Sports Vs. Music: Which One Should Win?

We are all pretty busy people these days. And kids are no exceptions. There is no shortage of after school activities out there for them to choose from.

There is so much to take in and try when you are a kid. You want to try everything and see what you like. And you should do as much as you possibly can.

But eventually we all come to the inevitable fork in the road. The truth is no one can do literally everything and at some point you have to make a choice.

I know this is something that parents struggle with a lot. What should you encourage your kids to do? When is it ok to let them quit something even if you think it is important?

The big mistake that many of us make.

I think one of the biggest conflicts we see with music lessons is sports. I have seen many students come and go because their practice and game schedules become too overwhelming. And instead of looking at the big picture, most kids, as well as their parents, choose the sport over music.

I think this is a big mistake.

Don’t get me wrong. I love sports. There is so much that kids learn from being part of a team. They learn discipline, physical fitness, teamwork and so much more. In no way am I saying that your kids should not play sports.

What I am saying is before you make the decision to drop one or the other, it’s important to really think through where that choice will lead.

I think many tend to look at music lessons as a fun hobby. And sure, it is a lot of fun. But it is a lot more than that. It is a life changing experience.

Through music lessons kids learn a lot of things. They learn discipline. They learn the rewards of hard work. They learn to appreciate different cultures. They learn how to open up their minds to new things.

What makes music the best choice?

I think one of the biggest reasons to choose music is that with music kids are learning a highly specialized skill that many don’t possess. This has incredible value. Whether they choose to pursue a career in music or they just want to play music in a band on the weekends, music lessons will give them a unique skill that they can use for the rest of their lives.

I know it’s fun to play baseball. And your kid may be really good at it. But if he doesn’t go to the major leagues, what else can he do with that skill? It may get him a college scholarship, which would be amazing. But then what?

Everyone can play baseball. Not everyone can play the piano.

I know a lot of professional musicians but I don’t know any professional athletes. Maybe that is due to the company I choose to keep, but I think it says a lot more than that. A life in music is a very attainable goal. It’s a real possibility that is achievable through discipline and practice. But a career as an athlete is not nearly as likely to happen.

How do I know this?

I have met so many adults who tell me one of their biggest regrets is that they dropped out of piano lessons when they were young. Almost all of our adult students tell us that this is their story. These are the adults who as kids decided that baseball, basketball or soccer was more important than piano. And now, they don’t play any of those sports anymore. But they do come back for piano lessons because they realize how much they miss it.

Do you have to choose?

At some point, you are going to have to make a choice. But I think there is a third option.

Let your kids do both.

I think it is totally possible for kids to be involved in sports and music. I did it when I was a kid. I played basketball, golf, baseball and track. And at the same time, I was in symphony band, pep band, jazz band, and choir. It is absolutely doable but it will take a little discipline on your part as a parent.

Instead of letting your child do every sport under the sun, have them choose one so you can leave time for the piano lessons. That way they get the best of both worlds and get a fully enriched educational experience.

I promise, when they get older, your kids will thank you for not letting them quit on music before they realized how much of an impact it would have on their life. And that, even more than hearing them fill your home with music over the years, will be the sweetest sound of all.

What Age Should My Child Start Piano Lessons

We have been addressing many of our Frequently Asked Questions lately through our blog. I have another good one for you today. This is a question we get a lot.

At what age should my child start piano lessons?

I am going to give you a short answer and then a little longer answer. If you want the short answer, here it is: 5 years old

Now, here is the longer answer. It really depends on your child. We have had 3 year old students who do really great. These kids have shown a lot of interest in music from day one. These are the kids who are always banging on the toy drums or going up to the piano and banging the keys. If your kid is one of these kids who does these things without provocation, then it might not be a bad idea to start piano lessons a little younger - say around 3 years old. I wouldn’t go any younger than that.

That being said, it is not a good idea to force your kid to take piano lesson at that young of an age. They are not quite mature enough to understand why they need to practice or do anything the teacher says, so really it is a waste of time and energy if they are not already seeking it out. If this is your child, I would wait until they are a little older.

5 years old is just about the perfect age.

At 5 years old, they are still young enough to learn things extremely quickly, but they are old enough to start to understand why they need to practice. Even though it doesn’t seem like much, 5-year-olds have a lot more patience than 3-year-olds. They are old enough to sit through a full lesson without getting too distracted.

