Encouraging Adult Music Students

At The Music Junction we enjoy having students of all ages and believe music making is a good hobby for everyone. After all, it is well documented how music lessons benefit older students with their memory.  So, if playing the piano or taking voice lessons was one of your new year’s resolutions but you’re a little uncertain about this new journey, do not fear! We’re here to help!

You Can Do This!

The old saying is true, we are our own worst critic. Or as a music teacher told the New York Times, older people tend to “beat themselves up more” about their music abilities. Just relax and realize that being a student means you will make mistakes but you will get better. Teacher Brad Hubisz wants adults to remember something that is sometimes overlooked: “Adults are smarter than children!” He adds that older students have an easier time learning more theoretical-based concepts such as scales, chords and circle of fifths. Also, adults have a quicker grasp on learning sight reading tricks.

You Should Practice But …

Perhaps more than children, adult students tend to feel bad when they show up for lessons unprepared. Maybe it was a busy week at work filled with late meetings. Perhaps, you had a few too many dinner parties with friends. Either way, your day quickly filled up and you had little time, or energy, to practice. Out of respect for the teacher’s time you cancel the lessons and hope to catch up in time for the next session.

Not so fast, says Music Junction owner Charissa Vaughan-Wheeler. She is a trained vocalist and pianist who is also learning how to play the guitar. She knows what it’s like to not practice. “Canceling actually has the opposite effect,” she says. “When students do that, they end up not practicing again for another week because they didn’t get the momentum back up again, and that’s when they start thinking about quitting.”

Do you have any other concerns? Call us at The Music Junction so we can help!

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Music Junction offers private one-on-one music lessons with talented and caring music teachers at our music school in Burbank, CA. Study your choice of piano, voice, guitar, ukulele, violin, drums, woodwinds, strings. Virtual lessons are also available.