Use software called Zoom for online lessons on your Desktop/Macbook/Ipad/Tablet

Yes, you can of course!

But learning music is a long-term commitment. To get the most out of it requires regular practice. The children I have worked with have all been glad that they can play music. I know from talking to their parents however, that very few would have had the self-motivation to continue without the persistence given by their parents. Most parents question whether it is good to "make" the child practice even if they don't want to. My response to this is that as parents you have the responsibility of deciding what is important for your child and what isn't. I suggest that you think of your child's music practice as similar to brushing their teeth. Both should happen regularly. They should not be unpleasant experiences and I suggest that you as parent are gently persistent about getting music practice done in the same way that you are with the child brushing their teeth. Your adult brain can see the long-term benefit of activities that your child's young brain cannot see.

The younger the child, the more likely they are to develop a good musical "ear". Children learn differently to adults. Under about age 7 years, the child learn like a sponge, by watching and by doing, not by thinking. Things that are learnt at this early age go in very deeply and stay with the child for life. Their body really grows with their instrument. They usually look very natural when playing and usually develop a very good ear for music. At this age they are really learning music as a first language, by imitating what they see and hear (the true "mother-tongue" method).

As adults we can still learn music (it is never to late to learn!) but we learn by thinking and analysing more. This is more akin to learning music as a second language. Older children (about age 7-13yrs) learn using a combination of the childlike "sponge" method and the more mature analytical method.

With a very young child, progress in terms of playing music will probably be quite slow initially because the child will be working on increasing their concentration, fine motor skills and the development of the many skills required to play their instrument. It can take a few months before a young child plays a "piece".

Given the limitations, you might ask why bother to start children when they are very young (preschool)? Some reasons are:

• Young children learn very deeply and very naturally. They are not selective and for better or for worse they imitate everything they are exposed to. Children who start music young "grow with" their instrument and it becomes a part of them.
• Young children are usually very keen to please their parents, which works to our advantage 🙂
• Because they start young, even though they learn slowly at the beginning, once they get going they are usually quite skilled at their instrument for their age and this can be motivating in itself. It can give the child the feeling that they are quite good at music, so they are more likely to want to continue later.

In order to practice the lessons taught in the classes you need the instrument