Suggested Books

Here is a partial list of suggested Piano Series:

Here is a partial list of suggested Vocal Anthologies:

Practicing

Practicing a musical instrument regularly is tough for most kids.  That does not mean that when your child is giving you a hard time about practicing it means that they hate music and want to quit.  They just don’t like practicing, and that’s okay…for now.

Why Practice?

Musicians use small muscles that need a constant regular workout.  Especially at young ages, musicians’ muscles are developing very quickly with regular practice, so improvement is very obvious.  

When to Practice?

Ideally, practice should happen every day.  Everyday practice may not happen for beginners or older students who have decided that music is a hobby.  Making practice part of the child’s daily routine is key.  I like to encourage students to use it as a small break halfway through homework time; it gives the opportunity for a physical activity to break up the focused concentration of math, english, and the other subjects, and it also places the same importance on their music lessons as their other ones.  

How to Practice

Here are a few tips and pointers in what to listen for and encourage in your students:

  • Muscle memory and tempo are mutually exclusive.  That means everything must be practiced VERY SLOW in order for the skill to be successfully “programmed” into the body.  This is very difficult for young children, especially when they are learning to play a song that they recognize.  **If mistakes are happening, it is more than likely that the piece is being practiced at a tempo that is too fast.**
  • Students shouldn’t always start at the beginning of a piece each time they sit down to practice it. I, personally, practice from the end of the piece, working on small “snippets” that give me trouble; practicing them slowly then speeding them up. These sections are repeated many times until the music becomes easy to play. Then I move backwards to the next snippet.  Eventually, I put the piece back together and gradually bring it up to tempo.  Using this method, as I play the piece from beginning to end I become more comfortable and confident instead of less.  
  • Sometimes practice happens without making sounds.  Students should take time to figure out the fingering of passages note by note. Any time a mistake occurs, your child should feel free to make a note in the music with pencil.  Also, time spent with Theory Worksheets and Flash Cards is practice time.
  • A digital recorder or phone is a great tool to use when practicing. Students can record themselves playing so they can hear problems, particularly regarding to rhythm and notes.  This is a lot of fun for them to do, so encourage it!