what is the correct age to start to learn how to read music

pedroims · #1 03-30-2010, 11:34 AM

My son is four years old and yesterday he had his first drum lesson, seems that he enjoys more to play drums than piano ( bass is to big for him ), the instructor seems to be a good drummer and he asked me what I was looking for my son. I told him that he should teach him correct position, use of dynamics and some rock rhythms, I stayed at the room just to break the ice and see my soon reaction, he was catching up everything but the problem started when the instructor tried to teach to my son how to read music, of course I want my son be able to read music but I am afraid if this to much for a four year old kid that doesn't even know how to read English or Spanish, what you guys think:? should we keep and push my son to learn who to read music or we should focus on good technique and just learn few rhythms and move to theory and reading skills later. I can tell you that he just want to beat the drums and doesn't care about the music sheet in from of him, any experience from you guys?

togglehead · #2 03-30-2010, 11:38 AM

Just like any other language...id get him learning as early as possible.

That being said...if the kid is just NOT interested...he wont actually learn anything. It important now to explain and drill in WHY reading music is important for a player...and I bet once he gets excited about the new rhythms he's getting good at...he'll WANT to learn.

MNAirHead · #3 03-30-2010, 11:41 AM

Opinion --- swap teachers..

For a kid of this age, we want some fast success.. not confusion.

It doesn't hurt to learn -- probably not more important than developing a good internal metronome or how to listen.

T-MOST · #4 03-30-2010, 11:47 AM

There is no such thing as a "correct" age. if the child can hold the instrument and displays interest thats the correct age.

togglehead · #5 03-30-2010, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-MOST

There is no such thing as a "correct" age. if the child can hold the instrument and displays interest thats the correct age.

Couldnt have said it better myself.

Jim Campbell · #6 03-30-2010, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MNAirHead

Opinion --- swap teachers..

For a kid of this age, we want some fast success.. not confusion.

It doesn't hurt to learn -- probably not more important than developing a good internal metronome or how to listen.

i'm not sure that outside of prodigy types that too much emphasis on reading is going to be much difference.....at this stage it could be introduced,and monitor aptitude,desire,practice,progress...at four who knows what the kid will be doing in a year or two

Billnc · #7 03-30-2010, 11:53 AM

There are basics he probably can understand. Just go very slowly. I've taught Kindergarteners to read some basic music. One octave seems doable, so I'm guessing the very basics for drum music are too.

He probably shouldn't be expected to sight read, but can be taught to count and clap and how these relate to the staff.

I don't 'push' the youngest students at all, just go with what they can digest at each lesson. I can say, if the student pays attention at all (some don't, this is a waste) the lessons always 'take' and the increments add up.

Many of the youngest I teach for a semester only, fall or spring, for the first few years. They may or may not practice the rest of the year, but the lessons 'take'. 4th or 5th grade seems to be the time to build intensity.

I am not formally trained in teaching the youngest kids, but have many years experience by now (parents will beg me to teach them, and I will try) I've had a 5 year old play Bach's Minuet in G flawlessly (she also took ballet so her all around coordination and proprioception was very good). As soon as I see the student drift off I will allow them a few moments to talk or bang around on the guitar, they cannot and won't maintain focus the whole time, though I've encountered exceptions.

At 4 years old there is no hurry, you'll know if he is absolutely not ready to learn to read, but I will have young guitar students clap some basic rythms and read them as a break from guitar.

Kids are smart.

Hope this helps a little.

roblow · #8 03-30-2010, 11:53 AM

Kids are sponges at that age. As long as the teacher has patience and is fun your kid will take it in. Let the teacher teach. Dont be overbearing. I turned my son off by doing that. Lead him to the water but dont make him drink. He has a long way to go dont expect a over night sensation and you will be find. As you see most comments are geared towards you and not your kid. I finally got my son to take bass lessons and i am going to stay away i learned my lesson

tZer · #9 03-30-2010, 11:56 AM

Presuming the child is interested and demonstrates aptitude, the earlier they learn to read and play music, the better.

There have been studies that show the brains of children who learn to read and play music before the age of seven develop differently than those who either do not read and play music or who learn later in life.

The difference (IMO) is very significant and important in that it creates a better connection between the left and right (logic and emotional) hemispheres of the brain. Theoretically this can be responsible for better problem solving skills and the ability to perceive, understand and use patterns in other areas seemingly unrelated to music - like math or computer programming logic.

While people who don't have the benefit of learning music at an early age still do fine, even excel in all areas, there is a measurable difference in how their brain and an early trained musician's brain process information and I can't help but think that being able to leverage both hemispheres is a plus.

http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2007...lasticity-pbs/

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/musicinstinct/

sirpug · #10 03-30-2010, 12:00 PM

My son is is 3 1/2 years old and he's been "playing" drums, keys, bass, and singing for a couple of years now. Of course his idea of playing is a little different then mine but I had an instructor from the Seattle Drum School tell me that it's more about familiarization with the instruments at this point then actually learning anything serious. We are waiting for him to show us that he is ready for structured lessons. My wife and I are hoping that this gives him a good foundation that allows him to enjoy his lessons when the time comes.

onlyclave · #11 03-30-2010, 12:09 PM

At 4 years old a kid doesn't have a long enough attention span to really benefit much from lessons. A beginning piano student any less than 5 or 6 years old can't focus for 15 minutes at a time which is really where the instruction needs to occur. Right now your kid is just banging on some drums.

