Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site mit-vax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!ucbvax!ucdavis!lll-crg!seismo!harvard!talcott!panda!genrad!mit-eddie!mit-vax!csdf From: csdf@mit-vax.UUCP (Charles Forsythe) Newsgroups: net.kids Subject: Re: How do I get my 6 yr old to practice piano Message-ID: <823@mit-vax.UUCP> Date: Fri, 13-Sep-85 10:21:29 EDT Article-I.D.: mit-vax.823 Posted: Fri Sep 13 10:21:29 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 16-Sep-85 00:24:39 EDT References: <2578@pegasus.UUCP> Reply-To: csdf@mit-vax.UUCP (Charles Forsythe) Organization: MIT, Cambridge, MA Lines: 40 In article <2578@pegasus.UUCP> dsl@pegasus.UUCP (David S. Levine) writes: >I would appreciate any ideas on how to motivate her to practice. My experience motivating people to practice is limited to myself as a child and with band members as a teenager; I hope it helps... I found that people who are genuinely interested in playing music quite often have two motivations: a desire to hear good music and a desire to perform. In the later case, I can't see many young children understanding it because they are often shy (I certainly didn't want anyone to listen to me when I was six!). In the former case, people will practice things they want to hear. When I had to get a band working, I would make sure that each member chose a number to do so that each would have a motivation to practice (ie "I'll practice the song you want to do, if you practice the one I want to do...") When I was little, this would have really worked. It's hard to look at a printed sheet of a Mozart minuet and "see" that is sounds really good without a lot of training. If, however, I had had a chance to HEAR it, I would have liked it and wanted to learn how to play it. The worst stumbling block for me to practice (and still is!) was the first plinking away at the notes and not having it sound like much. If you, or someone who's around, can read and play, perhaps you could try a "if you learn how to play this, it will sound like this ; isn't that nice?" approach. The main drawback (which could have a serious effect) is that your daughter may start playing things by ear rather than reading and not develop good reading skills, but you can discuss that with her teacher. -- Charles Forsythe CSDF@MIT-VAX "What? With her?" -Adam from _The_Book_of_Genesis_ Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com