Accurate Music Instruction - Why You May Not Be Getting Excellence Earlier for Your Student

Starting a student off right with good instruction can have profound impact on the speed and quality of music that is created or reproduced. As an example my daughter recently started to learn to play the cornet. Having studied with her instructor on jazz keyboard techniques, I new he was a great teacher and horn player. I was excited to see how she would do and start this journey with her new instrument.

Starting Technique Off Right

The entire process started with technique of using her mouth to create a good embouchure and how important it was to get that set correctly. It was a discussion of all the things going on and funny exercises to make it happen. I recall she didn't even pick up her instrument until the last 3 minutes of the first lesson and that was only to explore how to hold it.

It was actually three lessons latter before she blow her first note. Here's the rub, that first note was absolutely of great quality. Not only were her eyes wide open so were mine. Her instructor was beaming with result that was achieved.

Compare that with what you might see in grade school band class, where the teacher does not have the resources or the time to properly work with the students on the correct technique. Even worse they may not even know the right technique considering all the instruments that are involved.

Of course finding an instructor that has the correct technique is not always an easy task. As matter of fact it likely is not even on your top list of criteria. Why? Because you haven't even thought about it, were never taught it, or don't even know what to look for in an instructor. I was certainly in that category when I started.

Think about how you are going to ensure that you are getting good technique and instruction. Using the internet with the new video age can be a great resource in being able to compare and contrast and give you a base for asking questions or observing good instruction.