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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_