It is ideal if you do have a piano at home, but you can start lessons by using an electric keyboard to practice on. Most of our students rent or buy small electric keyboards to practice on at home. We recommend a keyboard that has regular sized keys and a touch-sensitive response. A touch-sensitive keyboard means if you press a key harder it will play louder and if you press a key softer, it will play quieter.
No, you do not need a full drum set to start drum lessons. Students can start lessons by using a practice pad. This is a small dinner plate-sized pad that costs $20-$30 and is used for practicing basic drum rhythms.
There is no set of answers on how long it takes to learn an instrument. With regular practice, a basic level of playing can be accomplished in a few months. Most of our students take lessons on a long-term basis because they want to be constantly improving and they find the lessons enjoyable.
Yes. Even if you don’t have a musical background you can ask the teacher for advice on how to help your child practice. By simply monitoring that they are doing exercises a certain number of times per day the student will progress! Many parents occasionally sit in on their child’s music lesson to get an idea of the proper way a song should sound or how the student should be positioned.
Many people start out learning music as an adult. Although one may have never received instrumental training, it is hard not to have strong knowledge of music simply by listening. Most adults have listened to a lot of music and that allows for certain advantages to learning quickly. There is no shortcut for practicing but experience from listening is crucial. Of course, you will still need time to practice your chops as there is no way to avoid that. Adults who can commit 30 minutes of time daily to their practice will see quick and dramatic results. Make time for something you’ve always wanted to do!