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[quote=Anonymous][quote=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. [/quote]

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.

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