What is the minimum age for lessons?

There is no minimum age for taking lessons at Promethean Studios. Mozart started playing at 3 and wrote piano pieces at 5. Essentially a student should be mature enough to focus on a topic for 30 minutes (the minimum length of lessons and the recommended minimum practice time). Many 5 year-olds are too young (but not all are) and most 8 year olds are old enough (but not all). For non-string band and orchestral instruments, 10 or 11 is the youngest because of the size of the instruments (and the players). For young students, the more involved the parent is, the better the child will do.

If you're having difficulty determining if your child is mature enough for lessons, you can always schedule a consultation or a month of coaching lessons to see how your child does. Regardless of the type of lesson, our teachers evaluate all students in the first few sessions and make any recommendations needed to make lessons successful.

What instrument should my child begin with?

Usually 4 to 6 is too young for guitar lessons. Piano or voice is usually a better choice at that age. While guitar is generally easier for somewhat older students, with the very young the complexity of putting your 2nd finger on the 3rd fret of the 4th string can be overwhelming. There are a few 6 year olds who can manage that and your child might be one of them. But that's not typical. As we mentioned above, non-string band and orchestral instruments normally start at 10 or 11 due to the size of the instrument and player. Voice students can start at any age, but all students must be mentally old enough to focus on a topic for 30 minutes - the length of lessons and daily practice.

What size guitar should I get for my child?

Ages 7 to 9 typically require a 1/2 or 3/4 size guitar. Several companies make a good-quality small guitar - emphasis here is on "good quality". We know it's tempting to buy a $50 guitar for a little kid just starting out, but it usually makes it impossible for him/her to succeed. 10 and up typically are old enough for a full size guitar; although a full size guitar will be large to most 10 year olds, they'll be able to get used to the size and grown into it. There are countless variations of age and size within students. Kids must be comfortable with their instruments so there are no barriers to practicing at home; on the other hand, as they grow you will have to get them a full size guitar. Also, our program provides a range of options to adjust student's guitars to make their playability match the student's skill, size, and age, including changing strings, changing tunings, removing strings, using capos - all as needed to help the student.