Picture this: your little one picks up a violin for the first time, and instead of a sweet serenade, you’re met with a sound that closely resembles a cat in distress. Don’t panic! Every musical journey starts somewhere, and trust us, it’s worth it. Music lessons aren’t just about playing an instrument; they’re about building confidence, enhancing brain development, and giving kids a creative outlet that will stay with them for life.
Studies show that kids who study music have better memory, improved mathematical skills, and even enhanced social abilities. Plus, music can be a stress reliever—something we all need, even at a young age!
Some schools in Barcelona have great music programs, while others specialise in other things, like sport or art. You can find after school music classes in many of the neighborhoods in the city, and some even offer classes on the weekend, in your home, or even online. Both Group lessonsand Individual classes are great. At Shine Music School, you can even create your own group beginner classes. This is a fantastic option for siblings, or for friends looking for discounted music classes!
But lets find out about what to expect from taking music lessons…
Finding the Right Instrument
Choosing an instrument is a bit like choosing a pet—it needs to match your child’s personality and lifestyle! Here’s a quick breakdown:
Piano: Great for beginners! Teaches melody and harmony right away.
Guitar/Ukulele: Fun and portable, perfect for sing-alongs.
Violin: Takes patience, but rewards with elegance.
Flute/Clarinet/Saxophone: Ideal for kids who love a challenge and enjoy playing in a band.
The key is to let your child explore and choose—they’re more likely to stick with it if they love the sound and feel of their instrument.
Private Lessons vs. Group Classes
Both options have their perks. Private lessons offer one-on-one attention, helping kids progress quickly. Group classes, on the other hand, can be more social and fun, teaching collaboration and teamwork. If your child is just starting, group classes might be a great way to ease into learning without pressure.
What to Expect in the First Few Months
Here’s the deal: it won’t sound amazing right away. (Sorry!) But that’s all part of the journey. In the first few months, your child will:
Learn basic techniques
Practice simple songs
Get comfortable with their instrument
Encourage them to stick with it. Learning an instrument is like learning a new language—it takes time, but the rewards are huge!
Practice Tips for Parents
Getting your child to practice without turning into a drill sergeant is an art in itself. Here’s how to help:
Make it fun! Turn practice time into a game.
Keep sessions short and sweet (10–15 minutes for beginners).
Praise effort, not perfection—celebrate the small wins!
Set a routine—same time every day works best.
Join in! If you play an instrument, have a mini jam session together.
When to Expect Progress
Don’t expect Mozart-level compositions in a month. Most kids show noticeable improvement after about 6 months of consistent lessons. After a year, they might be ready for recitals or small performances.
Beyond the notes and rhythms, music teaches patience, perseverance, and self-expression. Whether your child becomes a concert pianist or just enjoys playing for fun, music will enrich their life in ways you can’t even imagine.
Final Tips from the professionals!
Rent an instrument, rather than buying one. Initially, your child may not be sure which instrument is the one for them, renting allows them to play on better quality instruments for a fraction of the price. And quality goes a long way in facilitating easier playing, and therefore helping them progress faster. It also means that you can change instruments at any point! The piano wasn’t for them? No problem, try the violin!
Communicate with your school or teacher. Finding the perfect teacher for your child isn’t always so easy. Sometimes they click immediately, and sometimes not. There’s nothing stopping you from trying lessons with different teachers, as each have their preferred styles of teaching. It helps to give your school as much info about your child as possible, thus allowing them to suggest the best teacher suited for their needs! If there is no noticeable improvement or the child is not enjoying lessons after 6 months, chat with their teacher or school and see if perhaps changing teachers or instruments might be in order. Remember everyone is unique, some people learn music for fun, while others are very serious, and require very structured, intensive classes.
It’s September and that means that it’s back to school for many of us! At Shine Music School we have a new schedule up for group music classes in Barcelona for children. We have Kids Music Awareness classes starting, so if you are looking to introduce your preschool children to music, you can sign up now. Classes focus on fun, creating awareness of different music, sounds, rhythms and instruments through games with a professional teacher.