At 5 years old, they are old enough to start to see the value of learning music. They are also old enough to be familiar with some music that they like and your teacher can use this interest to keep the child engaged.

Should you force your child to take lessons if they don’t want to?

This could be a whole other blog post, but since we are having this conversation now I think it’s a good time to address it. Again, I have a short answer and a long answer to this question. The short answer is yes.

The longer answer is still yes, but I want to tell you why. If you have kids, you know their interests change daily. They may be really excited about music one day, but I guarantee that won’t be every day. Piano practice can never compare to watching a movie on Netflix or playing video games. When you sign your kids up for piano lessons, you need to be prepared for some resistance.

A lot of kids won’t know they even like the piano until they have been in lessons for a few years. It takes time to learn the skills to be able to play a more complex song. If you let them quit right away, they will never get there. Plus, there is something that happens to us when we put time into something. We become more and more committed to it the more time we invest in it. This goes for adults and for kids.

I didn’t want to take piano lessons. I wanted to play outside with my friends. I hated having to go to my lessons. But my parents made me stick it out. They encouraged me to practice. And now I play and teach piano for a living. I love music and I can’t imagine my life without it.

I am very thankful to my parents for making me take piano lessons when I was 5. By the time I was 9 or 10 , I really started to love it. Whether your kid is a prodigy waiting to happen or is just exploring what he or she might be interested in, there is no time like the present to get them started.

For most kids, you want to start them around the age of 5 or 6, whether they want to do it or not. Try to explain how fun it will be to be able to play their favorite songs. Once you get them to their lesson and they bond with their teacher, they will start to like it.

When can I let them quit?

And if they just absolutely hate every day of it, give them two years. Make them stick it out for two years. If they still want to quit, then let them. But I need to tell you this first. Almost all of the adult students we teach were the kids whose parents let them quit right away. And they tell us they have regretted it ever since.

So encourage your kids to stick it out. They are learning so many life skills from piano lessons that will serve them for the rest of their lives. It is totally worth it.

And then maybe one day your kid will grow up and write a blog post like this and thank you for making them take piano lessons. How cool would that be?

P.S. Thank you mom and dad. You guys were right!

Love,
Chris

Why you are practicing the piano too long

We’ve all heard it a million times. To be good at something, you have to practice.

It’s true. There is no way around that.

Matter of fact, the truth is, to be good at something, you have to practice A LOT!

For most people, the piano is an extra-curricular activity. We all have jobs, school, friends, sports, Netflix shows to catch up on, and we’d like to get some sleep in there too if possible.

How are we supposed to fit in piano practice? Even more, how are we supposed to fit in A LOT of piano practice?

Here is the answer.

Stop practicing so long.

So many of us think that in order to get good at the piano, we have to sit there and practice for hours on end. In a perfect world, yes that would be great. But here is what happens in the real world.

You tell yourself that in order to get good at the piano you have to practice at least an hour a day. You start off strong, but then life gets busy. Next thing you know, you have one full day after another and you can’t find an hour anywhere to practice. So instead of practicing a little bit, you blow it all off saying something like “If I can’t get my full hour of practice in then what’s the point?”

After a few weeks of that, you stop trying. Eventually, you don’t even touch the piano anymore. You quit taking lessons because you are frustrated and not making the kind of progress you wanted to.

Sound familiar?

Here is the truth that most people won’t tell you.

You don’t have to practice for an hour for it to count.

You don’t even have to practice for 30 minutes for it to count. Little chunks of practice go a long way.

What if you could practice 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there? Do you think you could find that time? Of course you could.

And you know what else? You would probably enjoy yourself more because you feel way less pressure to sit there for an hour torturing yourself.

And guess what? 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there still adds up to the same amount of practice. Matter of fact, I guarantee you will actually get MORE practice in this way because you are not blowing the whole thing off because you can’t get a full hour of practice in.

So here is your permission to let yourself off the hook. Stop telling yourself you have to practice an hour every day. Stop telling yourself if you don’t, then it’s not even worth practicing at all. It’s not true.

You don’t have to practice as long as you think you do.

You don’t have to be a piano practice superhero. Try getting in 10 minutes before and after work or school. Those 10 minute practices will add up fast and by the time you are sitting at your next lesson, you will see some serious improvement.

And remember, the whole reason you got into this piano thing was to have fun. Let those 10 minute practices be a break from your busy day. A little mini-musical meditation.

I’ll take 10 minutes of peace over 60 minutes of torture any day.

