how to teach music

[Hildegarda]

Dear musicians and music lovers,

I wanted to ask about how to apply the ideas and values of Work to music teaching.

My elementary school aged children attend piano and violin lessons, and I am helping them practice at home. So, most often I am the one who has to do the actual "teaching" -- to hold the bow correctly, read the music properly, i.e., doing all the grunt, repetitive, boring work.

In music, perhaps more than in other subjects, the balance between fun you get and the effort you put in, is very delicate. The more you know and the more you can do with the instrument, the more your horizons open and the more you enjoy it. But to get there, sometimes you have to push yourself. And that's something a disciplined and motivated adult can do. But when it comes to young children, it is so important that the joy doesn't go out of their hearts in the process, either because they are bored w\o enough progress, or discouraged from pressure.

may be, if you play an instrument, you could share how you learned -- how old you were when you started, how long or often you practiced? what was good about the way you were taught, by your teacher or at home, and what was perhaps discouraging or sub-optimal? what would you change, or do differently, now that you know what you know? anything else you could share, tips, extra resources?

This all is very relevant to the "free will and raising children" topic, and I am trying to formulate practical ideas on how to be a "stable bow", as per Khalil Gibran's poem, in this particular issue.

 

[T.C.]

Hi Hildergarda.

Just for reference, I play a few musical instruments and can read music.

Do your children enjoy playing piano and violin? Are they learning for their own pleasure and interest?

If they love music and playing then that helps cut through the more arduous parts of learning an instrument. For instance, if you want to play the drums, you have to start just on the snare, and so many kids quit after a couple of months because they can't see why it's going to benefit them. If kids know why they are doing the less exciting, difficult stuff, in my experience it helps.

Technique is so important! If you feel you're doing a lot of the teaching then that's the most important thing for you to watch out for; if they learn how to play their instruments "properly" NOW, it's going to make life easier in the future - no bad habits! :) They'll be able to play faster, play more complex pieces easier, more cleanly. Strong foundations.

If they're having to study a piece of music that they don't enjoy too much, work with them to find pieces of music that they DO like to play - their favourites, etc. Then they can be used to lighten the mood, or (I don't mean this to sound like, "good puppy") as rewards at the end of practice.

Another important thing, is for them to know their instrument. Learning how it works, what different parts it consists of, why it makes the sound it makes, how to clean it, maintain it etc. etc. It'll put them more in touch with the instrument on a personal/spiritual level, the instrument will last longer, make a better sound and be easier to play.

But they have to know that practice makes perfect and if they want to get good - if they want to play that really difficult piece that they've heard someone else play and can't imagine they'll ever be able to play it - then they've got to practice, and know that the person who's playing that amazing stuff did a lot of practice too.

Hope that helps.

T.C.

 

[genero81]

Dear musicians and music lovers,

I wanted to ask about how to apply the ideas and values of Work to music teaching.

My elementary school aged children attend piano and violin lessons, and I am helping them practice at home. So, most often I am the one who has to do the actual "teaching" -- to hold the bow correctly, read the music properly, i.e., doing all the grunt, repetitive, boring work.

In music, perhaps more than in other subjects, the balance between fun you get and the effort you put in, is very delicate. The more you know and the more you can do with the instrument, the more your horizons open and the more you enjoy it. But to get there, sometimes you have to push yourself. And that's something a disciplined and motivated adult can do. But when it comes to young children, it is so important that the joy doesn't go out of their hearts in the process, either because they are bored w\o enough progress, or discouraged from pressure.

may be, if you play an instrument, you could share how you learned -- how old you were when you started, how long or often you practiced? what was good about the way you were taught, by your teacher or at home, and what was perhaps discouraging or sub-optimal? what would you change, or do differently, now that you know what you know? anything else you could share, tips, extra resources?

This all is very relevant to the "free will and raising children" topic, and I am trying to formulate practical ideas on how to be a "stable bow", as per Khalil Gibran's poem, in this particular issue.

