What to Expect from Your Child’s First Music Lesson at Our Coral Gables Studio

Student and mentor building confidence

The First Step into Music: What Parents Can Expect

As a parent, you want your child’s first lesson to feel inspiring, not intimidating. At Alberto Puerto Music in Coral Gables, every first class is designed to build curiosity, comfort, and confidence. This is not just about playing notes, it’s about beginning a development process where music becomes a personal language. What sets our first lesson apart? Here's what to expect.

Inspiration Through Performance

Every first lesson begins with the professor performing a short piece of music. This simple act sparks curiosity. Children see the beauty of the instrument before they are asked to play. Research suggests that modeling behavior helps students engage more deeply with new skills (Harvard Graduate School of Education). For a young learner, hearing a live performance makes music real, not abstract.

“A child’s first exposure to live performance can ignite the spark that keeps them motivated to practice.”

Modeling the right behavior inspires practice

Encouraging Listening and Reflection

Next, the student is asked about what they heard. Did the music sound bright or mellow? Was it fast or slow? This step encourages active listening, critical thinking, and emotional expression. Parents often notice that children become more attentive, not just in music, but in school and at home, because they are practicing reflection from the very first lesson.

The Importance of Posture and Setup

Posture may seem small, but it lays the foundation for a lifetime of playing without injury. The professor explains how to sit, where to place the hands, and how the body moves with the instrument.

Choosing the Right Instrument Size

Just like a pair of shoes, the guitar or piano must fit the child. A guitar that’s too large or a piano bench that’s too low creates frustration. At our Coral Gables studio, we size instruments carefully so every child feels at ease from the start.

Adjusting Footstools and Seating

For guitar students, adjusting the footstool’s height helps them balance comfort and technique. This detail, often overlooked in generic lesson settings, supports healthy practice habits.

First Contact with the Instrument

Holding the Guitar or Piano Properly

Before making sound, students learn how to support the instrument. For guitar, that means balancing with the feet and right arm. For piano, it means relaxed shoulders and curved fingers. These basics prevent tension and allow music to flow naturally.

Right-Hand Exercises: Thumb, Index, and Middle Fingers

The first exercises are small but empowering: plucking open strings with the thumb, then introducing index and middle fingers for students over six. These movements train coordination while giving children an early sense of accomplishment.

Modeling posture at a recital

Left-Hand Introduction: Pressing Strings

Finally, students try pressing strings with the left hand, feeling how sound changes with a simple finger placement. For piano, this means playing their first notes. This step transforms curiosity into creation: your child has officially made music.

A guitar resting on a table with music sheets

Why Our Method Works

Mentorship Model vs. Standard Music Schools

Unlike large music schools, AP Music is built on mentorship. Our instructors are active musicians who record, perform, and create beyond the classroom. This means children learn not only technique but also artistry, seeing their teacher as both a mentor and a role model.

Local and Cultural Connections

Our curriculum honors both the Royal Conservatory of Music and Miami’s Latin American heritage. Whether your child learns a Bach prelude or a Cuban danza, they discover how music connects cultures, an experience deeply relevant in Coral Gables’ diverse community.

Mentor tuning a student's guitar during recital

Practice Tip for Parents

📦 Practice Tip Box Make them feel supported. Your child’s first confident note is a milestone worth sharing. Snap a photo or let them show a sibling. Encouragement is the best motivator.

Next Steps: Building on the First Music Lesson

By the end of the first class, your child will have:

• Heard a live performance.

• Practiced listening and reflection.

• Learned proper posture.

• Touched the instrument with guided support.

• Played their first sounds.

  
  

Their growth is consistently supported from here. With each lesson, your child will build confidence, discipline, and artistic identity, qualities that extend far beyond music.

intermediate student at recital in cultural center

Ready to Begin?

Book your child’s trial lesson today and experience the AP Music difference in Coral Gables. Let’s chat about what inspires your child. You'll find a mentor waiting to guide them.

Still have questions about that first music lesson in Coral Gables?

Visit our FAQ section where we answer common parent concerns about instruments, scheduling, and our teaching approach.