have different degrees of importance when deciding which teacher to go with.  Meeting the teacher is vital.  At out Academy, we match the student to the teacher we feel will be the best fit.  Styles of teaching can vary.

Teachers who can take children to different levels of competition (if that is of interest) will usually have a stronger academic background.  Teachers who incorporate music theory, history and composition will also usually have more experience.  A teacher who offers performance opportunities and encourages goal setting can be motivating.  Being able to prepare students for examinations is also a good sign that your teacher is qualified.

Beware of the teacher who doesn't ask if your child has an instrument to practice on!  Beware of the teacher who doesn't suggest books to purchase.  Beware of the teacher who hands out photocopies and only photocopies.  Beware of the teacher who cancels at the last minute, all the time.  After a few lessons, watch your child's reaction before lesson time.  Are they eager or anxious?  Anxiety because they did not practice doesn't count.  I mean, anxiety about having to spend time with the teacher.  Is your child super charged after the lesson?  Talkative, excited?  Are you made to feel welcomed in the lesson?

So now to the cost o
f music lessons.  I can honestly say, music lessons are not anywhere near the top of the list when it comes to expensive extra-curricular activities.  But as for value for your dollar, it may just be the most cost effective activity out there.

Take for example my family and figure skating.  My youngest skates.  Every time she wants to practice, I have to pay.  I pay for the ice time and the coaching. She skates 5 times a week.  She has a hand full of coaches who all charge by the minute.  When she competes I need to get her a special dress.  I pay the seamstress.  I pay for the coach's time at the competition (travel included). When her feet grow, I need to buy her skates.  Oh, the blades are not included!  Gotta get those too.  She needs special clothes to practice, the ice is cold.  All this can be applied to hockey, gymnastics, dance...

You need to drive your child to each and every session.  We are talking time and gas.  Your child can only fully develop at these activities when they are outside the home.

Now let's compare piano lessons.  You drive your child once a week (perhaps twice if you have a child that is more advanced).  You only pay for the teacher's time.  Not for the space.  That's included.  Your child can go to the lesson in the same outfit they wore at school.  They can practice for free, at home, anytime.  You may choose to buy a new outfit for a recital, but it's not mandatory.

You will need to provide your child with an instrument.  This is a one time cost if you buy a piano.  For violin or guitar, you will need to rent or buy a smaller size instrument and as your child grows, you will change sizes till you get to adult size.  Rentals are an affordable way to go.  For under $20.00 a month you can rent just about any instrument.  You can also trade instruments.

You will need to purchase books.  Think of these as a literary legacy your child will be able to enjoy and pass on to his or her children.

Where I live, music lessons will vary in price from $15.00 to $30.00 for a half-hour.  Master classes can be pricier.  Let's say you get a teacher for $25.00 per half-hour.  At 4 lessons a month, you are talking about $1,000 in lessons for the school year, give or take.  Now let's say your child practices an hour a day, 5 days a week. That's 200 hours a year.  Look at practice time as an investment in the cost of lessons.  So at 200 hours a year of practice, divided by the cost of lessons, the practice time costs $5.00 an hour.  I don't know of many extra-curricular activities that cost you $5.00 per hour.  And this includes the teacher's time!

Don't assume that if you pay more for the lessons, you will have a better teacher.  You must do your research, ask friends, get references.  The quality of the lesson is really all that matters.  Your child must be engaged, motivated and excited about learning.  They must want to practice, at least sometimes!

In our society, music lessons are not particularly expensive.  You may be spending more a week on coffee than on lessons.  The beauty of music though is that the gift lasts forever.  Your child may not ever dance past his or her teen years, but they may very well still pick up the guitar.

So, giving the gift of music lessons to your child is...priceless!  In the right teacher's hands, your child can develop a passion that will last his or her life time.

Parents Role in Practice

So if you have read by previous blogs, you understand that I have a thing about children and music lessons.  I own a music academy and have taught for 20 years.  I employ around 18 teachers and the school services over 300 students.  I know about music lessons and what works and doesn't work for practices.

I have a few (like 100) suggestions that can help ensure good practice habits for children.  So let's start with common questions parents have about their role in practicing.  Let's base our questions and answers on the premise that you want your child to succeed in music learning and develop strong self discipline.

Q  
How often should I get Anne to practice?
A  
Paraphrasing Suzuki, you only have to practice on the days you eat.

Q  
How long should a practice last?
A  
As long as it takes to get through everything the teacher has set out for the week.  (more on this a little later)

Q  
Why do I have to remind Alex to do his practice all the time?  or  Why should I have to remind Alex to practice all the time?  or  It's not my job to remind Alex to practice all the time is it?
A  
You have to remind Alex to practice because he is a child (teen) and is learning self-discipline.  This is not a skill most kids are born with.  It took perseverance on your part to toilet train him, it will take perseverance to learn the habit of practising also.  It IS your job.

Q
How can I help Julianne when I know nothing of music?
A  
First of all, SHE is the one learning music, not you.  The teacher should be able to set up the lesson so as to answer most of Julianne's questions.  You don't need to do any teaching, you need to be present (more on this a little later)

Q  
Why is it always a battle to get Matt to practice?
A  
So many reasons for this one.  I need a whole section for this one, so a quick answer is that no child hates music, no adults hates music, so we have to dig a little to find the problem.  (more a this a little later)

Q
How can I help Megan stay on track?
A
That's one of the best questions.  That's why I saved it for last.  The very best way to keep Megan motivated and on track with her learning is to be interested.  Be present and show pleasure in her accomplishments.  I will expand on this and then go back to answers 2, 4 and 5.

Plenty of parents have tight schedules and all they can do is drop their child off at the door for their lesson.  Hey, if that's what has to happen, well at least you got John to his lesson.  Other parents drop them off then sit in a waiting room reading or socializing.  That's fine too.  But the best case scenario is for the parent to come into the lesson, if at the very least to say hello to the teacher.  This is THE perfection opportunity to sum up any issues or victories that occurred during the week.  Take 20 seconds to say that John had a huge project and it ate into his practice time.  Or that John did extra practice this week and seemed very motivated.  Maybe the teacher knows why and can play off on that in the future.  This is precious time to create a team atmosphere that will help John progress.

If you can stay during the lesson, you show your child that this is a special time that you carve out of your week to see her learning.  You can't do it at school, but you CAN do it in her music lesson.  This in itself can be all she needs to stimulate her love of music and practicing.

And don't forget to praise her on her work, not her talent, or how good she is.  You MUST praise the effort.  There is little value in praising blue eyes for which a child has no control.  So don't praise her ease of learning, or her apparent talent.  Congratulate her work ethics, her determination, her effort.

Only by being present can you be honest in your praise and encouragement and motivate Megan to stay on track.

Now onto length of practice.  When your child first begins lessons, the odds are that 10 to 15 minutes per day will be plenty.  At this point, lessons are jammed with information and little practical stuff.  As the weeks progress and depending on your child, it will take her longer to get through the material handed out by the teacher.  Be wise.  A 3 year old should not be practicing the same amount of time as a 6 year old.  A 3 year old can handle practicing 5 to 10 minutes with a few additional moments for fun and instrument exploration.  A 6 year old can handle 20 minutes within a few weeks and some kids can do 40 minutes a few months later.  This is dependent on material and ease of learning.  If everything is a struggle for your child to master, shorter sessions will go a long way to keep the love of music alive.

A child working on his grade 8 examinations should of course be practicing longer.  I am always surprised by advanced kids who come into the lesson, proud to tell me they practiced 30 minutes everyday!  I expect students at this level to be spending at the very least one hour at their instrument a day.  At the VERY LEAST, on bad days....  For kids who are putting in 2 hours or more a day, it is a good idea to split the time up.  Perhaps some in the morning before school and then again after.

Parents who wonder how they can help their child when they know nothing of music, please read above.  Being present in the lessons will help you better understand teachers' expectations and keep you in the loop.  You get double the value for your buck!  You learn as your child learns.