Put him in piano in a couple of years. He'll have no choice but to learn to read and that will still be useful as a percussionist vs. an ignorant drummer.

pedroims · #12 03-30-2010, 01:59 PM

thanks for your comments, I am going to check my son's reaction for the next four weeks, I am sure that practice will be more fun if I play with him, I hope he can enjoy daddy as the bass player.

tZer · #13 03-30-2010, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedroims

thanks for your comments, I am going to check my son's reaction for the next four weeks, I am sure that practice will be more fun if I play with him, I hope he can enjoy daddy as the bass player.

I guarantee you if you are in there playing - especially piano - your kids will appear from out of nowhere and want to play too.

I took lessons for about 5 years as a kid and I've recently been re-teaching myself piano via jazz theory.

In never fails when I go in and sit at the piano to figure out some chord voicings suddenly there's a boy sitting next to me going, "wanna hear me play something?"

I also play a game with both of my kids (separately - sibling rivalry will always ruin an otherwise good jam session!). The game is a sneaky ear training exercise where I play a note on my bass and they match it on the piano - first eyes open - then eyes closed.

I've found my boy has especially good ears and can usually hit the note, eyes closed, in at least two tries. If he misses the first time, he usually nails it the second even if he's a few steps away.

Bottom line - they need to see you enjoying yourself while practicing. My kids see me get up spontaneously and go plink on the piano for an hour or so writing, leaning, etc...

I see them both spontaneously get up and go plink on the piano and I never have to ask either of them to go practice.

So I definitely encourage you do sit down at the piano too and start teaching yourself some stuff. When your kid sees you doing that, his interest is almost guaranteed to be triggered.

**Freddels** · #14 03-30-2010, 03:16 PM

Music is a language and we learned to speak before we could read. We all probably started talking around 1 to 1.5 yrs of age and yet we probably didn't start reading until about 5 yrs of age.

With music, one of the difficulties of really young children when learning to read music is that we need to explain fractions to them (e.g., 4/4 time, 1/8th note, etc.) and that's where it breaks down. I would think at a young age, the teacher would need to teach the correct technique (as well as little hands can do it) and then probably teach by ear (like the Suzuki method).

Time Consumer · #15 03-30-2010, 03:27 PM

Yeah, I agree with everything said here, I'd also add that me and my brother learned in our public school systems music program, they start in 3rd grade if thats anything to go by. I think thats a good age to start realy trying to teach music, it should at least coincide with when they start teaching fractions in math(as someone else said, kids dont have the attention span for fractions), thats where they get 3rd grade from I believe.

tZer · #16 03-30-2010, 03:39 PM

Regarding kids and attentions spans - I've seen some pretty young kids - 6, 7 years old - who are not intimidated by the 'math' of piano.

Definitely a reflection on their very skilled teachers - but each of my kids takes 1/2 hour lesson each week - and over the last year they've both 'gotten it' regarding time, reading notes and all that jazz.

GOOD TEACHERS are the key. If a teacher knows how to communicate with a very young child, he/she can teach them anything. But the trick is finding a teacher with very well developed early childhood teaching skills. That's tricky.

MNAirHead · #17 03-30-2010, 03:47 PM

I'm getting hung up on 4 years old and first lesson.

Did the child request to read?

Time Consumer · #18 03-30-2010, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tZer

Regarding kids and attentions spans - I've seen some pretty young kids - 6, 7 years old - who are not intimidated by the 'math' of piano.

Definitely a reflection on their very skilled teachers - but each of my kids takes 1/2 hour lesson each week - and over the last year they've both 'gotten it' regarding time, reading notes and all that jazz.

GOOD TEACHERS are the key. If a teacher knows how to communicate with a very young child, he/she can teach them anything. But the trick is finding a teacher with very well developed early childhood teaching skills. That's tricky.

Wasn't sayin its not possible, its just easier to teach a 7 or 8 year old(the 3rd grade ages) than 4 or 5 year olds how to read music, makes a big difference.

pedroims · #19 03-30-2010, 07:29 PM

thanks for the advice, my daughter ( she is five) started piano lessons last week, I am spending half hour with her to help her with practice, my son decided to go for drums ,we spent half hours today, I was playing 4's note in my bass and my son beating the snare at same time, so far so good, they watch me practice everyday also they see playing at the church every Sunday , at this age they want to be like daddy that was they asked for lessons, also its a way to keep them away from TV.

R. Laevinus · #20 03-30-2010, 07:54 PM

...I vote that the correct age is the same as when you teach them to read language.

Honest. Whether or not the kids understand the fractions or the math or the accidentals is not the issue. Whether they even succeed at it, is also not the issue. The issue is raising them with it, having them accept it and be used to it, and not be afraid to turn to it in future.

/startthreadderail

I still remember that day five years ago, when I realized that not everybody could read music. I felt then, and still do feel, a great amount of pity for those who can't, simply because I feel so privileged to have been given access to all that it entails. Even though I don't read often - even though I'm so rusty that I have to go note-by-note (I should really get back into the habit), I still can, and do, on occasion, and I feel that the ability to read music is one of the greatest gifts ever given me, by anybody.

/endthreadderail