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When learning to play a stringed instrument parents and students have the option of taking traditional lessons or Suzuki lessons. Most people understand what traditional lessons are, but what exactly are Suzuki lessons?

The Suzuki method was developed by Shinichi Suzuki after World War II. Mr. Suzuki desired to create beauty in the world again after the devastations of the war and knew that children would be the best place to start.

While he was studying to learn a foreign language, he suddenly realized that children will easily learn to speak their mother tongue, no matter how difficult of a dialect it may be. "All Japanese children speak Japanese!" he kept exclaiming to his friends. He thought that with the proper nurturing environment and immersion in music, almost any child can learn to play. Ideally, a child should be exposed to music right away, even before birth. Children should listen to classical music and attend concerts. Between ages 3-5 children should start studying their instruments.

The Suzuki method teaches violin, viola, cello, bass, flute, recorder, piano, guitar, organ, harp, and voice. There are 10 volumes for violin, viola, cello and organ, 7 volumes for piano, 3 volumes for bass, 14 volumes for flute, 8 volumes for the recorder, 9 volumes for the guitar and 4 volumes for the harp and voice. With each method book, there is a corresponding CD with each song played out by a professional musician.

Parental involvement is critical. Parents should attend every lesson with their child and take notes. Parents are also expected to be present and listen to every practice session, instead of relying on their child to find time to practice on his or her own. Parents learning to play an instrument themselves is encouraged but not required.

With the Suzuki method, students learn to play by ear first. As Suzuki pointed out, children learn to speak before they write. Memorization is encouraged. Students may also study in group classes and perform in casual, low key settings. Auditions are discouraged.

There are a few things to remember when deciding if Suzuki lessons are right for you or your children. The Suzuki method does not teach how to read music. It is up to each teacher to decide when to start teaching reading. The Suzuki curriculum does not say when to start teaching this and none of the books contain any reading exercises. All the books contain are songs; there are no etudes or technical studies. Also, some people feel that this method teaches students to play by rote, to imitate exactly what they hear instead of trying to interpret the music themselves or to "find their own voice."

Teachers are certified in the Suzuki method but certification does not require a college teacher. It is possible that a Suzuki teacher, while a great performer, may not be a great teacher.

The Suzuki method is a tried and true method of learning to play an instrument. If you are interested in learning more, check out his books "Nurtured by Love" or "To Learn with Love", browse West Music Suzuki Method Books, or visit the Suzuki website.