As for the child who hates to practice?  You need to ask yourself a few questions first.  Did the child ask for lessons.  Did he choose his own instrument or was it imposed on him.  Was the chosen instrument a wise choice.  Is he constantly being criticized for not practicing, not practicing enough, not practicing well....

A child who comes into our studio wanting to take up drums at the age of 6 must be evaluated.  Some kids are actually able to play and count at the age, but they are rare.  Drums can be so much fun at first, but the banging of random rhythms will wear thin quickly.  Same goes for a 7 year old who wants to play guitar.  Again, this is doable, but the odds are the child has a romantic notion that he will be playing like his rock hero in no time.  The reality is that he will be playing one note for a long time and as his hand gets stronger, he may play a chord or two.  It takes time to get to be a rock hero. Meanwhile, strings cut into little fingers and sounds come out weird.

It is wise to start with piano or violin.  These instruments (particularly piano) are easy on little bodies. The piano makes a lovely sound right away!  You also get to learn tons of extra music stuff that other instruments won't teach you right away, like reading in treble and bass clef.

Whatever you do, remember to let your child know that you enjoy hearing him play.  Funny sounds will happen and mistakes too, but try to reserve your comments for the hard work.  And never laugh at the funky noises, unless your child is laughing first:)

We call it playing music because it should, ultimately, be fun.  Hard work has its rewards.

Being present is the best present.

Goal setting for effective practice

Getting kids to practice their music everyday can be challenging.  If your child is asked to run through everything on their list at each practice, tedium can easily set in.

Although much can be said about rote learning, it is not the most creative nor inspiring way to learn. Seeing kindergarteners sitting in a circle and reciting the alphabet in a singsong way can be charming and effective for learning the order of letters.  But reciting the alphabet in this way does not teach a child to read.  It teaches him or her the order in which the letters are placed in the alphabet.  In the scheme of things, knowing that order is not particularly valuable.  I have never been called upon to give the correct placement of the letter L within the alphabet in any job.  So learning by rote is effective for some things but deep learning with understanding is done by different methods.

Therefore, scales should be learned by rote only if the student understands the relationships between tons and semi-tons, the different modes and their usage in music.  It actually makes learning more interesting when you understand the why and how of things.

How does this relate to goal setting in practices?  Well, if the child can find something specific to work on instead of running through the piece by rote, learning will be deeper and the practice more effective. Running through a scale 3 times with the wrong fingering is less effective than running through it once slowly while paying close attention to correct notes and fingering.  Understanding the logic of a specific fingering, the relationship of a particular scale to its relatives, all this information can make for a quicker more effective practice.

Reaching your goals

GOAL SETTING IDEAS

Journaling

Some kids like journaling and this can definitely be used in practice.  Keeping track of details can be time consuming in the moment but quite a time saver in the long run.  A simple entry such as:
      SCALES:  Eb Major and relatives.  Trouble with left hand fingering today.

This entry will prompt a practice response the next day if read before she starts her scales.  Her time will be spent correcting the exact thing that needs help and not just running through the scale, maintaining the mistake.  It takes much longer to correct a mistake that is practiced over and over again than to fix it right away :)

Stop and fix

When starting to play a piece or exercise, at the first sign of a hesitation or mistake, the student should stop.  They should back up a few bars and try again.  If the glitch is still there, "buttering" it can help. Running over it slowly from all angles, using different techniques such as hands separate, playing different rhythms, changing tempo, then play the section through again is constructive work.  If it's fixed, they can start back at the beginning and try playing the passage again.  If they need to slow down a bit as they approach the fixed area, that's ok.  If the problem persists and they have time, students should continue working on it.  If not, they should be aware that this is where they need to start again the next day.

Work one thing throughout

Your child could decide that on any given day the aim would be to fix one thing, like technique for example.  Whatever they play, they concentrate on hand position or finger action.  This is a very good way of quickly fixing basic problems for the long term.  This kind of work may not allow for loads of concentration on others aspects of performance, but the payback is well worth it.

