Group vs. Private Lessons

Group vs. Private Instruction The age old question - which one is best? The answer is - both! They both bring a different style and challenge to the student’s learning experience. Private lessons obviously give a one-on-one attention to the student and their specific learning abilities and desires. For some students this might be perfect. For others, it may be too much pressure. Group lessons allow the student to be in a more relaxed environment where they can draw from the other students playing and experiences to enhance their own. For some students this might be perfect, for others it might not be. Here is the key - group lessons are great for students to learn to work in a group and perform together. It allows for a relaxed learning environment where the pressure is not on them specifically to perform individually for the entire time. If you are looking for one-on-one personalized time you will want to lean towards a private lesson as this is not the purpose of the group lessons. Children are allowed to work at their own pace with a mixture of individualized attention and group direction. Private lessons are great for the student that may need the individualized attention to stay on task and motivated or for those who have specific learning goals that would be better presented in a one-on-one circumstance. Either way, you are not locked into anything forever! Try a group or try private or try both! But, whatever you do, allow your student the ability to complete the program into which you have started. Without that, you will not truly know what the best fit is as you have not allowed for the process to come to fruition and you're also potentially teaching that when you make a commitment to something and it gets tricky, etc. it's OK to just give up. Happy Practicing! The Music Momma

Where do I start with Music Lessons?

As spring is quickly approaching our minds and hearts race to new challanges and opportunities. Music lessons is one of these very worthwhile ventures. The benefits of a musical education are wide reaching and unmistakable but where do you start? Here is a guide to getting started by focusing on the top three most important characteristics of that experience - 1 - Safety - when talking about our children specifically you want to make sure the person is fully background checked. This is why going to a professional music service is the only way to go. 2- Convenience - Unless you are a person with unlimited time and money to spend convenience is VERY high on the list. When considering price really think about what you are getting for it. Having a professional music instructor come right to your home so you can save time and money by being productive in your own home while the lesson in taking place is priceless. No more dragging the entire family out somewhere through traffic at $4 a gallon of gas, sitting in traffic, potentially missing your lesson if you're late and then waiting in that overcrowded waiting room trying to keep one or two or three other children interested while one partakes in a sub-standard musical experience just to turn around and fight traffic, etc. all the way back home. Total time lost anywhere from one to two hours at least not to mention that music lesson just tripled in price when you take into account your time, gas, etc. 3 - Professionalism - From the instructor that is sent to the office handling payment, scheduling, materials, etc. - you want a service that sends you an actual musical educator trained in the pedagogy of musical training - not "Joe who plays in a band..."..... Get started today on that musical journey for either your children or yourself or BOTH! You know, it's never too late until it's....well....too late (if you know what I mean) to start something new and challenge yourself. Happy Practicing! The Music Momma