For children, starting at the right age is a key element to the success of their studying a musical instrument. Some people believe that “the sooner the better”. This attitude can actually backfire and can result in a negative experience for the child. If a child is put into lessons too soon they may feel overwhelmed and frustrated and may want to stop taking lessons. The last thing you want to do is turn a child off music just because they had one unpleasant experience that could have been prevented. Sometimes if the child waits a year to start lessons their progress can be much faster. Children who are older than the suggested earliest starting age usually do very well. The following are general guidelines we have found to be successful in determining how young a child can start taking music lessons. We would like to stress that there are many factors that one should consider before being definitive. We strongly suggest that the best approach is to bring the child in for a free assessment.

8 years old is the earliest we recommend for guitar lessons. Guitar playing requires a fair amount of pressure on the fingertips from pressing on the strings. Children under 8 generally have small hands and may find playing uncomfortable. Bass guitar students generally are 9 years old and older.

Voice Lessons

10 years old is recommended as the youngest age for private vocal lessons. Due to the physical nature of voice lessons (proper breathing techniques, development of the vocal chords and lung capacity), the younger body is generally not yet ready for the rigors of vocal technique. For children younger than 10, we recommend a children’s choir (ages 6-9) and a preschool singing program (ages 3-5) that teaches them how to use their voices properly, in a fun, relaxed environment.

Drums

The average age of our youngest drum student is 8. This varies greatly depending on the size of the child. They haveto be able to reach both the pedals and the cymbals.

Flute, Clarinet & Saxophone

Due to lung capacity (and in the case of the saxophone, the size of the instrument), we recommend that most woodwind beginners are 9 and older.

Violin

We accept violin students from the age of 5. Some teachers will start children as young as 3, but experience has shown us that the most productive learning occurs when the beginner is 5 or older.