F.A.Q.

Music Lessons at Long & McQuade

What is a good age to start Music Lessons?

Many of our teachers will accept students as young as 4 to 5 years old depending on the
instrument. Some of our locations offer special keyboard-based group programs that cater
to preschool children, ages 3 to 5. The most common instrument choices for private
lessons for the youngest students are piano, guitar, voice and violin. Both the guitar and
the violin offer the convenience of smaller scale fractional instruments for these younger
beginners. Curved head joints are also available for young flute students to reduce the
overall length of the flute. Students wishing to learn to play full size wind instruments
such as trumpet, trombone and saxophone should be able to meet the physical
requirements these instruments pose. You will find the Lesson Staff and Teachers at
Long and McQuade quite willing to discuss your child’s situation.

Do I need to own an instrument to take lessons?

It is necessary to have an instrument for regular practice at home, enabling the student to
learn and progress with his or her newly acquired skills. Long and McQuade offers
convenient and affordable student instrument rental plans for new players who do not
have their own instrument.

How long does it take to learn to play an instrument?

With regular practice, new students will see results very quickly on their chosen
instrument. However, it is important for students and parents to approach the study of a
musical instrument as a long term process comparable to the process of learning a new
language. The results should be both fun and rewarding as the student’s skill level
improves incrementally. Hopefully, the study and playing of a musical instrument will
become a fulfilling life long pursuit.

Can my child prepare for Royal Conservatory Examinations?

Long and McQuade teachers are able to prepare students for nationally accredited
examinations with the Royal Conservatory of Music if they so desire. The successful
completion of specific RCM examination levels (usually Grade 8 and higher) with the
corresponding theory level exam is recognized as an equivalent secondary school music
credit in many provinces. Consult your provincial Ministry of Education for music
equivalency requirements.
My child will be taking piano lessons. Do we need a piano or can we use a
keyboard?
This is a common question as there are many instrument choices for parents of new piano
students. The traditional acoustic piano is certainly well-suited for piano study as are
many of the newer and affordable ‘weighted action’ digital pianos. The smaller portable
keyboards will provide touch sensitivity for some dynamic expression but because their
keyboard actions are not ‘weighted’, it is more difficult for the student to develop the
hand and finger strength and control that are required for piano technique. Long and
McQuade offers convenient rental and purchase plans to suit any budget for keyboards,
digital pianos as well as for acoustic pianos.

When can I start lessons?

Lessons at Long and McQuade can be started at any time of year. In fact, many students
enjoy the opportunity of learning a new skill during the less hectic summer months.

What is the best instrument to learn on?

Certain instruments, due to their larger physical size, are not as well suited for the
smallest beginners. For the most part, the ‘best’ instrument to learn on is the one that the
student is most interested in. The prospect of achieving positive results will generally be
higher with an instrument that the student wants to play and practice with, on a daily
basis.

Can we take a ‘Trial Lesson’ to start?

We would encourage prospective students to try their new instrument for a least a month.
For this reason do not advise taking a single lesson to start. However, students are able to
discontinue lessons at any point with notice - even after the first lesson.

Will my child learn music theory and learn to read music?

Regardless of the musical style (pop, jazz, classical) it is important to establish a strong
musical foundation with all beginners. This foundation includes an understanding of
notation, music theory and technique specific to the instrument. Students will be working
with a method book as well as supplementary books to achieve this. The vast selection of
innovative materials and resources for beginning players on all instruments has never
been greater. Being a literate musician opens the door to limitless musical possibilities
for a musician.
Do you offer lessons for adults?
Adult students are always welcome and in fact make up a sizeable segment of new lesson
students. For the adult beginner, it’s never too late! In fact despite popular opinion to the
contrary, adult beginners have a distinct intellectual advantage over younger students that
enables them to learn and progress faster with a new skill. Whether a mature student is
pursuing a recreational approach to music making or a more traditional curriculum, Long
and McQuade has many excellent instructors and materials to assist both beginner and
experienced players.

What’s better to learn on, the electric or acoustic guitar?

In most cases, the exact same method books and teaching approach are used with
beginning guitarists on either steel string acoustic or electric guitar. If the student is
asking for an electric guitar they probably are interested in learning rock and pop styles
as their skills progress. Electric guitars are the best choice for this style. Our advice to
most parents is to go with the instrument that the student has expressed interest in.
Electric guitars of course require an amplifier as well to get started and Long and
McQuade offers a number of affordable starter guitar /amp packages. Guitar and bass
amplifiers are provided for use at the music lesson.

What is the benefit of learning to play an instrument with a teacher as opposed to a

self-study approach?
Learning from a teacher will enable you to progress faster by developing proper
techniques with good practice habits. You will learn to read music and music theory and
become a literate musician. A teacher will broaden your musical horizons by exposing
you to and assisting you with learning new pieces, new songs and new styles. A teacher
will motivate you, provide feedback and encourage you to continue to progress and
improve your musical skills even when the going gets tough. A teacher will allow you to
interact musically through the playing of duets, ensemble or group playing and develop
your improvisational skills.