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?

That's fascinating, Anna - I've never come across anyone who didn't like any music before. Do you like dancing? Does your daughter like singing and dancing?

I would have loved piano lessons when I was young. It was sadly impossible, for financial reasons. I was one of four children and my father was a gambler we weren't sufficiently well off.

'Snever too late, MumToJayden, I have got many mums happily through Grade 5 piano in later life.

no, never too late at all. Learn an instrument now

Music is about joy, creativity and being human among many other things. That is why the Taleban banned it when they took power in Afghanistan.

morningpaper- you're no being serious are you, really? of course it's not a useless skill. it may not to be everybody's taste but how boring a world it would be without it?

YABVVU

DH and I discussing Christmas gifts last week, out of the blue he asked me to get him a violin, he wants to learn to play it, when he was 7 or 8 he asked his mum for a violin, she got him a guitar instead, had lessons etc. and he quite good at it too. But he wanted to play the violin. And now, at 33, he will. I think if your child wants to do something, let them, even if they tried it just for a while, at least they did.

YABU, My nephew plays the guitar and piona he really loves music and is taking it for A level. He is also doing music tech which he wants to do at University.

I too am gripped by Anna

I have never heard of anyone who didn't like music AT ALL.

Not even when you were a teenager? Did you not get into the charts etc? What did you think of your friends who did? What do you do at parties? Do you never dance?

And by the way, OP is BU (and she knows it, I suspect). Of course learning an instrument is not a useless skill but being forced to learn one at four because it looks good and will help further your school applications and get you into Oxbridge one day, as is the norm round my way, is BVU and I intend to resist it until my dds are a lot older and show interest in learning off their own bats.

Juju-it's ok to start an instrument at 4 if you are interested though surely-dd LOVES plonking around on a piano, and now wants to try violin. I have put it off but she is seeing other little girls with them and wants to do it-I see no problem with that.

Anna-do you not even dance around to Feeling Good? Everyone loves Nina Simone!

Isn't there reasearch that shows day dreaming, art and music use the other side of the brain and therefore encourage more creative problem solving. So it isnt' completely useless at all.

Littlefish - you are not my cousin Lynn, are you? She teaches primary school kids and has told me that being able to play the piano has always helped her to get jobs because she can play in assemblies, school plays etc.

Its a great skill for all the reasons mentioned above, but ONLY if the child is enjoying it. I was frog-marched to a piano teacher at 6 and had weekly lessons from then on until I was 16. God I hated them, and dreaded the nightly "have you done your practise?" bellowed accross the living room. Even though I developed interests in dancing and singing, for some reason piano reigned supreme in our house. Come 16 enough was enough and I finally put my foot down and persuaded mum to stop my lessons, and have barely been near a piano since (intentionally).

I think because of my disinterest my playing skills are really only so-so, despite all those years of lessons, so I think the moral here is that it's only a good thing if the child really wants to do it.

Sorry not read all posts so may be repeating others?? I can't believe someone can be so blinkered to opportunities in life to say "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?" Just get out there and enjoy, not just music anything. If you're given the chance to try something new grab it with both hands and have a go. If you don't like it don't do it again. How will you know otherwise? And why does it have to have "snare a husband" I wouldn't want to snare anybody - I'm afraid I fall into the old romantic mode of falling for someone because they make me laugh, are good in bed, and well I can't explain just love them (oops must be hormonal!).
And I don't play an instrument and can't sing in tune to I think I'm sufficiently independent to post this post!
I feel so much better now - rant over!

My boys are destined to play in a band, as my DH does. But they are still too young to learn guitar - but not too young for piano. So piano is a starting point - learning to read music, learning to enjoy making music. Then they can choose the instrument they want when they're older, and they'll be better at it, enjoy it more, and continue with it - all because of piano! That's the theory anyways....

Dcs will be learning (portable) instruments so they can support themselves busking/playing in small bars whilst bumming around Australia.

It is possible that I am projecting

(but you get what I mean - it's a handy skill, like hairdressing, or massage or something)

I think there is no sound nicer than my 8 yr old 'dueting' with his dad! Occasionally he tells daddy to "stop showing off" though!

No - it is far from being a useless skill.
My son wanted to learn music from an early age so I helped him find tutors and social classification was never a factor - just a love of music.

It was an investment of sorts as ds is now the lead singer in a band, plays various instruments and has performed in many different countries worldwide- It keeps the wolf from the door so to speak.

Ceeb, have you thought about the ukulele? It's cheap, easy, small and are a good intro to guitar theory. Loads of tab on the net, anyone can play something in a couple of hours!

I have forced all my children to learn musical instruments, because

1. It's much easier to become proficient if you start young.

1. It is a good discipline

1. It's fun (eventually)

1. It's good for the social life when a teenager!

i learned the 'cello as a child. Was FORCED to practice and hated it until I got good enough to play well. I'm very grateful for my parents' persistence. it's my career now, and I love it.

I would have loved to have learnt the piano when I was young but we just couldn't afford it (I have 8 siblings therefore not much spare cash for music lessons!) I did play the clarinet for a few years in a brass band and loved it but definitely going to make sure my kids get piano lessons. If they don't like it then they can give up after a while but I want to give them the chance.

learning the piano as a starter is a great idea because the notes are always the same when you hit them, and it means you have to learn to read multiple notes at the same time on 2 separate staves - after that, learning a different instrument is a bit easier, I think (ime)

Learning a second instrument is easier than the first as lots of the skills are transferable - but that's not a good argument to start the hardest one first though. That's like saying we'll teach youngsters algebra first so that arithmetic will seem easy when they get to it.

In the book 'the right instrument for your child' the author argues that piano is too difficult and puts lots of children who may have done well on an easier instrument off music entirely.

Like learning a foreign language, it creates additional connections within the brain which will enhance intelligence and empathy and other stuff I can't remember(!). Music and languages have a profound and extremely beneficial effect on brain development and are hugely advantageous.

Is that a good reason?