If all these ideas are too specific for a student's style of practice, then let me leave you with one thought. Never practice without forethought.  Before starting anything, think of one aspect of the piece that needs tackling and go do it.

Enjoy the music!

Lessons in full swing but practices fall flat!

The school year begins and families are busy planning hectic schedules for their kids.  With the best of intentions, wanting to give every opportunity to their offspring, hockey, soccer, guitar and karate make the cut.

Calendars are printed and posted on fridges.  Work is adjusted to accommodate Johnny's tournaments and meals are planned around hockey.  Sound familiar?

Throughout the chaos, Johnny also has to fit practice time on his guitar.  He's asked for months and you decided he was ready.  You get the guitar.  You sign him up for lessons.  You fit THAT into your schedule.  It all falls into place right?

Wrong.

Parents beware.  Most after school activities require that you drop Johnny off somewhere for a prescribed amount of time, pick him up and you are done till next time.  Music lessons are different.

Usually they are the shortest of the weekly activities, lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour, but they require discipline and daily allotted times at home to practice.  That's where trouble begins.

Families need to figure out when Johnny can fit good practice times into the schedule.  If he can't practice, he won't improve.  That can be discouraging.

Parents come in a variety of flavours, every one of them well intentioned.

"Johnny, if I don't hear more practicing, we will stop lessons."
"Son, you can't practice this early in the morning, you'll wake up the house."
"Your homework comes first, then chores, then practice."
"Are you sure that's what your teacher wants you to practice?"
"You must have something else to play!"

If Johnny is taking guitar, you are actually pretty lucky if he wants to practice early morning, compared to Jimmy's family, who must listen to trumpet (as lovely as trumpet is, it IS a little loud first thing)!

All kidding aside, your child must carve out a time that not only works for him, but for the family.  This can be next to impossible with everyone's busy schedules.

Here are a few ideas that may help.

Create practice times that are as important and valued as other at-home times.  You try to have dinner at around the same hour everyday and your child knows this.  It becomes part of his internal clock.  "I will eat soon."  Practice time can be made to become just as regular.

When your child first starts taking lessons, instil respect for practice time right away.  Make it as important as any other routine activity, such as brushing teeth or doing homework.

Find the perfect time slot!  This is right up there in importance with parent involvement (coming up soon in a blog).  A great time to practice is when parents are preparing meals.  The parent can hear the practice and throw in a few well placed words of encouragement, and since this is usually a time when kids are left to their own devices, filling that time up with practicing can be a great solution.

If you have more then one child, while helping one with homework, the other practices.  Then switch.

Some kids have 30 minutes of wasted time in the morning so for those bright eyed children, practice time could be before school.

Avoid scheduling practices before bed, especially for young children.  Concentration is nil and frustration can arise.

If you can't fit in more then a few minutes on weekdays, then make up for it on week-ends.  As an example, if Monday Johnny goes to his after school activities directly from school and gets home too late, skip that day.  Make up for it the next day.  This should be a priority.  If he can only fit in 15 minutes on Wednesday, plan for an extra great practice on Saturday.  You can also double practices on week-ends.  One in the morning and one later in the day.

Making each practice count is essential when you have limited time.  Instead of going for the long haul, get your child to set a goal for the practice.  Master the first 2 measures of the piece, figure out the fingering for that pesky scale, fix that hesitation on the third line.... By mastering one thing, the practice will have been a success.  Get your child to journal her practice and goals.  This will help give her control of her time.

Teaching your kids to respect their practice time is teaching them to invest in themselves.  That's a safer investment than any other on the market!

If they can practice even for a few short moments everyday, they will still see some progress, and eventually, as they improve, they will carve out the time they need to really fulfill their potential.  At first, how often you practice is more important than how long you practice.

A child will never react positively to being forced to practice, but he will always be pleased by the encouragement and respect he receives for his progress.  Baby steps.  A little practice today, a lifelong love of music tomorrow.