Best first musical instrument?

[hex]

DD1 is 6 and her school has offered musical tuition in the following:
cello
guitar
keyboard
violin
recorder
drums

I was wondering which of the above would be the best instrument for her to learn...she hasn't particularly showed any musical talent yet..ar some easier than others?

I think the keyboard would give a good grounding. It would let her learn treble and bass clef notes which could then allow her to move on to something else quite easily.

Is keyboard different to the piano though?

I started the violin at about 8. IMO - unless there's a good school band/orchestra or she's really really keen - avoid the violin - it's not very satisfying for a long long time.

Recorder is easy.

AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Recorder is NOT easy - it's actually (along with the Oboe) one of the hardest woodwind instruments to learn to play properly - and usually the one instrument that is tuaght badly in schools.......

I personally would go with the keyboard (that's what I started on - then moved onto organ and piano later).

Drums

the keyboard is good (btw) as she'll learn to read both clefs and if she ever wants to do her music 'seriously' when she's older a grounding on the piano is always a big advtange.

Oh the memories of 'london's burning' on the recorder. Dcs school taught them to play the recorder as part of their music lessons, but any other instruments were taught separately and were paid for.

I thought the recorder was easy

The only disadvtange I've found in living right next door to DS1's school is that when they're having recorder 'lessons' (enmasse) in YR2 I can often hear them and sit and cringe as they're not even tuaght the basic properly.........

bobs - it's easy to get a noise out of it - but to play it nicely, in tune, with a bit of 'musiciality' about it is pretty hard - sadly many schools fall down as they don't teach proper breathing and tonguing techniques and end up with a bunch of squeaky recorder 'players'.

we used to all play z cars on the recorder

buy choosing the right isntrument for your child
£8 now is £300 saved on wasted flute lessons

I think the recorder is a good start mainly because it's portable. I don't play an instrument though so I have no idea if it is easy.

Definitely no squeaks in our music classes way back when - I graduated to the recorder group and reached the dizzy heights of owning an Aulos with a drawstring coduroy case. I was so smug

Ah tonguing. You can't really say that nowadays

lol Badger - a friend of mine let me borrow her copy of that book a while ago.......and when I read it I was quite glad my parents hadn't bought that one (or similar) when I wanted to play the organ..........basically it turns out it would have been totally the wrong instrument for me to learn (I've been the Organist/Director of Music at my local church since January 2003 )

Please...don't forget kettle drums

jura - Recorder was my "2nd" instrument when I was at specialist music school from the age of 12 (organ being my first - piano 3rd). I had been 'taught' the recorder at primary/middle school and despite being able to play all the 'notes' I spent most of my first year at that school relearning the basic techniques as I'd been taught so badly - and that's the problem they're NOT (in many cases - I appreciate there are probably some schools that would make me green with envy) taught to appreciate how hard to blow to get a nice sound OR how to tongue the notes..........

[cello envy resurfaces]

My first musical instrument was a recorder then Violin and flute.

I think guitar and keyboard are the hardest on the list (at least classical guitar) and I'd steer away from then unless she's set on them. Violin and cello are the ones that are more often started that young. Drums sounds like a fun option and a great way to develop a good sense of rhythm. What does she think?

Recorder is very easy to learn (though I agree with Fannieannie that it is more difficult to learn to play properly). Good for introducing reading music. In my primary school (many, many years ago!), everyone learnt recorder. However, very, very few people keep it up. It's not a popular instrument and not very challenging and. Your dd would probably outgrow it by secondary school. Its range is also very limited.

Practically speaking, drums aren't very portable and cellos are big. How big is your car - do you have room for a cello in it?

My first instrument was recorder at primary school - taught me to read music. Then tenor horn, swapped to cornet soon after. Did piano for a while but could never co ordinate bass and treble I always put it down to the fact that I'd learnt treble cleff first and just couldn't read bass as fast. Plus i have always had problem with co ordination.

Oh yes also played bassoon for a while but couldn't ge ton with that because of the bass cleff.

I would say go with what they want though otherwise you may have a battle on your hands .

youngest two are going to welsh speaking school and they have the option of learning harp - Now how on earth do you get that back and fore school and to concerts? Very big car and a strong back and bank balance me thinks. Lovely sound though.