Supporting Beginner Musicians
Supporting Beginner Musicians
Are you looking to support the growth of your budding musician? Look no further! See the top tips below to learn how to best nurture musical skills in your child. Like a growing plant, too much or too little attention can stunt its growth. See the best ways to both nurture (and give space to) the new musician in your household!
Tips to support your musician:
Encourage but don’t force
Gentle guidance is necessary with every beginning skill. Learning anything new is difficult! Learning a new instrument especially so: not only are you coordinating different fine and large motor skills, you’re learning to read a new form of written language and your brain has to transfer that information into sound though an inanimate object… It is a lot of work!
Most young musicians are not going to naturally have the self discipline to work through the tough times all on their own. The desire to give up or quit when something becomes more difficult is fairly common - that’s when our support system is most necessary.
Think of it this way - when babies are learning to walk, what would happen if we decide we are just going to carry them everywhere after they fall once? We help them push through and learn the skill by encouraging them and putting them in situations in which they need to walk!
2. Not all musicians want to perform
Do you have any hobbies that are just for you? Maybe painting, running, or collecting Pokemon cards? Are you expected to show off your hobbies to anyone on demand? Most likely not.
Music can be like that for some musicians; just for them. It’s not something they are learning in order to put on performances. Some musicians want to learn to play or write and not share. That can be frustrating for some parents; you see your musician put so much work into something and you want them to show it off with pride! I understand!
I personally am a musician that likes to perform but I work with so many that get their joy from learning a difficult piece of music only to play it for themselves and then move on. Let your musicians decide if they want to perform on their own terms. A gentle nudge and guidance is absolutely fine! Some need it! But you know your musician, and if they are too uncomfortable with the expectation of having to perform, it could turn them off from music altogether.
3. Provide structure
Time management is not usually something that comes naturally to young musicians. That is one of the greatest skills that comes from learning an instrument: learning to set your own practice schedule.
But, young musicians need your help! Yes, we want them to take responsibility for their own learning but they do not have control over the household schedule (and sometimes not much control over their own).
Provide a framework for your musician to create their own practice schedule and loosely help them follow it. They are still building the skill and may need some reminders (but not nagging!) Spontaneity is fun and great for building coping skills, but too much chaos can be detrimental to building time management skills.
4. Let them teach you
You may be an expert at your beginner musician’s new endeavor, or you may not know how to read a single note of music - either way, let your beginner teach you! They will reinforce their own learning and feel more proud and confident in themselves.
5. Create a Creatively Safe Environment
Sure, it was probably not the best rendition of hot cross buns you’ve ever heard. Yes, they may be out of tune on that high note they keep trying to hit over and over. But, there is no way that they will continue to try to reach for more or grow if they feel as if they are a burden.
Designate a space in which your musician is allowed to freely practice as if they are in a soundproof room (even if you can hear every note!) They will work harder when they are not worried about others hearing or being annoyed by their practicing.