So, you would like your child to start taking piano lessons. But she or he is not quite ready yet. Never fear! There are many things you can do to set the table well in advance.

Buy A Piano

Buying a piano – or a keyboard – and having it in the home is a great first step. A real acoustic piano, perhaps an upright or a spinet, is wonderful. A digital piano or keyboard may be preferable due to space constraints, and since these can also have organ or electric piano sounds, it might be a great substitute. Try to find one with full-sized keys, though, as learning the correct distance between chords and chord shapes is an important aspect of learning piano.

Put Your Piano Front And Center

Put your piano in a part of the house that isn’t isolated. A lonely corner of the house – next to washer-dryer in the basement, say – will not encourage your child to have fun with the piano. Practicing needs to feel comfortable. Having the piano stowed away makes it seem like the piano is not important or useful.

Avoid The TV!

If there is only one TV in the house, don’t put the piano next to it. The young student needs to spend time with the piano, and if other people are always in the room trying to watch TV, it will discourage fun piano play and practice opportunities.

Introduce The Piano Early

It’s great to have a piano in your house for years before lessons begin. The more the piano feels like a normal, integrated part of the home, the more your child will explore the instrument on her own. If she views the piano like another toy – a big, heavy, wooden-framed toy – the more she might enjoy spending time making sounds on it, and figuring how it can do different things.

When you are ready for piano lessons in Cincinnati, contact Toedtman School of Music by calling 513.772.7900 – the first lesson is always free!