Why do young people lose interest in music lessons? This is a good question!  Most of my students at some time will tell me about the boring lessons they had if relevant with non creative teaching methods, where reading, reading is all that gets emphasized. That’s another issue. The question I get asked most often is how do we put together a band?

I will attempt to answer this, as all decent teachers should, and not just pass it off by saying “you have to pay your dues”(I refer to this in my article, music education, have we got it right?)

Our young students do NOT learn a musical instrument too sit in their bedrooms and play along with the greats on their DVD players. No they learn an instrument to play with other people.

So here are my tips and guidelines for those music students of any age.

After having played professionally for many years, I have learnt a thing or two.

First of all make sure your students know why they are learning a musical instrument. It should not be “because mummy and daddy want me too”. They and you must develop a love of the music they intend to play.

Begin by teaching them that respect and acceptance of other peoples abilities is very important. They must learn to admire their friend’s talents, and want to play with them, and at that same time be able to accept other people’s limitations, this is the key for keeping a band together!

The students need to be put in touch with others they would like to play with. You help with this by contacting other teachers.

Once this is done organize a get to know you evening, involve the other teachers in this.

Arrange the venue and decide Practice is once/week at a decided time.

Decide on a musical style, and choose two songs that the kids have to learn as best they can before next week. This can be done in lesson time if need be.

Teach them the importance of learning their part’s and instill in them a sense of not letting fellow band members down.Theres nothing more frustrating when a band member turns up to rehearsal not knowing their part’s.

So hopefully at rehearsal they will have learnt their parts…probably not, this is where tolerance of each other comes in.

If they can’t quite master their parts don’t get angry with them, just simply give them more time or choose simpler pieces to play.

At rehearsal night don’t expect too much too soon. Work on the pieces and don’t be afraid to give a piece a miss if it just doesn’t  work’

Teach the kids there is NO NEED to play at full volume, and remind them amp’s don’t go to eleven.

Full volume can come later, and when someone says stop, DO IT!

Then listen to what the band member has to say.

So in summary teach that keeping a band together is about ACCEPTANCE and TOLERANCE. Teach that preparation is crucial. Teach that discipline is king turn up on time too rehearsal.

Schedule a set practice time and make sure they all know what is going to be expected of them next week.

Thank you for reading, Stephen Thorne 3/10/2010.