Why your kids should play video games

I still remember getting my first Nintendo. And my first Nintendo was THE first Nintendo.

That’s right kids, I was there when the first Nintendo came out. It was an exciting time.

I used to love playing all the classics - Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3…ok it was a lot of Mario but it was also a lot of fun.

When my mom finally made me shut it off at night, I would head off to bed but the game stuck with me. In particular, the MUSIC from the game stuck with me.

I would spend the rest of the night humming Mario’s theme song. When it was raining out and I was feeling sad, I would hum the underground Mario song. You know the one I’m talking about.

The point is, these simple little tunes were memorable even back then. The sound wasn’t good. They had what seems like ancient technology compared to today’s standards, but we all still knew the songs. Somehow those composers made those songs come alive with the limited 16-bit technology that they had.

And a lot of those songs are still considered classics. Kids and adults both still want to learn the Mario Bros. theme song to this day.

There is a reason for that.

Today the technology has improved so much it makes those old games seem almost laughable. Nowadays, composers can use full symphony orchestras to create the soundtracks to these games. Playing a video game now is like walking into a movie. It’s a magical, wonderful place and the music plays a huge role in that.

Don’t believe me? Try turning the sound off next time your kid is playing his favorite game. He will lose his mind!

When kids and adults play video games, they are actually learning a lot. Hand-eye coordination for one. But I’m here to talk about what they are learning from the music.

Without even knowing, gamers are exposing themselves to intricate works of art. Beautiful soundscapes that inform our imagination.

That’s right - your kid is learning while he is playing video games!

And I bet when he walks away from the game (Finally….after you yank the controller from his hands and hide it in the attic), he will walk away humming the tune. Just like I did all those years ago. That song will stick with him. Maybe for the rest of his life.

What if you could teach him how to play that song on the piano? How excited would he be to learn the song and be able to play it for his friends! Oh man. He would be the hit of the party.

And as exciting and fun as that would be for him, he also gets to learn a whole lot about music along the way. Not just music, but discipline and appreciation for the beautiful things in life.

You are molding a genuine, caring human being. And video games can be a big part of creating the person you want him to be.

Video games are here to stay. And I think that’s ok. You don’t have to fight it. Instead, learn to embrace it. Video games are amazing works of art. And maybe sometime soon, when your kid is playing his game, you can close your eyes and just listen. I bet you may just love what you hear.

Mario would be proud.

Piano Lessons Online

The internet is an amazing tool. It has become a crucial part of our daily existence. I mean, can you imagine the world with no internet?

Me neither.

I have used online tutorials to learn so much about music, marketing and more. YouTube alone has supplied me enough information to get a doctorate in multiple subjects.

Whenever I want to learn how to use some new software, I go to YouTube. Whenever I have a question about business or marketing, I go to YouTube. Knowledge is power and all the knowledge we can handle is right at our fingertips.

Can you learn how to play piano through YouTube videos?

There is certainly no shortage of piano tutorials on there. If you want to learn how to play a chord or figure out a specific voicing in a song you love, YouTube is a great solution.

Sometimes more does not mean good. Sometimes we can be oversaturated with information. There are so many different piano how-to videos on YouTube, how would you know where to begin? It’s extremely overwhelming.

I have had many students come to me because they tried to learn on their own but soon became confused and stressed out by all the information out there. It seemed like to large of a mountain to climb on their own. They also needed someone to encourage them and keep them accountable. YouTube won’t do that for you.

Look, we just can’t take in every video on YouTube. No one has that kind of time. So what is the answer?

We need a guide. We need someone who has been down the path that we want to travel to show us the way. We need someone to put the chaos into order. We need a plan. And we need accountability.

And that is what a great piano teacher can do.

I love the internet. I love YouTube. But I also love my mentors and coaches who have guided me along life’s path. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them and I will continue to have teachers in my life to help me sift through all the information that google leaves on my front door. With the combination of a good teacher and all the information the internet has to offer, I know I can conquer the world. And so can you.

If you are having trouble wading through the chaos of YouTube piano videos, we can help. Hit the button below to get some more information about piano lessons in St. Louis.

P.S. Do you think STL Piano Lessons should offer online piano lessons?

Piano Lessons Near Me

Have you heard of this new thing called “the internet?” It’s all the rage in Europe. ;)

One of the best things about the internet, is finding products and services we need so quickly. I don’t even remember how we did that before the world wide web, but it is pretty amazing.

