The teVelde Conservatory of Music - San Luis Obispo - Arroyo Grande
What is musical talent?
Over the years we have taught countless unique students with a wide range of personalities and musical backgrounds. Here are the 7 Signs of Musical Talent! This list will help you to easily tell if yourself or a loved one would learn music easily!
How many of the 7 Signs of Musical Talent do you have?
What to do if you show signs of talent...
Keep reading below to see how at every age, its never too early or late to start lessons!
7 Signs of Talent
See how many of the 7 signs of musical talent you or your child may have... Add them up!!
Memory
Getting a song "stuck" in your head, even if you don't like it. Remembering lyrics easily.
Good Ear
The ability to figure out a tune on an instrument. Sometimes able to create entire songs.
Creating Sound
Frequently humming, singing, or making up songs or sound effects through the day
Movement
Moving, dancing, tapping toes to songs. Sometimes even choreographing complex dances
Musical Family
Close family members, such as grandparents, siblings, or cousins that are active in music.
Listening
Listening to the same song over and over. Usually enjoying a specific section of the song!
Interest
Having the desire to play an instrument, asking for lessons or to rent an instrument
Do you see signs?
If you see/have multiple signs of musical talent, starting lessons should be a Priority! Read more.
Children with Signs of Talent
Toddler
Preschool
Elementary
If your child has more than 3 out of 7 signs of musical talent, it is important to expose them to as much music as possible from a very young age. Infants, toddlers, and elementary aged children can be very sensitive to music, and many can easily learn melodies, lyrics, and the sound of individual notes. Playing music with their parents and grandparents can also a wonderful way to introduce them to a musical instrument or voice. Formal lessons can be very effective as long as they are only positive and encouraging. Even if the child doesn't seem to be paying attention to what is going on, months and years later the same child remembers what they were exposed to in the lesson. We work with each parent to determine the optimal age for starting lessons for their child. It is usually somewhere between age 4 and 8, although we sometimes start at a younger age. We have also seen older children with the signs of talent learn very quickly. Each child is unique.
We offer private lessons for children as young as 3 years old, but it all depends on whether they are ready to start. The more signs of talent they have, the easier lessons will be for them at a very young age. After that, we look at maturity and the ability to name their colors and alphabet. Some children are shy at first, but by the 3rd or 4th lesson, they are engaged and having a really fun time getting to know the piano. We start with a combination of piano, voice, ukulele, drums, and perfect pitch training. Perfect pitch is really the primary reason for getting them in so young, as every other skill can be taught at an older age. The more exposure they have to the timbre of each note, and how they have a variety of colors, the easier it will be for them to remember the unique sound of each note for life.
The younger a child is, the more sensitive they will be to the personality type, attitude, and enthusiasm levels of the teacher. We hire only teachers with the optimal personality types for teaching, with joyful and positive attitudes.
Pre-teens and Teens
Middle School
High School
Pre-teens and teens who have more than three signs of musical talent will learn music very quickly, and can become amazing musicians in their lifetimes. These children are often obviously musical, and are usually very attracted to an instrument or singing. Many enjoy figuring out how an instrument works, and how to play a tune on one. When in high quality lessons, they go through the material very quickly, and quickly reach the higher levels of music. They need a teacher that understands their personality type and learning style, so the lessons can be custom-tailored to their musical interests while gently showing them new genres and styles to learn.
Setting clear goals for play at home can also be very important, as well as making sure they have a knowledgeable teacher who knows how to motivate with positive feedback rather than harsh criticism. In teen years it is very important that the teacher give students alternative song choices that they like. Popular songs are just as difficult as classical pieces, and the teacher should be willing to be flexible with the student's musical choices so the student remains motivated to play as much as possible. For competitive types, finding fun talent competitions and school talent shows can also be very motivating, while those who are not motivated by competition will do better with a gentle, "play at home" style of learning. We work hard to help our students build confidence so they will be motivated to keep playing until they achieve mastery of the instrument.
At teVelde, we hire only teachers that have an enthusiastic and positive personality type. All are taught to listen to the needs of the student, either verbal or non-verbal, and to find ways to build up their confidence levels.
Adults
College
Post Grad
New Parents
Retirees
If you are an adult with more than 3 signs of musical talent, you can learn music fast... you probably can also type, you can read... all of these things are involved in learning to read music and play by ear. A good teacher, who specializes in teaching adults, is the way to learn quickly. Adults also need a positive and enthusiastic teacher to help them build confidence.
We have seen adult students learn to play piano all the way to level 3 (fur elise) in 4-6 months. They play 2-4 hours per day at home, and have 1-2 60 min lessons per week. From there, you can go on to study Chopin, Beethoven, and all of the greats!
We also have monthly ukulele classes for adults wanting to learn a new and fun instrument that isn't too hard. Ukulele is fun to learn in a group environment where all of the participants can encourage eachother.
Don't wait to learn music... you will never be as sharp as you are right now. You can get it done and have the skills of a lifetime in a few months, or you can take it a little easier and learn over a few years!
Lutz Jāncke
Psychologist,
University of Zurich
There is growing evidence that musicians have structurally and functionally different brains compared with non-musicians. The parts of the brain that control motor skills, hearing, and memory become larger and more active when a person learns how to play an instrument. This can improve day-to-day actions such as being alert, planning and emotional perception. We found that even in people over the age of 65 after four or five months of playing an instrument for an hour a week there were strong changes in the brain.