Who's idea was it for them to start learning these instruments? I wish I had pursued piano, because it's a percussive instrument that is much more inclusive of music theory, melody etc. You can write songs as well with it.

I picked drums because of a neighbor who introduced me to them. So, I signed up in junior high. Played in band and orchestra by the eighth grade. Continued in high school and college. It was the best thing I did in school. Other than learn how to read and understand basic math, school is largely indoctrination.

But I don't have any kids. Violin is definitely not my cup of tea. I really liked the drums of course. When I started to play the drum kit, I could play to music I really liked. So, even though I threw my drumsticks across the room more than I like to admit out of frustration, I always went to pick them up again and kept trying.

But only because I wanted too!

I fear from what you wrote that they may not be into it. :( Band for me was great overall, because I learned more about life from that then anything else in school.

But sports can provide life lessons of team work and pushing yourself because you're "into it." Sounds like you need to find out what they want. Maybe they want to play something else. Maybe they want to play football. Don't know for sure, but violin and piano sound like some adults idea. ;)

 

[Hildegarda]

Who's idea was it for them to start learning these instruments?

...

Do your children enjoy playing piano and violin? Are they learning for their own pleasure and interest?

Music is just something we, as a family, like (listening, playing, messing with, etc). I play piano and often play in the house, when kids go to sleep, for their dances etc. It seems they have always been around, grabbing at the keys. I also have a computer program that teaches music reading, and it's the only computer game they play. My son is really only doing the game now, when he wants to. But my daughter have been play by ear on her own for a while, and started formal instruction this year with a friend's teacher. Knowing some violin already, she feels she could progress faster than the teacher is taking it with her, and has been a bit frustrated, but -- that would require extra time with me teaching her independently.

I don't want to overpressure her with piano, because I feel I've done that with violin when she was younger. She has started it almost three years ago, and it was my suggestion. We go to string concerts regularly in a local college, all the instruments look cool, "do you want to play that one", "yes I do". Very enthusiastic for a couple of months, then tears, "this is too hard, it doesn't come out beautiful". After some ebb and flow, as she progressed, she is playing with pleasure, but has already told me that she would like to play flute next after she is done with violin. Perhaps it's time to move on.

My son has tagged along with her for all the lessons and concerts since he was a tot, and had started taking lessons this year. He loves listening to music, and has a perfect pitch, from what I could glimpse. He is now playing violin with pleasure and progressing quickly (it's mostly games there also now), but I am doing something I've never done before -- I have a rewards chart. He has a language disorder that touches on the autistic spectrum, all the peculiarities of which we are only now beginning to understand. The stubborness and inflexibility I always thought was just him, and let him be -- turns out, it comes with the package. Routines are very important, and anything new is very hard to start for those kids. With all that, he would need something where he could excel independently of his language ability, may be more than other kids, and would need help finding it. He would love to do drums, I think, but is too small for them ... can't wait until he grows a bit.

Technique is so important! If you feel you're doing a lot of the teaching then that's the most important thing for you to watch out for; if they learn how to play their instruments "properly" NOW, it's going to make life easier in the future - no bad habits! [..]Strong foundations.

Yes, this is a crux of the matter and that's what I struggle with most. Everyone stresses how important it is, and when I myself learned to play, my teachers were stressing it too. Entirely too strictly, so even though I have few bad habits, the accompanying loss of spirit wasn't in the end worth it.

When you have been taught a certain way, you can't help internalizing it, and it's scary when it pops out despite all your best efforts. Because of that, in the past year, I have lightened up on my efforts to enforce the "proper" playing, which made everything easier and more pure fun -- but now we have to nip in the bud some of those "bad habits".

I just can't seem to get the balance right. Or may be it is normal, skills develop unevenly ... I guess I kind of decided that I would overall rather sacrifice the "properness", going against my own grain at times, but keep the experience real and enjoyable. Even if there is an error they make -- that could be fixed later. Would you agree? ... still afraid to make a mistake, the perfectionist me, so any input is appreciated.