All you have to do is type in the thing you need with the words “near me” and you will get hundreds if not thousands of suggestions.

Need a new lawn mower, it’s there. Need a pizza STAT, it’s there. Need piano lessons for your kids, it’s there!

Before I start sounding too much like an old man and start asking you to help me program my VCR, let me get to the point. If you type into a search engine the words “piano lessons near me” you are going to get a lot of great options. In any city, you will find so many great teachers. And I know this is no exception in St. Louis.

St. Louis is a vibrant music town. It’s one of my favorite things about this city. The musical history alone is so full and robust, let the alone the current scene we have today. There are a lot of amazing musicians in this town, and what do most musicians do during the day?

They teach.

We are blessed with so many great music teachers and STL Piano Lessons is proud to be amongst them! And while some schools offer many different types of instrument instruction, we focus solely on piano because we want to be the best. It’s important for us to have the best teachers in town. And it’s important for us to value you as a student and to do all we can to help you reach your musical goals!

So the next time you type in “piano lessons near me,” know that we are proud to be a part of those search results. It can be an overwhelming process finding the right teacher, so we hope you will reach out to us with any questions you may have. We are more than happy to help you find the perfect teacher, whoever that may be.

Be sure to take full advantage of this whole internet thing. I think it may just be a fad like fax machines and cell phones, so who knows when they will take it away. Better enjoy it while you can!

Piano Lessons For Kids

You are never too young to start learning about music. And when your kids get to 5 or 6, it is definitely time to start piano lessons!

When I was 5, my parents made me take piano lessons. It was the last thing I wanted to do. All I wanted to do was play outside with my friends. Every day my parents would make me practice before I got to go play or watch TV. How dare they?!

But then something strange started to happen. I started to like it. And once I got a little older, around 7 or 8, I started figuring out how to play the songs I liked on the piano. I would record songs off the radio onto my little cassette player (yea, remember cassettes?). Then I would sit at the piano, play the tape, figure out one note of a song. Then rewind the tape and figure out the next note. I did this over and over again until I figured out the whole thing. I was playing Bon Jovi songs on the piano and that is when it became a whole lot of fun!

I can’t imagine where I would be now if my parents didn’t make me take piano lessons. I am a full-time musician as well as piano instructor. I run a record company called Soul Motivation Records and produce inspirational hip-hop music. I talk music. I breathe music.

Music is my life. And I owe it all to my parents. :)

I always tell parents that you should MAKE your kids take piano lessons. At least for a couple of years. Once they have been at it for a while, if they still don’t like it, then let them pursue other things.

Sometimes when we are kids, we don’t know what we want. Our interests can change daily. But I have talked to enough adults who tell me they really wish they stuck to the piano when they were a kid to know that most kids will grow up to regret giving it up so quickly.

Now is the time to get them started. Music can change their life, you just have to give them a head start!

A New Year's Resolution Worth Making

This is the time of year that I like to talk to my students about their goals for the upcoming year.  It’s fun to talk out loud about what we want to accomplish.  It reminds of why we are putting all this work into something.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day things of life, and piano is no different.  We (hopefully) have a practice routine that we stick to.  We sit down a couple times a week, play some scales and arpeggios, work on playing chords and then play through some songs.  It’s easy to forget why we are doing it?

So every once in a while it’s important to stop and think about what we are trying to accomplish.  And the beginning of a new year is a great time to do that!

Many of the people I talk to like to say they don’t make new year’s resolutions because it is a waste of time.  And although I understand the sentiment, I couldn’t disagree more.  I think the word “resolution” has been so overused that it is meaningless to us now.  So many of us have promised to make big changes in January and then by February have given up.  If you do this enough years in a row, you get bitter and you stop believing in “resolutions.”

But “resolution” is just a word.  What if we changed it to “goals?”  Would you be willing to make some New Year’s goals?  I think everyone would agree that in order to be successful, we need to set goals.  It just so happens that the beginning of a new year is a good time to do it, since it gives us the feeling of a fresh start.

Don’t be afraid to make some big goals this year.  This is the time to get healthy, to make more money, spend more time with family, or take piano lessons.  These are resolutions worth making, and we should never be afraid to set new goals.  No matter how many times we have failed in the past, this is a new year.  A new chance.  It’s okay if we didn’t follow through in the past.  It’s only because we are human beings with busy lives.  We need to let that guilt go and start again.  And a new year is the perfect time to start again!

So what are your New Year’s goals going to be?

