Learning to play a musical instrument is just like learning a new language. Because of this, Mr. Bupp teaches using the Music as A Second Language (MSL) Approach. Why a second language? Because no one is born into a family where music is the primary language.
The Music as A Second Language approach to music instruction draws upon the “Theory of Second Language Acquisition” by Stephen Krashen. It is, at first, deliberately non-notational. By emphasizing performance and composition over reading and writing, students acquire musical skills naturally and often at an accelerated pace. This creates a context rich in musical experience for young learners. This is well facilitated in an environment that encourages and allows for Approximation (experimentation), keeps students’ Affective Filters low, and reduces student anxiety.
Ideally, a child has the opportunity to “speak” or “play” music for a few years before they are introduced to the written system. Once a child can play and feels competent on their instrument, they will have established a base from which reading music will have a much more meaningful context.
Why teach music as a language?
Like spoken language, music expresses the full range of human emotions using its distinct grammar, meter, cadence, and phonemes. It has both a spoken and written form. Music, like language, must be learned from others who have already achieved fluency. Finally, both language and music are primarily vehicles for human communication.
“Many people say, ‘music is a language,’ but it is seldom taught as one.”
– Victor Wooten, Bass Virtuoso
