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Pianos
- This topic has 20 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 2 months ago by
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Wow, now my head is spinning. LOL! I have lots to consider but I feel more knowledgeable at least thanks to all of your responses.
You ladies are the best. Thanks sooooooo much!
Carolyn, my kids started piano at 5, and they loved it at that age. But there are probably benefits to waiting if you would rather your kids be more independent with learning it. My dd, 8, is showing great talent (she didn’t get it from me! 🙂 and I am glad she started so young.
Carolyn,
If a child has a definite innate musical ability (which you can usually recognize by 2-3 years of age), then I would definitely encourage lots of music activities either at home with a parent or with a private teacher who specializes in very young children. I don’t mean “formal” piano lessons, however, as a 3 year old is not going to have the co-ordination to physically play the piano very well.
For most children, age 6 or 7 seems to be the best age to begin lessons. If you have given them a good start in music (letting them listen to good quality music of all genres, teaching them to move to the music, or giving them access to rhythm instruments) before they start their piano lessons, they will progress much more quickly.
As far as how long it will take for them to “read music”, that really will vary by the child. Those with photographic memories will be able to identify and name the notes much more quickly than others. Normally, a child with 4 or 5 years of piano lessons will feel comfortable with sight-reading simple music. This would be assuming your child is studying with an average, American piano teacher. I had a Russian piano teacher for several years and learned much more in that short amount of time, but she pushed me much harder than what American children are used to.
Hope this helps!
~Anna
Suzuki does have a piano program…. they will start as young as 3, although I think some of the suzuki piano teachers prefer (or even require) them to be 4 or 5…. mind you with Suzuki they want an accustic piano (possibly a high quality digital piano might be ok…)
Of course, with Suzuki they don’t start reading music until they are older. (For violin, our teacher wants 3 things before they start reading music…. that they are at least 6, are reading ok at school (not necessarily fluently….) and are at least halfway through book 1… into the minuets….
Farber and Farber (sp?) have a great program for 5-6yo’s starting violin called “My First Piano Adventures”. I have seen it, and it is really good.
I own a Clavinova digital piano also. I am teaching my children on it and it is nice that it never needs tuning. It is a decent pratice instrument. However, before we moved recently to a MUCH smaller house I had an acoustic piano and I miss it. I miss my HuGE upright grand piano even more. Although the digital piano is ok for practice and I also use a very nice $4000 keyboard at my church for live performance – to me there is nothing as satisfying as an hour alone in the fellowship hall of our church where I can sneak in some time on the old acoustic spinet there. Playing an acoustic piano is immensely pleasurable for music lovers. Something about the resonance, the rich tones, and the natural fade that makes practicing a simple song an absolute delight.
I guess I don’t want to confuse you more but if you have the money set aside – and you have the space … I know that when I first began lessons I started on a keyboard and when my parents boigt me a gorgeous upright grand piano I fell in love with music. I’ve been playing for years.
If you add up all of our two cents you might get a pack of gum 🙂
Tara
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