Reading Music

• Reading music is one of the first things any new musician must learn. This includes learning tempo and how it is written on a sheet of music; learning about the bass and treble clef; understanding keys of music; and deciphering what notes mean on sheet music. Note position and meaning will change depending on what instrument is being taught, and whether or not that instrument is treble or bass clef in its writing. Singers should be presented music with the appropriate clef for their vocal range.
  
  

Tuning

• Tuning an instrument, even the voice, is necessary to achieve a whole and solid sound. Even very young children should be taught to appreciate tuning, whether or not they are actually able to do it for themselves. Tuning for the voice is different than tuning an instrument. When tuning your voice, you are warming up your vocal cords and throat so that you will not strain yourself. Musicians tuning instruments typically use a pitch pipe or a tuned piano. If the instrument is out of tune, the note will not sound correctly when played even if the finger positions are correct.
  
  

Care Of The Instrument

• Care of the instrument should be a requirement of every beginner musician. If a beginner does not know how to oil the slides on his trombone or how to rest her voice during a common cold, the abuse of the instrument will cause sometimes irreparable damage. If elementary musicians are not handling or caring for an instrument properly, they must be corrected when the problem is first spotted so that it does not become a habit.
  
  

Practice Schedule

• A regular practice schedule is essential for young musicians. Requiring students to have a schedule that is written down and can be verified is an excellent measure of how long it is taking the student to solidify his or her beginning knowledge of the instrument. A practicing schedule also helps chart progress. These practicing habits will become even more important as music gets harder.