Sounds like you need to find out what they want. Maybe they want to play something else. Maybe they want to play football.

oh, they play that too :) Music is just one thing.

so much food for thought right away. Thank you!

 

[T.C.]

Hi Hildergarda.

Knowing some violin already, she feels she could progress faster than the teacher is taking it with her, and has been a bit frustrated,

This is the snare drum syndrome I was talking about. A kid wants to play the drum kit so that they can play along to a rock or pop song, but all the teacher is giving them is rat-tat-tat, left-right-left, etc. But it's a means to an end, it's building the foundations. The teacher sees things in the playing that need work, that others don't see and is probably keeping your daughter at this level to iron out any bad habits and give her the gift of a good technique which will make playing the instrument a joy in itself.

Even if there is an error they make -- that could be fixed later. Would you agree?

In my experience, yes it can be fixed. But it's much more difficult than just learning properly the first time around because we play habitually, and automatically and there's also a lot of muscle memory involved. When you've been playing badly for so long, to start to play properly is physically painful.

My main instrument is the Bass Guitar. I'm self taught on the bass, and I like to think I'm pretty good, and always trying to get better. But about a year ago, I hit a wall. I couldn't play what I wanted to and I couldn't get any better. The reason was, my technique wasn't good enough and so, I realised if I was going to get any better, I had to unlearn the way I'd learned to play, and relearn how to play it properly, using the right technique.

That's just music stuff anyway; I'm sure other's can help you a lot more with the issues of parenting and narcissism which also come into play here.

T.C.

 

[Mountain Crown]

Hello,

I am a singer and private voice teacher and often think about applying principles of the Work in my practice.

Viewing my role of a teacher as a guide, an older student helping a younger one who came for help on a journey, I point out immediately that the process is really a self learning one. A joint effort in the student's teaching one's self, mitigating many possible resistances to learning that are ego based.

Especially in the beginning, yet ongoing, knowledge of how the instrument works is paramount. This includes how it is played. Singing requires also a building and tuning of the instrument as well, which is different but not altogether so than with learning to play a musical device.

I experienced much frustration in the past while learning. I begged my non musician parents to learn the piano which I never learned to play well. I defeated myself because while practicing, I felt that my inability to play meant there was something wrong with me. Looking back I realize that if I had been told that the body learns by repetition (muscle memory) and to trust it, practice could have been "fun."

The motor center's function in awareness is, IMO the main thing with music, and the more we know of this function in ourselves, the more efficient we will be as guides.

No more time for now, I hope this post proves insightful.

 

[Buddy]

I don't know that much about music from the perspective of the Work, but I know a little bit about children. Depending on age and tempermant, they tend more towards imagination and fun rather than self-discipline, so even the work part should be made pleasurable or less painful somehow.

I taught myself how to read music and play a very limited amount of piano, so I know the importance of muscle memory and proper technique, but for a child, the biggest challenge is keeping them motivated so that they train themselves, with your guidance.

With that in mind, I have a little suggestion that could be related to the self-observation element of the Work.

While the child is practicing, take note of how they react when they make a mistake. Some children become self-conscious, even embarrased and feel bad. If that happens, have them repeat the mistake, observing themselves as they do it. Tell them to simply make the mistake again and again, until they become more bored than self-conscious about the whole thing. At that point, they may simply proceed of their own volition, not worrying anymore...at least about that particular mistake. Confidence and overcoming fear of mistakes is the issue here, I think.

And since one is totally conscious as they repeat the mistake, I think there's little chance of 'training in' the error, because the error needs to be accepted and repeated unconsciously in order to become more permanent. Or at least, that's been my experience.

 

[Hildegarda]

thank you everybody so much for your thoughts. Treating practices as a mindful process of discovery, and being fully in the present, serving a guide for your kids' music exploration and self-exploration are the lessons you helped me to learn.