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Creative Music Adventures|
(206)706-1034 | Email Us |
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(206)706-1034 | Email Us |
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Home > Frequently Asked Questions |
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Questions about our policies and faculty. Common questions for beginners or people considering the lessons at CMA.Q. When the student is a beginner, how long will it take to see some progress in their ability to play their instrument? This really depends on what your definition of progress is. Playing music is not for people seeking immediate satisfaction. We are more concerned that students learn to enjoy the process of playing new things. This experience will teach them the discipline and patience they need to play on a very high level. Our goal is to create functional musicians. They will learn to play by ear, sight-read, improvise, compose, count, play in ensembles and much more. This will take time - but should be very rewarding. Return to the top of the page. Q. What is the best age to start a child on an instrument? We have music-prep courses for 4 and 5 year olds that are not as demanding as the typical music lessons. Most children are ready to take lessons when they are 6. We can always meet with the family to make sure they are ready to start. Return to the top of the page. Q. Is there one instrument that is better to start on than another? We typically recommend that younger children start in piano lessons. It is the physically the easiest for young kids to play. Plus they gain comprehensive knowledge of musical concepts. From there they can fan off into one of the other instruments much more easily. Return to the top of the page. Q. Is it ever too late to start an instrument? No. You may have to adjust your expectations if you don't have a lot of time to practice because of commitments. In other words, if you are 72 and want to start... Go for it! Just don't be disappointed if you aren't playing Carnegie Hall at 75. We have programs for all levels and all ages. You can have fun with music no matter when you start. Return to the top of the page. Q. What are the benefits of group lessons? There are too many to list here. But here are a few... The students enjoy the lessons more, learn to play in ensembles, play in time, sight-read faster, work as a team and they get longer lessons. They are comfortable working in groups - they do it all day at school, in sports and most of their other activities. And did we mention... They usually have more fun? Return to the top of the page. Q. How can you tell if your child is musical? Learning to play music is about "light bulbs" lighting up. It isn't always gradual progress like other subjects can be. Your child may be in lessons for a year before the first light bulb turns on. This doesn't mean they aren't musical. We have seen some kids play for years with very little progress, then a whole chandelier lights up for them. The key is that they don't determine the success of their music by the amount of light bulbs that light up along the way. They are learning more than just music. They will be able to apply the discipline and skills acquired in the lessons to many things in life. You may not know for a long time if a child is musical. It often has to do with the amount of work each student puts in and the time it takes for the concepts to sink in. Return to the top of the page. Q. My child is shy but loves music. How do we encourage him/her to join in lessons? If they love music, they should be fine. We are always amazed at how the "shy kids" quickly come out of their shell when they start the classes. It is a really exciting part of what we do. There is no magic answer here. The best way is to give it a try and see if they like it. Return to the top of the page. Q. We don't own a piano. What should we do? The best thing to do is talk to a teacher at Creative Music Adventures first. The thing not to do, is run out and buy the cheapest keyboard or piano you can find until you know that the kids are going to "stick with it." It will probably end up costing you more in the end and even more importantly - you and/or your child will hate playing at home. The bare minimum is an 88-key, weighted-hammer progressive hammer action with a sustain pedal. We carry a couple of basic pianos that meet those requirements. However, if you want a full selection of pianos we can point you to the best places around town to buy or rent. Q. What should parents do if the student refuses to practice? Step away from the situation and talk to their teacher or someone at Creative Music Adventures for advice. There are many reasons this could be happening. It is better to have a dialogue with the teachers about practice issues at home. There is never an "easy fix." However, you would be surprised how small adjustments in the lessons, classes or home can make a huge difference. Playing music isn't always easy. Patience is required from all parties - students, teachers and parents. Return to the top of the page. Questions about our policies and faculty.Q. What are the teacher's backgrounds? The teachers at Creative Music Adventures have diverse musical backgrounds. However, they all have performed music and apply real-world experiences to their everyday teaching. You can read about our teachers here. Q. How do the teachers approach music education? The teachers at Creative Music Adventures combine years of study on their instruments with real-world performing and teaching experience to provide students with the fundamentals needed to enjoy playing music. You can read about our teachers here. Return to the top of the page. Q. How much notice is needed to cancel a lesson? There needs to be 24-hours notice to cancel a lesson. This needs to be done by phone at 206-706-1034. Each student is allowed one make-up lesson per semester as long as there is time in the teacher's schedule. Return to the top of the page. Q. Does monthly tuition have to be paid if the student has a long term schedule conflict, (i.e. baseball or a play.)? We understand the people have busy schedules and other commitments. However, it is very detrimental and unfair to the student to stop and start lessons. We will work with your schedule to try to find another slot during the weekly schedule. We want kids who are active in other things. However, we think we are just as important. So we will work with you to coexist. Return to the top of the page. Q. Will the student's lesson time be saved if there is a long-term scheduling conflict? See the answer above. If there is absolutely no other alternative to taking a break, the tuition will need to be paid to hold the slot. You can take a break from classes and tuition, but there is no guarantee the slot will still be available when you return. The best solution is to work with us to find another time during the week for lessons. Return to the top of the page. Q. Are there lessons all year round? Yes. There are two 17-week semesters that start in mid-September of each year and run until mid-June. We follow the Please email us or call (206)706-1034 to learn more about the classes at Creative Music Adventures. |