If there is one thing that is guaranteed to cause stress between parents and their musician child, it is practise.
Progress on a musical instrument relies on regular practise - without it improvement will be slow and quite often results in the student giving up in frustration.
Below, we provide some ideas on how to turn practise from a chore into a rewarding and fun experience so that
The first thing to recognise is that progress is not linear, and that the hardest part when learning an instrument is the beginning. At that point there is unfamiliarity with the instrument, difficulty in producing a sound, learning basics like fingering, learning to read music, grasping concepts of rhythm and in general coming to terms with the process that will (quite soon) enable the playing of tunes and making music.
It can be really helpful to allow your child to see and hear a really good instrumentalist so that they have an idea of what is possible at a future point in this journey. A good video on Youtube of a professional player or soloist on their instrument can really inspire and allow them to have a goal. There are also instrument videos on this website in the Play an Instrument Section too.
A regular routine is crucial - practise is something one strives to do every day. Once a routine is established, all sorts of doors begin to open.
It helps to set things up:
- Make a space - somewhere tidy, room to move about, good light, place for the music stand
- Have a place for the instrument and engender a feeling of respect for it - take it out carefully and keep it clean by dusting it down or using a cleaning rod with a wind instrument.
- Set a regular time for the practise session - eg: after coming home from school, before dinner
Children often have quite strong feelings about 'having to do something' - so it helps to try and mitigate those by lowering the threshold. If your child is displaying resistance (very normal) these strategies might help:
- You don't have to actually do any practise - just open the instrument case and say 'Hello' to your instrument so it doesn't feel lonely.
- Set a very achievable goal - 'Let's practise for 3 minutes today'
- Witness the practise - be in the room but try not to make it a 'lesson' by giving instructions. Allow the child to lead and respond if they ask for help.
