“My child attended five lessons and they still can’t shred?…”

Let’s address it head on.

Your child has had five lessons. They can maybe play a simple riff. They know how to hold the instrument. They’re still looking at their fingers. And you’re wondering:

“Why aren’t they amazing yet?”

Fair question.

Now let’s talk about reality.

Because music proficiency is not Amazon Prime. It doesn’t arrive in 48 hours.

It’s built.

The Myth of Instant Talent

Social media has destroyed timelines.

Children see polished 14-year-olds playing like session musicians. Parents see “child prodigy” videos. What you don’t see:

• 5–8 years of structured practice

• Thousands of repetitions

• Boring fundamentals

• Metronomes

• Slow practice

• Corrections

• Plateaus

Shredding is the tip of the iceberg.

The iceberg is discipline.

The Real Development Timeline

Below is what actually happens when a child learns an instrument.

Not the fantasy version. The real one.

🟢 Stage 1: Orientation (Weeks 1–8)

What it looks like:

• Awkward hand position

• Slow transitions

• Constant stopping

• “Is this right?” every 30 seconds

What’s actually happening:

• The brain is building new neural pathways

• Fine motor control is developing

• Posture and mechanics are being programmed

At this stage, we are not building speed.

We are building foundations.

If foundations are weak, everything collapses later.

Five lessons in?They are still learning how to hold the tool correctly.

That’s not failure.

That’s normal.

🟡 Stage 2: Coordination (Months 2–6)

Now something interesting happens.

The child:

• Plays short songs

• Makes fewer technical errors

• Starts recognising patterns

• Begins internalising rhythm

But here’s the critical factor:

Practice consistency now determines trajectory.

Two students, same teacher, same curriculum.

• Student A practices 5–6 times per week for 15 minutes.

• Student B practices once before the lesson.

After 6 months, they are worlds apart.

Not because of talent.

Because of repetition.

Music is a motor skill.

Motor skills require frequency.

🔵 Stage 3: Musical Awareness (6–18 Months)

This is where it gets exciting.

• Tone improves

• Timing stabilises

• Confidence increases

• Performance anxiety decreases

• Expression begins

Now you see personality in the playing.

But still not shredding.

Why?

Because speed and fluency are built on control.

And control takes time.

🔴 Stage 4: Fluency & Style (2–5 Years)

This is where:

• Technique becomes automatic

• Muscle memory takes over

• Improvisation starts

• Speed increases safely

• Personal style develops

Now we can talk about “shredding.”

But understand this. Most students who reach this level have:

• Practiced consistently for years

• Performed multiple times

• Worked through plateaus

• Learned to tolerate frustration

There are no shortcuts.

Let’s Talk About Practice (The Uncomfortable Bit)

Here’s the truth.

One lesson per week is guidance.

Practice is where transformation happens.

If your child attends a 30-minute lesson and does zero work at home:

Progress will crawl.

If they practice 10–20 focused minutes most days:

Progress compounds.

It’s math.

10 minutes × 5 days × 52 weeks = 2,600 minutes per year.

That’s over 43 hours of additional training.

That’s the difference between “okay” and “confident.”

Stop Winging It at Home

One of the biggest progress killers?

Students going home unsure what to practice.

That’s why tracking matters.

Inside our app, students can:

• See exactly what to work on

• Track completed practice

• Log reflections

• Record themselves

• Share progress with teachers

When progress is visible, motivation increases.

When students ask questions in lessons instead of pretending to understand, they avoid weeks of reinforcing mistakes.

Parents — encourage this:

“What exactly are you practicing this week?”

If they can’t answer clearly, something needs clarification before they leave the lesson.

For Parents: Manage Expectations

Music is not for big egos.

It’s for builders.

If your child expects applause after five lessons, they are learning the wrong lesson.

Teach them:

• Mastery takes time

• Frustration is part of growth

• Slow practice is not weakness

• Consistency beats intensity

Praise effort.

Not speed.

Praise showing up.

Not flashy moments.

The child who learns patience through music gains something far more valuable than shredding.

They gain resilience.

For Teachers: Be Honest About the Timeline

Teachers, this matters.

If we oversell speed, we damage trust.

Be upfront:

• “Fluency takes years.”

• “Practice frequency matters more than lesson length.”

• “There will be plateaus.”

Set realistic milestones:

• 3 months: coordination

• 6 months: stable basics

• 1 year: confident beginner

• 2–3 years: intermediate development

Parents respect clarity.

Even if it’s uncomfortable.

Especially if it’s uncomfortable.

The Real Question

Instead of asking:

“Why can’t they shred yet?”

Ask:

• Are they practicing consistently?

• Are they asking questions?

• Are they building strong foundations?

• Are they enjoying the process?

Because proficiency isn’t a moment.

It’s an accumulation.

Final Reality Check

Five lessons is exposure.

Not mastery.

If your child sticks with it for:

• 6 months — you’ll see structure.

• 1 year — you’ll see confidence.

• 3 years — you’ll see capability.

• 5 years — you’ll see proficiency.

• 10 years — you’ll see authority.

Music rewards the long game.

And the long game builds character.

If you want instant results, buy a toy.

If you want growth, discipline, resilience, and skill that compounds for life — stay the course.

Shredding will come.

But only after the boring bits are respected.