Music Lessons - Needed Materials
​Suzuki Flashcards - One set of useful flashcards are for the student's performance/ear training pieces. These Suzuki flashcards include a picture for each song so that the student can easily refer to the cards when reviewing the pieces. This one set will be good for 4+ years. You can check them out here.
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Music Books - Your teacher will inform you of which sight-reading books you will need for your lessons. Each instrument will also use the Suzuki, Volume 1 book that corresponds with your particular instrument. The Suzuki audio is also required. Either click on the link for the book with the CD or separately purchase the download by clicking on "Audio Download."
Suzuki Violin School, Volume 1
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Piano Seat Cushion - There are a couple of items that are helpful to have for specifically for piano lessons.
The first is a seat cushion to make sure the student is at the right height at the piano so that playing is more comfortable.
Find them here or make one with similar dimensions out of foam.
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Piano Footstool - Footstools can be rather expensive to purchase, but you can always use a kitchen stool and add carpet squares or old books to make it the right height. It needs to be high enough so that the student's legs are a comfortable 90 degree angle with the heels down flat.
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Violins - For violinists, please do not purchase or rent an instrument before being measured by your teacher. Your child will be measured, not merely on the length of his arm, but also on the ability of his hand and fingers to comfortably reach around the fingerboard to the necessary pitches on the string. An incorrect sizing of the violin can cause strain and pain to the musician which can then result in further issues down the road.
When choosing a violin, remember the quality of your instrument will greatly affect its tone and the usability. A cheap instrument often has troubles staying in pitch, is harder to tune, and produces a very poor sound. Many violin shops offer rental options in which your child can use a good quality instrument with minimal upfront cost. Montero Violins services many of my violin students.
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Violin Chin Rest - For comfort and ease of playing, all violin students are required to use a center-mounted Wittner chin rest. You should be able to acquire one from the music store in which you rent your instrument, or you can order one here.
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