to think that Learning An Instrument is a bit of a useless skill?

[morningpaper]

.... ?

It seems to be something that cheery middle-class mummies with too much time on their hands foist upon their (mainly female) children.

What is the point of it REALLY in this day and age? They don't need to trill something tuneful on the piano to snare a husband - is it REALLY worth the time and money for some very specific and probably fairly useless skills?

And Anna, how can you hate music? that is like saying you hate books? What all music? I am puzzled.

Some people enjoy not to think, or being able to not think, sometimes.... Music will allow you to take a rest from your thoughts, your brain, your life, your problems, just a little while.

I guess you like to stay in control of your thoughts? (sorry if overstepping)

There is no relationship whatsoever between books and music - books are silent, music is noisy.

Yes!

Not in control of my thoughts so much as I just like conscious thought a lot and am always busy thinking about something.

Anyway, the hating music thing is very long-standing, it's not going to change (in fact, it gets more ferocious as time goes by).

You are in control of your book, not the other way around. You take it up, you read, you put it down. The End (mostly)

Anna - But you're not supposed to think about other things when there's music on. Doesn't it do anything at all for you, if you just sit and listen to it? I'm not talking about irritating background music/wallpaper music here. But good quality, nice music that suits your taste.

Genuinely intrigued. Even my tone-deaf husband likes to listen to music that suits his taste.

What if you tried to grasp the conscious thought of the composer making the music?

Would you find that interesting?

lol, but my point was that there are so many different types of music. I have heard many people say "I don't like pop/classical/rock/etc but never "music". And music doesn't have to be noisy, it can be very quiet if you turn the volume down

What about the times you don't want to think. To just switch off?

But I cannot switch off when there is that bloody racket going on - I can switch off beautifully when I lie in a field in the summer and can hear distant birdsong, or lie in a beach in summer and listen to the waves.

Like, Edward Grieg. Peer Gynt.

Now, that is fantastic to sit with a good quality red wine, and just listen to it.

QS - I hate music as much as I hate cold weather. It's torture.

If you can relax and listen to birds singing, you can relax and listen to Peer Gynt. If you want to.

I give up.

But, Some aspects of Peer Gynt sound like twittering birds, and happy little streams windind their way down the mountain. Let that be said.

No I can't because I really hate it. I know it's hard to understand and a lot of people think liking music is universal - but it really isn't.

Well, it doesn't sound like we are going to change you. Lets just hope your children don't develop a love of electric guitar heavy rock (now a beginner trying to create that sort of music is a racket, believe me )

I have a friend who cant abide by diet coke or coca cola. That is also hard to understand from a lover of the brown bubbly devil drink.

Lol at this.

I will be encouraging ds to take up a musical instrument. Apparantly he wants to be a rock star. He is only 4 so has a few years to go before he can start formal lessons although he will start musical appreciation classes next term.

I always wanted to play the violin when I was a little girl but at our cruddy school only a few in each class were given the opportunity, my arms were too short apparantly . When I left school I was quite surprised to find that most adults I know seem to be able to play a musical instrument, when I was at school I was always told it music was for toffs only, my senior school didn't even offer music at GCSE level.

I don't for one minute expect ds to turn out to be a musical prodigy I imagine the guitar will end up being discarded under his bed or being used as a super hero weapon. I just want to give him the opportunity to learn a new skill whether he continues with it in later life is up to him. I don't want him to turn round at 18 and blame me for his short arms.

Anna , you hate music

Girl, don't you ever just feel the rhythm and get up and dance [get]

I could not live without music

And books do make a noise, books speak to me

I SO wish I'd carried on playing the violin, but TBH I wasn't getting past Grade 1. Would love to play the piano. Would love to be one of those people that can play Roll Out The Barrel at the drop of a hat!

We all play an instrument in our family and derive a great deal of pleasure from it. I regularly thump out show tunes at parties and my mates particularly love a good 'abba-thon'.

I find playing an instrument (piano, double bass, cello, guitar, but not all at the same time) immensely good for my health, it's a great release.

Both my children are learning 2 instruments and are enjoying the challenge and growing in self-esteem by doing so.

I teach piano part-time and have nothing but praise for 'my girls' with whom teaching and learning is a pleasure.

It's not for everyone, but certainly isn't a useless skill. You might as well say that learning to sail a boat is a useless skill, or learning to fire an archery arrow is one. Everything has its place.

I wonder if Chris Martin's mum asked herself this question........

lol at Goober
Electra - ballet can be useful for helping with co-ordination and strengthening core muscles etc. I was started at "ballet" (dancing really) age 3 because I had a lazy left leg. My bro also, and my sis also did it cos she couldn't be left out.

my mother forced me, yes forced [on the occasions I was reluctant] to practise the piano for half an hour every day I am extremely grateful to her. Whether I will be able to force my children if necessary I have no idea but I will try.

On the other hand I always enjoyed singing and have also my mother to thank for fostering that ability. I think it is depressing how little musical education children receive nowadays actually.

Where do I start?

1. It helps develop the brain by improving links between the right and left side.
2. It can be relaxing and bring a sense of satisfaction and achievement to the learner, which helps feed into a virtous circle of positive educational experiences.
3. It can be sociable if you manage to get to around Grade 3/4 or so, because then you can hold your own in intrumental groups. With groups comes parties and outings and new friends. Most people can get to grade 3/4 with a bit of application.
4. It can be cathartic for moody teenages as they express their innermost dark thoughts through music.
5. If people are any good at it, it can bring enjoyment to listeners, but this is an optional extra.
6. It can be cool and help pull people in later life, just as it did with WowOoo.

The best way to learn for very young kids starting off is 5 minutes one or twice a day, every day, so they develop an addictive practice habit over time. Most of them will get to love it in the end if there is gentle and enthusiastic encouragement.

Those thar middle class mummies get a lot right, you know.