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Get the Most Out of Music Lessons

These guidelines will help you to have a successful, rewarding musical experience. These are practical tips that we have discovered from teaching and working with many students each year.

Our Mission
At The Musik Place, our mission is to provide a nurturing, caring environment where children and families can learn and enjoy music together, while gaining skills to last a lifetime.

Our Philosophy
All children are musical. They are born with the aptitude (natural ability) as well as the inclination (natural disposition) to sing and dance. Dr. Edwin E. Gordon, noted researcher, believes that until the child is 9 years old, teachers and parents can affect how musical a child can be for life. At The Musik Place, we help children to reach their full musical potential and lay the foundation upon which all musical skills (expression, beat competence, technique, articulation, etc.) will rest.

Because music is sound, we feel that aural preparation is key to music development. Just as language first exists aurally and then later in the written form, music must first be an aural reality for the child. Only then will the written form, notation, have meaning for the child. Just as words are the building blocks of language, so too, tonal and rhythm patterns are the building blocks of music. Children need to hear the tonal and rhythm patterns that comprise the vocabulary of musical language- both in isolation and in the context of songs.

Music Touches All Spheres of Development
Often referred to as The Mozart Effect, music’s melodic and rhythmic patterns awaken and stimulate neural pathways in the brain that help develop memory, math skills, and powers of abstract and creative thinking. Our classes help children develop the following:

How Young is Too Young - Starting at the Right Age
At The Musik Place, we begin nurturing a child’s musical development even before birth, as hearing is fully developed eighteen weeks after conception. Infant (0-18mo.) and Toddler (17 mo.-3yrs.) classes teach you how to interact and play musically with your child, helping to create a very special bond between the two of you. Our Preschool (3-5yrs.) and Young Musician (4-7 yrs.) classes will give your child a good foundation in music basics in a small class environment.

Beginning Piano (6-10 yrs.)
At The Musik Place, we recommend our students take small group (max.4) piano classes, which emphasize singing, rhythm work, drumming and ear training, as well as playing. The program allows children to play a wide variety of songs in any key. This program builds excellent musical skills, which can then be transferred to any instrument that our students wish to play, including continuing on the piano in small group or private lessons.

Guitar - Acoustic and Electric (9+ yrs.)
As hand size and strength play a large part in the success of learning to play the guitar, age 9 is the earliest we recommend for guitar lessons, due to the finger pressure required on the strings to make a good sound.

Recorder (7+ yrs.)
Due to finger dexterity, the ability for breath control and the need to read music, we recommend that students interested in recorder begin no earlier than 7 years old.

Voice (10+ yrs.)
10 years old is recommended as the youngest age for private vocal lessons. Due to the nature of voice lessons (proper breathing techniques, development of the vocal chords and lung capacity), the younger body is generally not yet ready for the rigors of vocal technique. For children younger than 10, our Young Musician and beginning piano classes emphasize how to use their voices properly along with the benefits of learning other musical skills, in a fun, relaxed environment.

Make Practicing Easier
As with anything, improving in music takes practice. One of the main problems with taking music lessons and learning an instrument is the drudgery of practicing and the fight between parents and students to practice every day. Here are some ways to make practicing easier:

Time - Set the same time every day to practice so it becomes part of a routine or habit. This works particularly well for children. Generally, the earlier in the day the practicing can occur, the less reminding is required by parents to get the child to practice.

Repetition – We use this method quite often when setting practice schedules for beginners. Instead of setting a time frame, we use repetition. For example, practice the warm-up twice, and go over this piece 5 times every day. The child then does not pay attention to the amount of time they are practicing their instrument, but knows if they are on repetition number 3, they are almost finished.

Why Musikgarten?
There is no other music learning method that can foster the enjoyment of music, friendship between children, and family togetherness like Musikgarten. Making music with others requires self-discipline and cooperation, as well as concentration and multi-track listening. When working together, childhood musicians can learn more expediently and completely, while having more fun at the same time. Moreover, a child’s excitement about learning and performing keeps them involved in making music long after the lessons stop!

Information provided by The Musik Place, 2501 152nd Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052

For more information, please call 425-556-5990 or check our web site at www.themusikplace.com

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