Eighty-five percent of the population wished they learned to play an instrument, but gave up from the frustration of learning the basics. Mastering an instrument takes time, dedication, discipline and concentration, so it’s no wonder getting a child interested in playing – and practicing – an instrument is no easy task.

This is especially true today, with seemingly unlimited distractions to take up attention spans. Learning a musical instrument is just not at the top of many children’s priority list of preferred activities. In order for a child to truly become interested in playing an instrument they need to be engaged, they need to be motivated and they need to have fun!

Not only is learning to play an instrument a rewarding experience, research from Brown University shows that children who play an instrument perform better on standardize tests and have overall higher IQ scores than their nonmusical counterparts. This is because learning music stimulates brain function used to understand math, science and engineering.

So how do you get your child excited about learning music? As a leader of mobile games designed to teach children skills that translate to real instruments, JoyTunes has 5 tips to help parents get their child interested in playing an instrument. 

1) Pick Properly: Choosing the right instrument is perhaps the most important way of getting children interested in playing music. If possible, have your child test out a few instruments before they choose a final one. While your child may think a certain instrument looks cool, a difficult instrument might intimidate them at first, so try something more basic when first starting out.

2) Get Involved: Be actively engaged in your child’s music lessons. Ask to hear what piece your child is working on, if they learned any new skills recently or if they know facts about the composer they are playing. Make sure they are staying committed to their practice time and reassure them that their hard work will pay off!

3) Enroll an Expert: Choose a teacher that encourages and inspires your musician-in-training. A good music teacher will get kids even more interested in playing and practicing, as well as make sure that your child is receiving proper instruction needed to master their craft.

4) Song Selection: Choose music that your child will enjoy playing. Yes,    the classics are vital, but let’s face it, your child would rather play the latest chart-topping pop song. The more they relate to a piece of music the more likely they will be driven to perfect playing that piece. JoyTunes’ two Piano apps, Piano Dust Buster and Piano Mania, both feature a wide variety of songs ranging from Beethoven to One Direction and everything in between.

5) Be their Biggest Fan: Set aside special times for your child’s performances – even if it’s just for one song in the living room. Create a system of rewards to encourage your child. Anything to encourage more practicing will help your child improve his or her skills, which in turn will make them more excited to continue to learn.

Investing time and energy into your child’s music education takes time and patience but is most certainly worthwhile. Sticking to their lessons, improving their skills and mastering an instrument will be something your children will thank you for in the future. Even during the frustrating times, don’t let your child give up. Imagine if Mozart’s parents let him throw in the towel, we may have lost one of the greatest talents the world has ever known!

Let us know- How do you encourage your child to practice their instrument?

The post Let’s Get Musical appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Yes, as our budding musicians near the end of school, it is time for one of the most difficult of parental obligations: attending annual spring band concerts.  Because of all of the hand-wringing instances where our kids are placed in the spotlight, listening to their first performances is by far the most painful.

Of course we can’t blame our kids for this.  Musical instruments are very difficult to learn.  Any one who has heard a beginning violinist knows exactly what I am talking about.  A few minutes with the long, ear-piercing squeal of a violin can make water-boarding look pretty good.

Fortunately, there is a fundamental law that applies to all beginning instrumentalists:  the degree of listening pleasure is inversely proportional to the relation to the performer.  It works like this.  The instrument always sounds best to the performer.  It sounds pretty good to the performer’s closest relatives.  It sounds politely passable to friends and acquaintances.  And to everybody else, it sounds like an endorsement for earplugs.  If this law were not true, orchestras would only consist of drums and harmonicas.

This is what I was thinking as I sat in the school auditorium on a warm spring evening listening to my son’s concert band warm up with rousing renditions of the B flat and C major scales; which I think were played simultaneously.    Eventually, the conductor ticked his baton on a music stand and the audience of proud parents grew silent.

My son lifted his horn with anticipation, and just before the downbeat filled the entire auditorium with music. Great, big, beautiful music.

It’s a fundamental law, you know.

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