Register Now 909.593.2130MUSIC FAQ
It is ideal if you do have a piano at home, but you can start lessons by using an electric keyboard to practice on. Most of our students rent or buy small electric keyboards practice on at home. We recommend a keyboard that has regular sized keys and a touch sensitive response. A touch sensitive keyboard means if you press a key harder it will play louder and if you press a key softer it will play quieter.
There is no set answer of how long it takes to learn an instrument. With regular practice a basic level of playing can be accomplished in a few months. Most of our students take lessons on a long term basis because they want to be constantly improving and they find the lessons enjoyable.
Yes. Even if you don't have a musical background you can ask the teacher for advice on how to help your child practice. By simply monitoring that they are doing exercises a certain number of times per day the student will progress. Many parents occasionally sit in on their child's music lesson to get an idea of the proper way a song should sound or how the student should be positioning their hands. If the parent cannot sit in on the lesson occasionally, the teacher can set aside the last 5 minutes of class to help the parent understand enough so they can help their child through the home practice sessions.
Attending lessons in a professional school environment means that the teacher and student are free from home distractions (TV's in the next room, door bells and after school 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. Also, we can offer many group music learning opportunities and yearly recitals and festivals that most in-home teachers cannot provide.
Yes. All of our teachers are university trained in their instrument of specialization. Our teachers are experienced professionals and are chosen not only for their qualifications, but for their love of teaching and their ability to relate to the students. Our faculty have spent years developing their skills on their instruments or vocal training and studied with many master teachers.
This is one of the advantages of taking your lessons at our school - we have several teachers for each instrument so if a problem occurs - which is extremely rare - you can switch to one of the other teachers. 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 to another instructor.
We have many teachers on our faculty. Once you decide on a day and time, we will give you all the information on that particular teacher. There is no point giving you detailed information on a teacher that you won't be taking lessons with, or who does not have space available on their schedule.
Usually students have "begged" to start music lessons on a particular instrument, so we suggest that the student sticks with their instrument choice for several months before switching to another instrument or voice lessons. If this situation occurs, the parent should contact our office right away so we can give the teacher any feedback and discuss ways to generate more interest. Students can switch to another instrument at any time during the year.
Yes. The first family member enrolled is at our regular monthly rate, each additional family member enrolled in private lessons receives a $32 monthly discount. Also, we require just two yearly registration fees per family.
If the parents sit in every week it is too distracting for the students. There are too many authority figures and the children either lose class time looking for Mom & Dad's approval, or they act out to see what reaction they will get. We encourage parents of young children to wait in our waiting rooms so that if they are needed they are close by. But there are classes, in which, the parents are invited in to watch the students perform a small piece of material.
Yes - we have an open door policy. It is your choice when to sit in. Some students find it distracting and some work better with Mom or Dad in the room. The teacher will give you some advice on this after they get to know your child. We also suggest that if you are unable to sit in on lessons that the last 5 minutes of each lesson can be for the parent to ask questions, so that they will be able to help the student practice at home and understand what material is being worked on.
Yes. Parent and child can learn together at no extra tuition (parent tracks along with child's assignment at home). Two siblings can have a team lesson for an additional $15 per week (teacher addresses both learning levels during the lesson). The teacher will let you know when the students should start with their own private weekly lesson. Or. If you are looking for convenience, you can ask about scheduling both back to back.
At first this might seem like a good idea, but we do not recommend it (if you miss a lesson, it would be an entire month before you saw your teacher again). It is 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.
Yes. When you enroll in our private lessons we provide you with a tote bag which includes a starter method book and theory book for piano and guitar, or sheet music for voice lessons. Each student also gets a folder to keep sheet music and notes from the teacher.
Yes. We offer 2 music recitals each year. One during the December holidays and the other in May. Both recitals are FREE for attendees.
That varies from student to student and really depends on the individual, how much practicing they do, and their age. Playing is a physical skill so it does take repetition to improve. Typically if you start piano in August or September, by December you will be able to play a recognizable Christmas carol. With something like guitar, in a few months an adult will improve dramatically. Most students take a minimum of one year.
We recommend our Pre-School Music classes for 3 to 6 year olds. We offer Choir classes for 6-11 year olds for those who are not ready for private lessons. Private guitar, piano, and voice lessons can start at 6 years old. Some students are developmentally ready at different ages so we recommend checking with the teacher after the first lesson to see if your student is placed in the correct lesson.
Yes. The half hour lesson gives the student a lot to practice at home. In a half hour they will get enough material to be able to learn well and develop proper technique.
Yes. Students learn about how music is put together through music theory workbooks that go along with their songbooks (method books). Adult students can focus on their individual goals at lessons, and can request that their teacher spend more time on music theory.
We recommend setting aside time for music practice at least 5 days out of the week. For beginning students the teacher usually assigns repetitions instead of a time amount. For example, do this scale 2 times a day, this song 5 times a day, etc. Younger children find repetitions easier than a set time amount. Typically, a beginning student practices 20 - 30 minutes a day and the practicing goes much better if the parent supervises. Home practice is not required for 3 and 5 year olds (families should encourage music time at home together several times during the week).
Yes. We have year-round open enrollment. You can join a group class as a beginner, as there is always review at every class.
In addition to the material in their piano lesson book which teaches them how to read music and play the songs, the teachers will cover the following: sight reading, ear-training and technique (scales, etc.).
We serve the cities of La Verne, San Dimas, Claremont, Pomona, and Upland. Currently we teach Pre-School Music, choir, guitar (acoustic, electrical, bass), piano, and voice.