RE: [Harp-L] Following footsteps

["Dennis M. Cooper" <dcooper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I started informal training on the piano at the age of 5, trumpet lessons at
8, and harmonica (on my own) at 9. My family on both sides has been blessed
with the gift of music. My mother was a concert pianist. My father's father
played lead guitar for the Bob Wills Orchestra. (Until Grandma Cooper got
"saved" at a Billy Graham revival and made Gramps quit the band.) Four of
five of their children were professional musicians.

That said, I want to stress that learning any instrument should be fun. My
mother made it a joy to learn piano. I was allowed to explore the instrument
on my own and not restricted to a particular genre. She taught me the basics
of rhythm, chords, reading music, and expression. 

When I worked with any student I encouraged them to spend at least
10-minutes a day on the basics in a new area that our last lesson centered
on (bending, scales, etc.) and as much time as they wanted on fun things. My
youngest student was 4 and my oldest was 88 when they picked up the diatonic
harmonica. This approach seemed to work pretty well.

I believe that the key difference between a good musician and a great one
boils down to one factor; OBSESSION! The obsession with a particular
instrument must come from within and not from external sources such as
parents, teachers, and peers.

My wife is one of the most talented natural musicians I've ever encountered,
but she doesn't derive the joy from playing music that I do. She would
rather knit socks, make bread, or can fruits & vegetables than play. Those
things bring her joy. For me it's playing music to the best of my ability
for folks who enjoy what I do. 

Encourage your child to explore the instrument and have fun while working on
the basics just a few minutes a day. At the very worst they'll have fun!

 If playing music wasn't a joy, I wouldn't bother!

Best Regards,
Dennis M. Cooper
http://dennis-cooper.com
http://harmonicabootcamp.com
http://harmonicaworkshop.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Degregorio, Jeffery [mailto:jeffery.degregorio@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2012 9:20 AM
To: Harp-L
Subject: [Harp-L] Following footsteps

While on vacation north of Houston Texas, my son decided to get a harmonica
(I have been playing for a few years now).  He's only 7 but can blow and
draw chords and we encourage him along.  What's the best way to keep his
interest and when should some type of "formal" training begin?  Basically,
what's the best way to teach young children?  I suppose if he gets started
now, by the time he's 12, can he be a "superstar"???  Any tips, suggestions,
ideas to add, and stories would be great.  I have seen a video of an 8-10
year old girl playing on stage in public about a month or two ago that
someone on Harp-L shared, but not sure what it was.  She must have got
started somehow.
Thanks,
Jeff


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