Contact our music school in Barcelona to find out more! Music has long been lauded as an important aspect to growing as humans. The sense of hearing is developed through exposure to sounds, and we can start young to utilize music as a tool for development. Our group music classes are for kids ages 3 to 5 years. Read more about our Music Awareness classes.
At Shine Music School in Barcelona we also have group classes for beginners in Guitar and Ukuleleas well as Singing Classes. If the schedule doesn’t suit you, you can form your own groups with family and friends, to benefit from our reduced rates for groups. Find out more about the prices for our group music classes.
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The study of music is well known to have multiple benefits for the individual, not only in the realm of learning an instrument. For individuals with physical or mental disabilities or those looking to deal with stress, anxiety or improve their motor skills, music therapy can offer considerable advantages.
Science has long proven the value of both playing and listening to music. Playing an instrument improves concentration, develops the brain and helps with a slew of other important social skills. Studying music can improve cognition and enhance learning and memory. The part of the brain that deals with language and reason also deals with music, activating this part of the brain by playing an instrument helps to develop these skills.
Humans have long had a relationship with music, and studies have shown the importance of introducing music to young children. It stands to reason then that music and music therapy sessions can aid a wide range of ailments.
“Research in music therapy supports its effectiveness in many areas such as: overall physical rehabilitation and facilitating movement, increasing people’s motivation, providing emotional support for individuals and their families, and providing an outlet for expression of feelings.”
(American Music Therapy Association, 2020.)
Music is a powerful tool. In Music Therapy, music can be used as a way to build connections, both socially and cognitively. Music Therapists are able to guide their clients in their musical exploration, encouraging them, as well as identifying techniques that can help them improve or work on specific areas. Through sound and play, they are exposed to a variety of challenges which equip them for the future. Music Therapy can give an individual important tools with which to navigate their normal life.
Treatments include creating, singing, moving to, and/or listening to music. Music therapy also provides avenues for communication that can be helpful to those who find it difficult to express themselves in words.
For example, singing can strengthen the immune system and research has shown that producing certain sounds can help specific aspects of your health. Singing improves your mood by releasing endorphins. Studies have demonstrated that singing can decrease cortisol levels, which are responsible for stress. Singers often experience increased relaxation. Singing, listening to music and playing musical instruments all combat anxiety & depression.
Singing also aids metabolism, boosts alertness and can be an excellent form of exercise, especially for those who are physically disabled or can no longer move as well, like the elderly. It helps to increase aerobic capacity and stamina and improves posture. Posture techniques used in both singing and playing an instrument help build strong muscles and a good posture relieves back and neck strain. Easing muscle tension is something that can significantly benefit people with physical handicaps, or motor skill issues.
Exposure to Music Therapy techniques not only develops imagination and intellectual curiosity but the rhythms of music also aid those with physical issues by helping them time their movements to the beat of the music. According to papers published on Neuroplasticity, “Playing a musical instrument demands the coordination of hand movements with integrated auditory, visual, and tactile feedback, in a process that recruits multiple brain regions. These multiple demands during instrument playing, together with the entertaining character of music, have led to the development and investigation of music-supported therapies, especially for rehabilitation with motor disorders.”
The same concept can be applied to speech and language development. Because verbal difficulties often tend to create communication barriers, leading to low self-esteem, any therapy that can help an individual with their vocal issues is important. Repetitive speech, such as the chorus of a song, can improve one’s ability to participate in a conversation. Singing together with the music, helps to develop control of the vocal muscles. Cognitively, music can be used as a tool to help recall conversation just as you would remember song lyrics. This can be vitally important for those suffering memory handicaps, like dementia or Alzheimers. Not only can listening to their favourite song greatly reduce stress and agitation, but also offers a way for them to connect emotionally with loved ones.
Music when used in therapeutic instances offers a vast array of benefits. Shine Music School in Barcelona is now offering Music Therapy sessions. Please contact us if you are interested in learning more.