Best Piano Teachers In St. Louis

St. Louis is an amazing city for music. Whether you want to hear jazz, blues, rock, country, or rap, St. Louis has it all. No wonder the city has so many amazing music teachers. If you want to learn to play an instrument in St. Louis, you have your pick of the finest instructors in the country!

Today, I want to talk about some of the best piano teachers in St. Louis. There are many music schools to choose from. My personal favorite is Shock City School Of Music. Yes, it’s true I have friends who work there. But more than that, it offers a really cool atmosphere to learn your instrument in. You can take your lesson right down the hall from a top quality studio. Who knows who might be recording there on the day of your lesson?

I think when I was a kid I would have loved to take lessons in a recording studio. How exciting and motivating for kids to see where they could be headed if they stick to their instrument.

St. Louis is also home to a large number of private instructors. There are too many to list here, but TakeLessons.com or Lessons.com are both great resources to explore all the wonderful teachers in St. Louis.

STL Piano Lessons is my piano instruction company. I have been teaching piano since 2009 and have had the opportunity to work with so many great students. I teach students of all ages and all skill levels and I specialize in teaching how to play by ear. It’s something that not too many teachers offer to teach and it’s a lot of fun to learn!

“I love the big ah-ha moments my students have when something clicks for the first time. Seeing them start to understand a big concept is truly exciting and is why I do what I do!” — Chris Swan, Founder of STL Piano Lessons

You are not as far away from playing your favorite song as you might think. I can teach you the system that all professional musicians use to learn songs. After a while, you can be the person at the party who hears a song on the radio for the first time and then sits down and plays it! How cool would that be?

If you are looking to take piano lessons in St. Louis, I would love to chat with you, learn what your musical goals are and see if we can’t just get you playing your favorite tune quicker than you might think!

If you are interested in piano lessons, just hit the button below for more info!

Piano Lessons In St. Louis MO

Are you looking for piano lessons in St. Louis, MO? I am a piano player, singer and band leader as well as piano instructor and audio production instructor. I specialize in teaching how to play piano by ear! I can teach you the system that all professional musicians use when it comes to learning songs.

You will be able to hear a song off the radio and sit down and play it. It’s a lot of fun! I also make sure I customize each lesson to what the student wants to learn. If you want to focus on the classical repertoire, then we will do that. If you want to learn to play songs off the radio, we will do that. For students of all ages, you will learn the fundamentals while also learning the things you love to play!

I have been in the music business my whole life! I played my first gig when I was 12 and haven’t slowed down since. I am a full-time musician playing bars, restaurants and private parties in St. Louis. I play with a number of jazz musicians around town, I have my own band (Sky West Trio), and I also play in a few piano bars.

I took piano lessons for about 15 years (from ages 5–20) growing up and continue to study and improve my playing to this day. I also studied piano performance at Greenville University. I have been teaching piano since 2009 out of my home studio as well as teaching at Midwest Music Conservatory from 2011–2014. Music is my passion and my career and I love passing on what I have learned to new students!

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions that I get a lot. Hopefully these will answer a few questions you may have.

1. How much are lessons? My lessons are $30/30mins, $40/45mins, and $50/60mins. Discounts are available if you pay for 4 lessons at a time or more!

2. Do you travel to student locations or does student need to come to you? At this time, I am unable to travel to student locations, so students need to come to me. I teach out of my studio in my home in Dogtown (near Maplewood/Richmond Heights).

3. What do I need to bring to my first lesson? All you need to bring to your first lesson is a notebook.

4. How often should I do lessons? Ideally, a 30-minute lesson once a week is perfect for most students. If you have a lot of time to practice and want to really go for it, we can do 45 minutes or an hour once a week.

5. What happens if I can’t make a scheduled lesson? We all get sick or have things come up so don’t worry. If you can’t make a lesson, we just need to schedule a makeup lesson for another day that same week. If we can’t find a time that works, then you will be charged for that lesson. This just helps keep your weekly lesson time reserved for you. If you know at the beginning of the month, however, that you will be gone on a certain day, just let me know and you won’t be charged for that day.

I love helping students reach their playing and performance goals! Whether they want to play Mozart or they want to figure out a song from a movie, it’s a blast to help students discover how to play a tune they know and love. It is also so much fun to experience the moment certain things “click” and my students start to understand a new concept. I hope to maybe experience those same moments with you!

If you’d like more information on piano lessons in St. Louis, just hit the button below: