Musical Instruments

[Anonymous]

When to start and what to do? I would like my children to eventually take music lessons. I did piano as a child, and while I would love for them to also do piano, we do not currently own one. I think we would have to have one in order for them to practice.

Anyway, I know it is child dependent, but what is your general sense of the best instruments and ages to start children. My son is in Kindergarten so I was thinking perhaps next fall when he was in First grade we would start something. My daughter is only 3 so... not even close to starting.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

We just had them start in school in 4th grade (school offers band/orchestra for 4th-5th grade). There is also school choir starting in 3rd but both kids were adamant that they did not want to do it, and had tried our church children's choir in 1st grade so I didn't push that.

Through the band program they tried a variety of instruments and picked one. Both continued instruments into middle school. DD still plays but DS stopped after 7th grade. If I had to do it over again, I'd still wait until 4th grade but would have added private lessons at the same time. We started DD in private lessons in 6th grade when she switched instruments and I think it has made it a lot more enjoyable for her.

[Anonymous]

I started my son on piano when he was 8. I had started at 6, but his fine motor skills weren't great. He's really enjoyed it and is pretty good. I don't know if he's learning faster than I did because of the methodology (different than how I learned) or he's just better at it. But for him it was a good time to start.

He picked up clarinet at school this year (age 9) and enjoys that more. So he will finish this year out on piano and focus more on clarinet next year.

FWIW he goes to Gaithersburg Academy of Fine Arts in a group piano class. And it's very age appropriate and fun. If you can a class like that, it's generally cheaper than private lessons, and a good way to gauge interest.

Also, we have a digital piano. It's been perfect for him. I won't invest in a real one unless he becomes a mini Beethoven, and he's not. I'm very happy playing on a digital piano for my own enjoyment.

[Anonymous]

My DD is in kindergarten and has been talking about wanting to play drums. Both DH and I play several instruments (trumpet, clarinet, guitar, bass, banjo) so we've looked into private lessons. Guitar Center has lessons beginning at age 6, so we're thinking this summer we'll go for it. I started playing trumpet in 4th grade at school and loved it--stayed with it through marching band in college and used to do pit orchestra for community theater before my kids took over my life.

I have heard good things from other parents about the lessons at Bach 2 Rock. I believe they have classes for K/1st grade.

[Anonymous]

My daughter started violin at 3.5 with the Suzuki method, so don't think it's too early. She started begging for violin lessons at 3.

You can go to an instrumental petting zoo - I think the Philharmonic does that kind of thing. He can go to see a concert and see the instruments in action.

Piano, violin, cello, are all good instruments. The string instruments are not easy to pitch, but the advantage is that they come in tiny sizes for all children. My daughter started with a 1/32nd!
Piano is easy at first, since all you need is to press a key, however the child's hand-span needs to be adequate.

He can also try a woodwind instrument such as the flute, but watch for instruments with holes that might be too big to be covered by little fingers, such as the recorder - the most inane instrument ever forced on children. I had to stick tape on some of the holes for my 3rd grader!

[Anonymous]

Second the suggestion of Academy of Fine Arts. Perfect for a younger kid who wants to try piano. We started at 7. But I wish I started a bit earlier. Kindergarten is the perfect time.

We have been practicing on a keyboard so far. Am thinking of buying a better instrument now that I have decided I really like it whether my son wants to continue or not. He likes it just very lazy about practicing.

Piano really is the gateway instruments. Learning other instruments become easier if you have some piano lessons in the beginning.

[Anonymous]

I'll probably be in the minority on this, but as an adult who plays a bunch of instruments (guitar, banjo, ukulele, flute, piano, piano), I think by far the best way to cultivate a lifelong musician (presuming the goal isn't to have them play in school bands / orchestras for the elementary and perhaps high school years before giving up the instruments in adulthood) is to actually play instruments at home and model the behavior to your kids. There are a lot of parents who want their kids to "learn" instruments (and sign them up with teachers and lessons and this and that), but who never actually play any themselves. It's like being the parent who yells at their kid to read while never picking up a book.

[Anonymous]

^ Ha. Need to proofread. That second instrument should have been mandolin, not another piano. But yeah...we play at home and encourage our kids to use our instruments. Sometimes we sing songs together. I'm not saying lessons are bad (although they can be if your kids hate them), but I'd strongly recommend thinking of whether your long term goals involve your kids playing instruments for a few years or if you'd like them to still have an interest when they're your age. If it's the latter, you'll want to model this and also give them much, much more freedom of instrument choice.

[Anonymous]

What about those of us who are not multiinstrumentalist lie you? Our kids are doomed to be non-musical?

I am the second pp who recommended group piano to start. The genius of this class is that the parent has to stay the whole hour in the classroom. I have been learning with my son. I practice more than he does.

There is nothing wrong with lessons. Kids need to know more before they can make an informed choice. But there is some merit in learning piano at least for a few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about those of us who are not multiinstrumentalist lie you? Our kids are doomed to be non-musical?

I am the second pp who recommended group piano to start. The genius of this class is that the parent has to stay the whole hour in the classroom. I have been learning with my son. I practice more than he does.

There is nothing wrong with lessons. Kids need to know more before they can make an informed choice. But there is some merit in learning piano at least for a few years.

LOL are you the 2nd Academy of Fine Arts poster? I wonder if our kids are in the same class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about those of us who are not multiinstrumentalist lie you? Our kids are doomed to be non-musical?

I am the second pp who recommended group piano to start. The genius of this class is that the parent has to stay the whole hour in the classroom. I have been learning with my son. I practice more than he does.

There is nothing wrong with lessons. Kids need to know more before they can make an informed choice. But there is some merit in learning piano at least for a few years.

LOL are you the 2nd Academy of Fine Arts poster? I wonder if our kids are in the same class.

Yes.

[Anonymous]

For PP who says parents need to model- I do get what you are saying and understand your point BUT I am not musical. I want my kids to have an opportunity I did not have. I would love to expose them to lots of choices. Trying to figure out the best way to do this despite my lack of musicality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about those of us who are not multiinstrumentalist lie you? Our kids are doomed to be non-musical?

I am the second pp who recommended group piano to start. The genius of this class is that the parent has to stay the whole hour in the classroom. I have been learning with my son. I practice more than he does.

There is nothing wrong with lessons. Kids need to know more before they can make an informed choice. But there is some merit in learning piano at least for a few years.

LOL are you the 2nd Academy of Fine Arts poster? I wonder if our kids are in the same class.

Yes.

Ms. Ai Wei is the teacher?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about those of us who are not multiinstrumentalist lie you? Our kids are doomed to be non-musical?

I am the second pp who recommended group piano to start. The genius of this class is that the parent has to stay the whole hour in the classroom. I have been learning with my son. I practice more than he does.

There is nothing wrong with lessons. Kids need to know more before they can make an informed choice. But there is some merit in learning piano at least for a few years.

I said that I didn't think lessons were a bad thing (unless the kids were consistently against them). However, OP asked "when to start and what to do", so I was giving my POV--start as early as you'd start reading to the kids, try to make it as natural as reading, and think of your long term goals.

You don't need to play a bunch of instruments; you don't even need an instrument if you sing. What matters is that you make music a part of the household and a thing that the adults are doing. Otherwise, it becomes something that you're clearly forcing on the kids for their own "benefit", like asking them to eat vegetables while we reach for the sweets.

For a first instrument, I think anything in the kid's size can work. The piano can work; I personally prefer the ukulele. I do think it's important not to overly steer the child toward a particular instrument simply because a.) it's something you play, b.) it's something you don't play but like, c.) it's something you don't play but see as a "status" or "serious" instrument (e.g., steering a child toward the violin when s/he really wants the guitar because the guitar is Not A Classical Tool...which is incorrect to begin with, but most folks aren't aware of classical guitar...), d.) because of family / social pressure, or e.) because it's cheap.

Why is that important? Because again--thinking long term--if the kid doesn't want to play the instrument, s/he's going to give it up. Maybe not immediately, but most likely by high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about those of us who are not multiinstrumentalist lie you? Our kids are doomed to be non-musical?

I am the second pp who recommended group piano to start. The genius of this class is that the parent has to stay the whole hour in the classroom. I have been learning with my son. I practice more than he does.

There is nothing wrong with lessons. Kids need to know more before they can make an informed choice. But there is some merit in learning piano at least for a few years.

LOL are you the 2nd Academy of Fine Arts poster? I wonder if our kids are in the same class.

Yes.

Ms. Ai Wei is the teacher?

Yes. I am not sure how many classes she teaches though.