Here are some things to consider BEFORE you sign up for private music lessons. Please note: AGE may not always be the deciding factor on when a younger student should start. Development is different for everyone!

How do you know if the potential (younger) student is ready for PIANO lessons and will be successful at it?

  • The student can follow simple instructions and directions

  • The student can focus on a task for 30 minutes

  • The student should know his/her ABC’s (up to G)

  • The student can recognize simple visual and aural patterns

  • The student should have right hand and left hand independence

  • The student’s hands are big enough for a comfortable 5-finger white key span

  • The student’s hands are big enough (see above) AND they can play each finger independently on each key without pain or too much effort

  • ALL PARTIES (parent/adult and student) understand that most of the actual work happens outside of the lesson so you will need to budget time for that. If the student is younger than middle school age, their supervising adult should be actively involved in the learning process and practice time. Though progress can and does happen from lesson to lesson, practice between lessons is ESSENTIAL.

How do you know if the potential (younger) student is ready for VOICE lessons and will be successful at it?

  • The student can follow simple instructions and directions

  • The student can focus on a task for 30 minutes

  • The student should know his/her ABC’s (up to G)

  • The student can recognize simple visual and aural patterns

  • A mentor of mine once told me that singers should start taking private VOICE lessons around middle school after the voices have changed/adjusted (~age 12 or 13). Younger children do not yet have the physical vocal structure needed to take advantage of what a good voice teacher may offer. The best option for a young singer may be to join a good children’s choir like the South Bay Children’s Choir or Long Beach Youth Chorus. You want to find a group that has good music educators who teach proper vocal technique along with musicianship, music theory and singing in harmony while exposing kids to different musical styles and languages. Private voice lessons for a younger student, however, can introduce them to proper breathing technique and start them on their musicianship journey.

  • ALL PARTIES (parent/adult and student) understand that most of the actual work happens outside of the lesson so you will need to budget time for that. If the student is younger than middle school age, their supervising adult should be actively involved in the learning process and practice time. Though progress can and does happen from lesson to lesson, practice between lessons is ESSENTIAL.