FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Differ From In-Home Lessons?
Attending lessons in a professional environment means that the teacher and student are free from home distractions (TVs in the next room, doorbells, friends, siblings, and pets). Students tend to take their music study a little more seriously when they are coming to a "school" situation, bringing their books and materials to the lessons each week. Also, students gain excitement about the music-making process when they are surrounded by other people of all ages engaged in music learning for many different instruments, from drum lessons to trumpet lessons. Also, we offer a social outlet for siblings who are waiting for a lesson to end and formal, professionally recorded recitals that most in-home teachers cannot provide.
Can I Sit In On My Child's Private Music Lesson?
Of course! Parents/guardians are welcome to sit in on their child's lesson at anytime. To ensure that your child has the best learning experience possible, we do ask that you keep in mind the way that your child learns best and weather or not it may be a possible distraction for you to sit in. We do ask that any additional friends/family members wait in the lobby as having to many people in the room is often a large distraction.
Can I Just Take One Month Of Lessons?
Yes, this gives you the opportunity to meet the teacher and check out what lessons will be like. We have no long-term contracts, so you are able to cancel at anytime if needed.
What Is The Earliest Age That My Child Can Take Lessons?
The piano is a great choice for the youngest students, but please inquire regarding your child. Some students are developmentally ready at different ages. A typical age for beginning a private lesson is 5. Some students are ready earlier, and some need to wait a little longer to begin. The violin is also a good choice for the youngest students. By the age of 5 or 6, guitar and drum lessons also become a possibility.
How Much Practice Is Required Each Week?
We do not have a set requirement for our students practice regiment. How frequently a student should practice depends on the student, their attention span, experience level as well as their musical goals and abilities. The more a student is able to practice the faster they will improve their musical skill set. It is recommended to practice at least 5 days out of 7 per a week at home. Once you start your instructor will be able to suggest a practice regiment tailored for your goals and abilities.
Can We Start In The Middle Of The Year?
Yes. We have year-round open enrollment. There's no reason to put it off another day!
Do You Work With Special Needs Students?
Yes, we currently have several students with special needs who enjoy learning about and how to play their instrument. We have many instructors who have years of experience working with those with special needs. If you are unsure if you or your friend/family member with special needs is ready to begin, it's no problem. We offer the 1st 30-minute lesson free to all new students to determine if they are ready to begin, ensure the instructor is a good fit and to decide the best musical route for the individual to take.
What If My Child Starts The Lessons And Does Not Like The Instrument?
Usually, students have "begged" to start music lessons on a particular instrument, so we suggest that the students stick with their instrument choice for at least two months before switching to another instrument or voice lessons. That way, you will know for sure that the problem is not just the challenging first hurdles of learning a new instrument. If this situation occurs, the parent should contact our office right away so we can give the teacher any feedback that might be helpful and discuss ways to generate more interest. Students may switch to another instrument at any time during the year.
Is The Teacher Qualified?
Yes. The majority of our teachers have multiple degrees in their field and are professional musicians in their instrument of specialization. Our instructors are chosen not only for their level of education and performance experience, but for their outstanding dedication to their students as well as their ability to connect and inspire progress in their students. Our teachers have spent years developing their skills on their instruments or vocal training and studied with many master teachers.
Can We Take Lessons Every Other Week Instead Of Every Week?
At first, this might seem like a good idea, but we've tried this in the past and we don't recommend it. (If you missed a lesson, it would be an entire month before you saw your teacher again!) It's really important that the teacher checks your progress and corrects your form every week. Also, attending weekly lessons will continue the learning momentum and generate mastering a skill more quickly. We recommended that you take weekly 1/2-hour lessons rather than a full hour if finances are a concern. Also, the tendency becomes to not practice the first week since you have another week before seeing the teacher. To ensure that you get the most possible out of your lessons, we recommend weekly sessions.
How Long Will It Take Me To Be Able To Play?
This varies from student to student and really depends on the individual, how much practicing they do, their age, the way the individual learns and more. Playing is a physical skill as well, so it does take repetition to improve. Learning a piece/song involves muscle memory as well as various levels of dexterity depending on the instrument and the complexity of the piece. For most students, if you start your piano lessons in August or September, by December, you'll be able to play a recognizable Christmas carol.
Will Music Theory Be Included In The Private Lesson?
A certain amount of theory is essential to learn any instrument but is not always the main focus of private lessons. If you would like to focus on music theory, just let your instructor know and they will be happy to incorporate it more into your lessons. Our lessons are tailored just for you and your musical goals, so weather you just want to learn a few campfire songs, start writing your own music, or get into advanced music theory, we can help.
Do You Offer Orff?
Orff is a methodology of teaching children music through rhythm and specially sized rhythm and tonal instruments – it would be similar to saying Montessori preschool – and is another method of teaching. We don't incorporate these methods as a rule. One of the teachers might use certain aspects as helpful tools, but not the whole curriculum.
What If The Student's And Teacher's Personalities Don't Mesh Well, Or The Student Is Dissatisfied?
This is one of the advantages of taking your lessons at PMA: We have multiple music teachers for each instrument, so if a problem occurs in your flute lesson — which is extremely rare — you can switch to one of the other flute teachers so your studies are uninterrupted. If you think you may get more out of lessons from a teacher with a different teaching style, we have the flexibility to change you from one private piano instructor to another.
Do You Offer A Discount If More Than One Person In Our Family Enrolls?
We do not offer any family discounts, however, we do not have any additional fees besides your weekly lesson.
Can My Two Children Have A Music Lesson Together, Or Both My Child And I?
We are able to offer two individuals a team lesson, however it is not recommended. Everyone, regardless of age or experience levels learn in different ways and at a different pace. To ensure lessons tailored specifically for you or your child's needs, we recommend private one-on-one lessons. Depending on scheduling, it may be possible to schedule multiple lessons for separate students at the same time. To see what we have available, contact us today.
Do We Need A Real Piano At Home To Take Piano Lessons?
Although a real (acoustic) piano or a digital touch sensitive piano is always best, it's not necessary to start. You can start with a keyboard, and once you decide you like to play the piano, then you can look at an acoustic or digital piano for yourself. The most important thing to know when purchasing a keyboard is that it must have full-sized keys. It's best to get a keyboard with at least 60+ keys so that you don't outgrow it too quickly (a regular piano has 88 keys). Keep in mind that it is difficult to progress your skills without playing at home as well. If you have a piano or keyboard at home and are practicing regularly, you will see much more progress than if you did not.
Do You Offer The Suzuki Method?
We don't offer Suzuki in piano lessons. The Suzuki piano method was adapted from the Suzuki violin method. We do have violin instructors who have been trained in Suzuki and can use Suzuki books combined with traditional books for the violin if requested.
Is Half An Hour Long Enough For A Private Lesson Time For Beginners?
Yes. In the beginning, the half-hour lesson gives the student a lot to practice at home. In half an hour, they will get enough material to be able to learn well and develop proper technique. As they progress, at the advice of the teacher, we can always add time in the future as needed.
Do You Have Rental Instruments Available?
We do not rent instruments, however there is a wonderful music store just down the street from us, Central Music, that rents instruments and sells various music books and accessories.