The 3 sides
To improve your child’s musical abilities (or your own for that matter) you need to attack your practice from 3 angles. Each one plays an important role in motivating, informing and regulating the practice. Remember that you or your child will invest countless hours of practice over the months and years ahead. Hence you need to ensure that they are being spent wisely or else you will hit a plateau, become discouraged and eventually disengage from the art. If you have even been frustrated due to lack of progress, follow the golden triangle of attack to invigorate your music practice.

Side 1: The Teacher
To begin with, ensure that you have researched and found the best teacher for your current level and needs. Remember that its always best to invest in an experienced and accredited professional as this will yield much more results and enjoyment that trying to save money and ending up with an undergraduate teacher with next to no experience in teaching. True teachers have spent years developing their pedagogy, industry experience and personal practice. So ensure that your teacher matches the Contreras Music standard:
. Working with Children Check
. Minimum Bachelor of Music (or close to completion) and preferred Masters degree in music
. Both instrumental and educational experience
. Dedicated to quality teaching
 
Side 2: The Parents
You parents play an essential role in the development of your child’s musical abilities. Do not be misled by the misconception of talent, as even the most brilliant musicians needed to invest in countless hours of practice. Talent without discipline is no key to success and often results in lazy students who perform well under their potential. Parents should attend their children’s lessons where possible and ask questions of the teacher. These could include sharing concerns, asking for tips, asking something the child may be afraid to ask, or simply discussing strategies that may help with the home work component. Think of music lessons as a happy trip to the doctor. Your teacher examines, assists then prescribes a pattern of practice which should be followed strictly for ideal results. Would you let your child walk in to the doctor’s on their own whilst you perused Facebook until the session was over? Would you then just go home and expect the child to accurately apply the prescribed treatment on their own with no supervision or encouragement? Now parents, short of going ‘big brother’ and spying continually on your kids, you should think of this illustration as a team effort. By encouraging (not spying or tormenting) your children to practice, asking them about their goals, likes and dislikes; you are actually playing that essential support role in their music education. You will help ensure that the student is following the practice schedule in an effective manner, and this in turn will accelerate your child’s development by a significant degree. You do not need to be a musician or even know a lot about music, just ask the teacher what they are working on, and ensure that it is being followed. This is also important for keeping students motivated and on task. Unsupervised students may wonder off onto other songs, rush important sections, or even fall short of their minimum practice time goal. Having you present and involved in their music is the second and equally important aspect to their success.

Side 3: The Student
Of course, at the end of the day it all comes down to each individual person and their attitude towards a discipline. Whether that be sports, academics, arts, music or any other practice; they must enjoy it and be dedicated to their own improvement. Students should be informed that nothing worthwhile in life is easy or commitment free, hence they will need to put in some effort over a period of time in order for them to improve enough to enjoy playing the instrument. They need to commit to the practice schedule (even if it’s only a few days per week) so that they can advance and see value in their work. Each individual student will be good at something early on, however this does not dictate what they can do, or what they have the potential to accomplish. So if at first your child does not like the piano, try enrolling them into some guitar lessons. If they hate singing, why not try the drum kit? If they prefer team sports, then sign them up to the Contreras Music Band program which teams them up with other young musicians who also love music. Whatever the interest, whoever the student, at Contreras Music we have the right teacher for you. Why not refer a friend for a free trial lesson with our expert teachers today? It could be the start to a new musical career.
Enjoy your music and remember the golden triangle of practice!
 
© 2016 Cristian Contreras.
www.ContrerasMusic.com

1. Do the shoes still fit?
Start by asking yourself if your current instrument is not keeping up with your level or needs. Is the range too small for your classical repertoire? Do you need more strings on that bass guitar? Are your current cymbals under performing at your jam sessions? Whatever the reason, ensure that you actually have one first. This will stop you from impulse buying, or simply purchasing the incorrect instrument for your specific needs.

 2. Save or Spend
Most stores will have special savings on offer at various times throughout the year. However be wary of advertised “savings” masquerading as bargains, as they may actually just be pushing out old or redundant stock. Suppose that you had a budget of $300 for a new guitar, however were shown a beautiful looking $450 guitar with a “saving” of $150 from the regular retail price. The salesman will tell you that this guitar was originally $600, but it is now on special and being offered to you for only $450, hence you are actually saving $150. This is actually quite the opposite. The seller has made you leap out of your established price range, and is influencing you to spend a further $150. So be aware of “sales and savings” or else you may get more that what you actually bargained for.

3. Returns and Guarantees?
Ensure that you ask the store about these two important aspects. There is nothing worse than getting home to your new instrument or upgrade, only to find out that it underperforms, or doesn’t sound the same as the in store demo, then be rudely shocked to find out that the store has a no exchange or returns policy. Ask the store what their policies are, then rephrase what they told you into your own words to ensure that there are no misunderstandings. Also, do your homework and know your rights as a consumer. Check out the NSW/Australian ombudsman website and read up on the conditions of selling goods in Australia. You may be surprised by what you find.
 
 4. Keep the packaging, tags and accessories in one place
An almost common sense statement, yet I have personally seen many students misplace essential levers, clamps, tuning keys, straps, cases, receipts, and even instruments themselves. You have just paid good money for your instrument and it’s accessories, so be organized with it and keep everything in a single safe location. The amount spent on unnecessarily replacing lost instruments and accessories will build over time, and it could mean your next upgrade if you are not careful.

5. Enjoy it!
Once you have brought home your new baby, make sure of the most important thing… enjoyment! Music is meant to be enjoyed, so never lock up your precious instrument in order to save it for a concert or a reward. Practice with it, experiment, play, try new techniques and songs. A diligent student will eventually wear out his or her instrument, hence ensure that yours gets its full use as often as possible. Finally, tell your teacher all about your new purchase and show them at your next lesson. If you are lucky enough to be learning with the teachers at Contreras Music, they may even take a snap of it and post it on our website for the world to see!
 
© 2016 Cristian Contreras.
www.ContrerasMusic.Com