Is this the year you sign your child up for piano lessons? Great choice. A lifelong love of music can inspire your child to do great things. Yet to give them every advantage, there are a few things you should do before your child ever has their very first piano lesson.
These few things will speed up your child’s learning curve, and help nurture their love for music for years to come.
Buy the right piano
Yes, there is a right piano and a wrong one. Ideally, having a piano that sounds great and motivates your child to keep practicing will be your best investment. That means finding a quality piano that is kept in a room in your home where they will enjoy playing on a regular basis. It also means having a piano that creates beautiful music.
Too many times parents find the least expensive method of attaining a piano – a free piano on Craigslist anyone? – and assume that is good enough in the beginning. Yet you can’t enjoy creating music if the piano isn’t capable of creating a beautiful sound. If it’s out of tune, or has notes that won’t play, your child will never stay motivated from week to week.
There are many options when buying the right piano. Acoustic. Digital. New. Used. The key is finding a piano dealer you can trust to help you find the best piano for you.
Put the piano in a great place to play
Kids often fail at practicing because the piano is either in a gloomy part of the home they don’t enjoy playing in (the basement) or it’s in a room where other activities constantly take place (the television). Even when they are starting out, a child will remain positive about their practice schedule if they feel included in the family. They enjoy others hearing what they have to play.
Maintain your piano
A piano isn’t a piece of furniture you can tuck away into a corner and neglect for as long as it’s in your home. It needs consistent maintenance to keep it in top playing form. You need to find a piano tuner and have them come in on a regular basis. Once you have one you work well with, they will help you develop a schedule that’s right for your piano. Children are far more likely to practice when they enjoy hearing a pleasant sound while they are playing.
Have a piano be a big part of your home
If you want your child to play the piano, it’s never too early to bring a piano into your home. Even as infants, they can grow comfortable touching the keys and hearing sound. If you play, set up a regular schedule so they can hear you play too. (And if you don’t, maybe it’s time for lessons for yourself.) Music is something everyone can enjoy for a lifetime. The more you make it a part of your home, your lifestyle, the more eager your children will be to keep playing.
