The Benefits of Daily Listening
What are the benefits to daily listening?
Immersion: Just like learning a language, music is best learned when it becomes a part of daily life! Shin’ichi Suzuki realized that every child learned their native language by first listening to and imitating their parents, and while being fully immersed in the language. He found that the same strategy (known as the “mother tongue” approach) could be applied to learning music!
Motivation: Listening to the recordings gives students something to strive toward. They learn not only what the notes sound like, but the potentials of the instrument, including a beautiful tone and expressive playing. We recommend not just listening to the songs that your child is currently learning, but more advanced recordings from books 2 and 3 as well.
Learn to self-correct: When we practice, we’re creating habits. If we play the wrong note ten times, we end up teaching our fingers how to play that wrong note very well! Listening to the music we’re working on helps to avoid teaching ourselves bad habits that are difficult and frustrating to break. If we’ve already internalized how the song goes, we can self-correct any wrong notes or rhythms before they happen.
Active vs. Passive Listening:
Both active and passive listening are important in learning a new piece!
Passive listening is when listening is not the main focus. Through passive listening, your child becomes familiar with the pieces and begins to internalize them. Good opportunities to practice passive listening are in the car, while working on homework, or during dinner!
Active listening is when listening is the sole activity. Through active listening, your child actively memorizes their pieces and listens to details that they can apply to their own playing. Active listening can include singing along with the music, looking at the music while listening, or focusing on one element of the piece (listen for all the slurs, listening for loud versus quiet parts, etc.)!
How can I access the recordings?
You can access the Suzuki recordings here: Violin Recordings, Guitar Recordings, Ukulele Recordings
Another great way to listen to the repertoire is by listening to your peers! Attend studio ensemble classes (enroll in violin, guitar, or ukulele), Suzuki playdowns, and Suzuki Graduations to hear future pieces.
Music House parents tell us how they incorporate listening into their daily routine, and how it has benefited their young musicians:
