FAQ

At our studio we find that age 6 is a good time to start music lessons. However for instruments like piano and guitar we do have a few teachers who are willing to take students as young as 3. One must also consider the person as each individual progresses at different rate. If you are unsure, talk to reception about a trial lesson period to determine whether you should start your child on music lessons or not.

Absolutely not! Our lessons are available to students age 3 and up and range from beginner to advanced levels.

The best instrument to start on is the instrument that you are most interested in learning. However, aside from interest one must look at age, size, learning style, motor skills and mental development when choosing your first instrument. For example: a very young child may not have the motor skills required to play a drum set; a person who needs instant gratification may not appreciate the time and concentration required for violin and a person with very small hands may find it trying to play the acoustic guitar.

A half hour is perfect for a beginner student of any instrument. As the student advances, they can consider a 45 minutes (Limited availability) or 1 hour lesson. Longer sessions are beneficial to those preparing for Royal Conservatory Examinations, adult students, or students working on more advanced material.

For beginner students practice should be approximately 15 minutes every day. As students advance they should add time each day. You can download our Practice Card which has suggested practice schedules according to playing level and age.

It depends on the practice commitment of the student and the instrument being played. For example; a student who practices daily will be able to play songs much sooner than one who practices intermittently. Likewise, a song on violin or saxophone will take much longer to take shape compared to piano or guitar.

 

Parents are more than welcome to attend any lesson with your child but it is not required. It is suggested however that parents stop in from time to time for updates from the teachers as well as updates regarding studio procedures, promotions, extra programs and holiday notices.

Having your own instrument to practice on at home is vital to the learning process. However, a piano student may suffice with a keyboard at a very beginner level but must obtain a weighted 88 key digital or acoustic piano as they progress. A drum student may suffice with a drum pad for approximately 3 months but will need to acquire a drum set after this period.

All students must bring their instruments to their lesson with the exception of drums and piano.

Choosing to go the route of Royal Conservatory depends on the student’s goals and personality. Royal Conservatory provides a clear progression of levels working toward the goal of passing the examinations and receiving the reward of the designated certificate for that grade. For those who respond well to clear progressive steps, set goals and a reward based system; this is the suggested path. However, for those who are not as easily motivated by such methods a flexible student- tailored approach is recommended.

Again, one should always focus on where interest is the strongest. However, the electric guitar can be slightly easier as the strings are smaller and closer to the fret board of the guitar making it easier on the fingers. The neck of the guitar is also smaller and more convenient for small hands.

Lack of practicing can be due to a number of things: too busy of a schedule, life phase, trouble connecting with teacher or confusion as to what they should be practicing. As a parent, even if you are not musically inclined in order to help your children to practice there are a few practical steps that you can take. Try designating a specific time every day for music practice, download a copy of our Practice Card to track time spent, communicate with your child’s teacher about expectations, goals, preferred learning styles, and progress reports or speak to reception about finding a more appropriate teacher/student fit.

We only offer private music lessons on a one-on-one basis. In the past, the studio offered multiple students private music lessons, but found that the results were less than satisfactory. We found that the 30 minute lesson is enough time to teach one student only. We also found that one student would progress faster than the other causing insecurity, hurt feelings and a slow learning curve. Bonding of a student with their teacher is an important part of the learning process and more than one student can hinder that bonding. Last, focus is much lower with the added distraction of friends.

Our policy states that we do not offer make-up lessons for student absences regardless of prior notice. However, although not guaranteed, if you speak to reception we may be able to fit you into another time spot within the week. This would be limited to the teacher’s schedule and availability.

We prorate our payment so that you pay the same amount each month. Although all our lessons are the same price, Time Music Studios calculates the number of teaching days (minus holidays) from September to June and divides the total sum by the number of months to determine your monthly figure. This figure will vary according to the day of the week that your lessons fall on. To calculate your monthly charge, please speak to someone at the reception desk.

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