New Student Guide

Getting started with lessons is easy

We offer music lessons 7 days a week. Lessons can start anytime and most often we can get you started the same week that you call. We don’t have any long term contracts. To register for classes you can call us at 845-709-8383, email us at office@newcitymusicschool.com or stop by during our office hours.

These guidelines will help you to have a successful, rewarding experience learning an instrument. These are practical tips that we have discovered from years of teaching and our experiences with teaching many students each year.

How Young is Too Young?

Starting at the right age

Piano/Keyboard

At our school, 5 years old is the youngest age that we start children in private piano lessons. At this age they have begun to develop longer attention spans and can retain material with ease.

Drums

The average age of our youngest drum student is 7. This varies greatly depending on the size of the child. They have to be able to reach both the pedals and cymbals.

Violin

We accept violin students from the age of 5. Some teachers will start children as young as 4, but experience has shown us the most productive learning occurs when the beginner is 5 or older.

Woodwinds

Our private flute, saxophone and clarinet lessons generally start from age 8 on-wards. Earlier than age 8, a student typically does not have the lung capacity and strength to handle these instruments. Our flute, saxophone and clarinet instructors are proficient on all three of these instruments, so a student can start with clarinet lessons if they wish and switch to saxophone lessons without having to change instructors. Due to lung capacity (and in the case of saxophone the size of the instrument), we recommend that most woodwind beginners are 9 and older.

Voice and Singing

Ages 7+ Due to the physical nature of voice lessons (proper breathing techniques, development of the vocal cords and lung capacity,) the younger body is generally not yet ready for the rigors of vocal technique. The lessons for students aged 10 and younger will be modified for the younger student, and as the student gets older and develops greater lung capacity, the exercises will grow with the student. Voice students spend time each week doing physical exercises to improve their vocal range, ear training, breath control, vibrato, tone production, enunciation and more.

Guitar – Acoustic, Electric and Bass

The average age of our youngest guitar students is 7. Guitar playing requires a fair amount of pressure on the fingertips from pressing on the strings. Bass guitar students generally are 8 years old and older.

Insist on Private Lessons When Learning a Specific Instrument

There is no question that playing music in a group setting is a fun, social and rewarding experience! Every music student needs to have the experience of playing with and listening to others. However, when actually learning how to play an instrument, weekly private lessons are the way to go because each student can learn at their own pace. For that lesson period, the student is the primary focus of the teacher.

Although our primary focus is on private one-on-one lessons, our school offers unlimited, complimentary group music classes when students need to miss their regular private lesson, enhancing their music education in a by playing with and listening to others.

Make Practicing Easier

As with anything, improving in music takes practice. One of the main problems with music lessons is the drudgery of practicing and the fight between parents and students to practice every day. Here are some ways to make practicing easier:

Time

Set the same time every day to practice so it becomes part of a routine or habit. This works particularly well for children. Generally the earlier in the day the practicing can occur, the less reminding is required by parents to get the child to practice.

Repetition

We use this method quite often when setting practice schedules for beginners. For a young child, 20 or 30 minutes seems like an eternity. Instead of setting a time frame, we use repetition. For example, practice this piece 4 times every day, and this scale 5 times a day. The child then does not pay attention to the amount of time they are practicing their instrument, but he or she knows if they are on repetition number 3 they are almost finished.

Rewards

This works very well for both children and adult students. Some adults reward themselves with a cappuccino after a successful week of practicing. Parents can encourage children to practice by granting them occasional rewards for successful practicing. Praise tends to be the most coveted award – there just is no substitute for a pat on the back for a job well done. Sometimes we all have a week with little practicing; in that case, there is always next week.

Use Recognized Teaching Materials

There are some excellent materials developed by professional music educators that are made for students in a variety of situations. For example in piano, there are books for very beginners, and books for adult students that have never played before. There are books that can start you at a level you are comfortable with. These materials have been researched and are continually upgraded and improved to make learning easier. These materials ensure that no important part of learning the instrument can inadvertently be left out. If you ever have to move to a different part of the country, qualified teachers and institutions will recognize the materials and be able to smoothly continue from where the previous teacher left off.

Take Lessons in a Professional Teaching Environment

Learning music is not just a matter of having a qualified teacher, but also an environment that is focused on music education. In a professional school environment a student cannot be distracted by T.V., pets, ringing phones, siblings or anything else. With only ½ to one hour of lesson time per week, a professional studio can produce better results since the only focus at that time is learning music. In a studio environment, the lessons are not just a hobby or side-line for the teacher, but a responsibility which is taken very seriously.

Take Mussic Lessons In A Professional Teaching Environment

Most Importantly…Have Fun!

Music should be something that you enjoy for a lifetime. So, try not to put unrealistic expectations on yourself or your children to learn too quickly. Everyone learns at a different pace, and the key is to be able to enjoy the journey.

If you are ready to start, you have nothing to lose as we only want students who truly want to be here and we will not commit you to a long term contract.

It’s Easy To Take The Next Step

Lessons are first come, first serve so contact us today to arrange your first lesson!

Call Us: 845-412-9364

Text Us: 845-412-9364

14 N Main Street, New City, NY 10956
(in the New City Plaza near Shop Rite)

Offering quality guitar, voice, singing, bass, drum, piano, violin, saxophone, flute, clarinet and ukulele lessons in New City, Bardonia, Congers, Garnerville, Haverstraw, Nanuet, Pomona, Ramapo, Spring Valley, Stony Point, Suffern, Thiells, Valley Cottage and West Nyack, NY.