KristenR Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 I had hoped to start my dd4 on piano when she was 4. Sadly, it just never got fit in. A good friend of mine is a teacher and told me I could start her off on my own, even without having any music background of my own. She gave me this beginner prep book for young students and told me I could learn alongside my dd. How many of you have done something similar?? How did it go? I would love to get her lessons down the road when we are a little bit better off financially. In the meantime would you wait- and hold off on lessons- or give it a try on your own?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 No expert advice but I will be starting Adrian guitar lessons next week using Alfred's Guitar Course for Kids. I do have a bit of a musical background though! I took three years of classical guitar and several years of music theory. It was many years ago :tongue_smilie: but this should work for us for a year or two, at least until we figure out if Adrian is interest in learning to play it. Hopefully by then we should be able to afford the lessons because I want him to start with classical first. My only problem is, we bought him a full size guitar and even though he is tall for his age it might be a bit big. Oh well! If this is the case, we will just get Alfred's Ukulele method and try that this year (the boys' grandparents just got Adrian his guitar and Malcolm a Ukulele) and wait till next year for the guitar :lol:. No real advice! Just like you, we are trying this out. Hope it works! Giving you a bump at least ;)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 No expert advice but I will be starting Adrian guitar lessons next week using Alfred's Guitar Course for Kids. I do have a bit of a musical background though! I took three years of classical guitar and several years of music theory. It was many years ago :tongue_smilie: but this should work for us for a year or two, at least until we figure out if Adrian is interest in learning to play it. Hopefully by then we should be able to afford the lessons because I want him to start with classical first. My only problem is, we bought him a full size guitar and even though he is tall for his age it might be a bit big. Oh well! If this is the case, we will just get Alfred's Ukulele method and try that this year (the boys' grandparents just got Adrian his guitar and Malcolm a Ukulele) and wait till next year for the guitar :lol:. No real advice! Just like you, we are trying this out. Hope it works! Giving you a bump at least ;)! Thanks! And good luck to you and your son. I was kind of thinking if we do go this route it will be for a year or so and hopefully at that time we'll be able to fit in some real lessons with a teacher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 I do have a musical background so I have been able to help my DD. Sadly, piano was not a good fit for her but she started clarinet last month and is doing well just learning from a beginner's book. Of course, I am able to help her with her posture and fingering and reading the music. One thing I do remember from all my years of piano lessons is this. I desperately wanted to take lessons and the piano teacher wouldn't take me until my hands were big enough to span an octave. I think I was seven when I could finally start lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Thanks! And good luck to you and your son. I was kind of thinking if we do go this route it will be for a year or so and hopefully at that time we'll be able to fit in some real lessons with a teacher. Good luck to you and your little one also :)! We seem to have a similar plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm37 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 (edited) How many of you have done something similar?? How did it go? I would love to get her lessons down the road when we are a little bit better off financially. In the meantime would you wait- and hold off on lessons- or give it a try on your own?? I did this with my two youngest for their first year. When they started lessons the music teacher took my youngest daughter back to the beginning in a different series and started her older sister in a level 2 book. The only problem that they had coming into lessons was that they didn't know the names of the keys very well. She had them play while saying the key names for at least one of their songs each week. I did know how to play the piano at an intermediate level when I worked with them. I would personally suggest that you go ahead and work through the first several books in that series before you start working with your daughter. There are also other supplemental 1A books that you might like to look at, such as the theory and notespeller books. I think it would be very confusing for her to try to learn alongside you. My girls were 9 and 10 when they started lessons. They are in their 5th year of lessons now and can play beautifully. Blessings, Edited January 3, 2012 by cam1706 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicMama Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 I don't take students until they can read, and are at least 6 years old. It can be extremely frustrating for a younger student to learn piano before then. If you want music lessons, a 1/4 size violin might be a better option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 I am using Alfred's to teach my two oldest the piano. We also use the theory book - it was highly recommended from reading old threads here. I would love to have them in lessons, but it is not a possibility right now. It has been okay so far, but I do have some musical background. I can read music and play piano at a beginner level. I am using Alfred's adult course to teach/reteach myself. (I am in Level 2 right now) I agree with the PP that you may want to work ahead first yourself. I will also say that I am not going to be able to continue for very long. I feel like *I* need lessons if I am to get much further than I am right now. I need feedback and questions answered to continue to advance. Having said that, I'm glad I started teaching the kids. They enjoy it, and I'm hoping I can give them a head start until we can start lessons next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 I don't take students until they can read, and are at least 6 years old. It can be extremely frustrating for a younger student to learn piano before then. If you want music lessons, a 1/4 size violin might be a better option. My dd5 is a great reader. She started at a very young age and is currently reading books like Charlotte's Web and Trumpet of the Swan by herself. I would love for her to want to take violin. I took it back in my early 20's and was hoping she'd want to go that route. But no- she says she wants the piano. She's rather adamant about it. My dd3 claims she'll want to play the violin... So maybe one of my kids will down the road. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 (edited) My dd5 is a great reader. She started at a very young age and is currently reading books like Charlotte's Web and Trumpet of the Swan by herself. I would love for her to want to take violin. I took it back in my early 20's and was hoping she'd want to go that route. But no- she says she wants the piano. She's rather adamant about it. My dd3 claims she'll want to play the violin... So maybe one of my kids will down the road. :) Since as long as I can remember, I always wanted to learn how to play the piano. My father could afford the lessons but at the time, could not afford getting a piano, mostly because he was worried whether I would stick with it or not. He signed me up for guitar but my heart was not into it at the time, even though my teacher (Liza Zoe, the best of the best in the classical guitar world) told him that I had talent. http://www.evangelos-liza.com/ This is me now :banghead:! I don't know what the best approach on this is! Adrian says he wants to learn to play the guitar but also likes the piano. Like my father, I am going with the least expensive right now and see how it goes. Even if Adrian turns out not to be into it, there's always Malcolm, and I have always wanted to pick it up again anyway. So the investment on the guitar (definitely not as high as a piano) will not go to waste, one way or another. One thing I will say though, I am glad we are homeschooling because at least we can try certain things at home at a lower cost and change them if they don't work out ;). Who knows what the future holds! Edited January 4, 2012 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 This is me now :banghead:! I don't know what the best approach on this is! Adrian says he wants to learn to play the guitar but also likes the piano. Like my father, I am going with the least expensive right now and see how it goes. Even if Adrian turns out not to be into it, there's always Malcolm, and I have always wanted to pick it up again anyway. So the investment on the guitar (definitely not as high as a piano) will not go to waste, one way or another. One thing I will say though, I am glad we are homeschooling because at least we can try certain things at home at a lower cost and change them if they don't work out ;). Who knows what the future holds! I agree, it can be nerve wracking. We're probably over thinking it-- like if we choose one instrument they could be missing their "calling" with another. But as you carefully pointed out- as homeschoolers we have more time and attention to devote to each child and I'm sure that even if you start Adrian on guitar, you'll be able to watch him progress on that while immersing him in numerous opportunities to see, hear, and experiment on other instruments. If piano keeps popping up with him maybe you can reevaluate then. On a side note- do you feel that if your dad had started you on the piano you would have gone farther with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I agree, it can be nerve wracking. We're probably over thinking it-- like if we choose one instrument they could be missing their "calling" with another. But as you carefully pointed out- as homeschoolers we have more time and attention to devote to each child and I'm sure that even if you start Adrian on guitar, you'll be able to watch him progress on that while immersing him in numerous opportunities to see, hear, and experiment on other instruments. If piano keeps popping up with him maybe you can reevaluate then. We have several other small instruments also and have used Calvert's Discoveries in Music and still bring it out often. What you said is exactly my goal. I am hoping through observation, I may be able to see what my boys are good at and what they like. On a side note- do you feel that if your dad had started you on the piano you would have gone farther with it? I think I would have. For many years it was the only thing on my mind, and all I talked about! Of course, unless you have tried you never know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dhahabu Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I would highly recommend this http://www.amazon.com/Music-Little-Mozarts-Lesson-Book/dp/0882849662/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b I can't play the piano either but started off my ds at 5 with this book. It's meant for little children and takes them very slowly through learning the different notes. The only thing I couldn't do was play the teacher's accompaniment with him when he was playing the simple notes but that didn't detract from his learning. There is also a workbook to go with the lesson book which involves colouring exercises - not essential but is supposed to reinforce the lesson. My ds is now having lessons with a teacher and she has continued with book 2 with him as she thought the course was so good for little children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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