"So," you ask me, "Can you tell me the best schedule of music lessons for my student?" ...to which my answer would be, "Nope." But, I can tell you about real students that I've had over the years that have taught me huge lessons in this area. Hopefully you can learn from these experiences, too, and better decide what's best for your student.

Is it a good or bad decision to let a young music student switch instruments?

Pretty huge decision, right? Here's why it's so tricky: the answer completely depends on your student's specific circumstances. So, to help you decide what's best for your young music student, let's consider some of the factors...

A few years ago, I started incorporating frequent recitals in to my teaching approach as a private music instructor. Several times a year, my students, young and old, hop up on stage and perform a couple of the pieces they've been working on in lessons. The overwhelming result is that students have a great time and find a great gratification in all the hard work they put in to their performance pieces. But that isn't always the case. So, I've often contemplated the question, "Should students be required to perform?"

One of the things I hate the most about moving is finding a good mechanic. I personally know nothing about cars; I've never even successfully performed an oil change. So I'm forced to put a ton of trust in my mechanic to honestly and expertly service my vehicle. Because, when it comes down to it, I don't have enough knowledge about cars to tell a good mechanic from a bad one until it's too late.

That's how a lot of parents are with their music teachers. They don't know enough about the subject to tell a good teacher from a bad one, so they stick with what they've got until their car (aka: student) quits. And that's sad to see. Lots of people have disqualified themselves as "not having what it takes to play music," when in reality it wasn't them but their teachers who failed. I've seen this too much in music education, so I've posed 4 questions for you to determine if your music teacher is worth your money...

Paul McCartney, Prince, Beck – what do they all have in common? Yes, they’re all successful recording artists and GRAMMY winners, but they all share something a little deeper: They are all successful multi-­instrumentalists who have recorded at least one album where they played most, if not every instrument from start to finish. Prince, in particular, is said to have played 27 different instruments with proficiency.

Whoa.

While you, I, or your young musician may never reach the status of those three, learning multiple instruments can have profound effects on one’s musicianship. Being a multi-­instrumentalist myself, I can attest to this.

I believe I’m a much better musician because I play more than one instrument, but it doesn’t come without it’s hurdles. Let me explain...