Author Topic: Biweekly piano lessons  (Read 1532 times)

Sunnysof

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Biweekly piano lessons
« on: July 25, 2018, 08:41:40 PM »
In an effort to save some $ I am considering biweekly piano lessons for my 2 kids (age 7 & 9). But in polling other friends including some music teachers, they all say weekly is a must for motivation/ progress etc. My kids are one year into lessons, definitely learning but not devoted musicians. They enjoy it but need prodding to practice. No battles, just usual kid distractions. We don’t have definite musical goals but are thinking at least a few years of exposure to allow them to pick up other instruments as they get older. What do you think?

cats

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Re: Biweekly piano lessons
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2018, 12:35:30 PM »
I took weekly music lessons and was probably like your kids--I had periods of high motivation and periods of less motivation.  I think weekly is nice but regular PRACTICE outside of lessons is what's best for progress.  I did best when I was also in the school band (which meant a class period devoted to practice 2-5x/week) and/or had some sort of competition or other goal that I was practicing for. 

Does your current teacher offer group piano lessons?  I initially did group piano starting around age 7, then a couple of years of weekly one-on-one, then transitioned over to playing the flute (and had weekly lessons + band for that).  I continued to play flute at a VERY recreational level (accompanying a church choir, so 1-2x playing/week) until I was about 30, then I moved and then had a kid myself and haven't really kept up with it, which I regret.  I have had "take flute in for tune up" on my mental to-do list for ages now, but haven't gotten around to it.  For me, I think the social aspect of playing (i.e. in a band or accompanying a group) is what I liked most and wanting to do well within that social aspect is what got me to practice.  I don't have a logical social outlet for playing right now (my current church's choir already has a flute player, for example....plus I sometimes have to dash out in the middle of Mass to change a diaper or deal with a cranky toddler...), which is probably why I feel so unmotivated to schedule that tune up and start practicing again.

abhe8

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Re: Biweekly piano lessons
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2018, 01:42:27 PM »
Check out Hoffman Academy. Its online, with videos, printable sheet music and theory lessons and listening tracks. My older three have had piano 2-4 years, but the cost went up a bunch when we moved, so we are trying Hoffman this year. We are three weeks into it and so far, we love it. I like the work at your own pace option and the cost is great. I sure with the kids for the fifteen minutes lesson the first day of the week and they practice alone after that. Ages are 11,9 and 7.

PoutineLover

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Re: Biweekly piano lessons
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2018, 01:50:31 PM »
I took weekly piano lessons as a kid starting at age 9 until about 17. I didn't practice enough so I'm sure I didn't get as much out of it as I could have, but it was still a good experience and I'm happy that I learned to play, and I did go on to play clarinet in the high school jazz band, which I really enjoyed. I would say that at that age, if you don't care too much about how fast they progress, try the biweekly lessons and see how it goes. Have a set number of practices to complete between lessons, and see how they feel about it. My sister was forced into it, hated it, and dropped it early, but I tolerated it more and managed to keep it up and enjoy it. If the kids start to get better and start asking for more frequent lessons, go up to once a week but there's no harm in making sure they are actually committed to it before investing the extra time and money.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!