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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Damnation - the kid's wanna learn an instrument - recommendations please!

43 replies

Doodledootoo · 23/10/2007 21:24

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

NotQuiteCockney · 23/10/2007 21:36

There's a lovely book called 'The Right Instrument for your Child' or words to that effect, which provides guidance on this front.

WotzOut · 23/10/2007 21:36

Recorder is a good intro to music for nearly 5 year old cam be done in school.

dd2 also tried guitar and liked it and has some lessons and will do some more later through school in year 5 I hope.

Mine both do piano £8 for 30 mins. Started about 6yrs old. We have a piano at home.

TwigorTreat · 23/10/2007 21:37

recorder

madamez · 23/10/2007 21:38

How about bagpipes [runs away snickering]

WotzOut · 23/10/2007 21:42

very helpful madamez, you are being norty!

EllHell · 23/10/2007 21:44

There was something in the paper this week about how lots of kids are now learning the ukelele.

Will search for you!

DD1 is 7.5 and quite keen to learn the flute. Not sure if she'd manage it yet (probably needs to have longer fingers, but am willing to be corrected by a flautist), but she is ace at blowing across bottle tops !

EllHell · 23/10/2007 21:46

Ukeleles challenge recorders in schools

bunnyhunny · 23/10/2007 21:46

guitar can be tricky cos chords are hard to play with little hands.
recorder is an instrument that just doesnt seem to 'go' anywhere iyswim. sorry any recorder players out there, but i don't know anyone who has kept it up past childhood.

so violin then. It's classical, but can be modern too. Very popular for los, so lots for them to play. And you can get little tiny ones for little tiny hands.

Though, of course, I would recommend piano if you had room...

mistlethrush · 23/10/2007 21:52

Ds is 2.6 and is learning violin. Well, I actually mean he gets it out quite regularly and makes a horrid noise, although the noise is actually improving gradually. Violin is a great instrument to learn in terms of potential to play at at later stage if you keep it up - there are lots of violins in a symphony orchestra (usually about 26) - but only usually 2 of each of the wind instruments. So, you're more likely to be able to play in a big group (which is really fun) on the violin than anything else.

However, some people seem to think that it is difficult - although I found it much easier than the piano.

Good luck with what every you decide!

TheYoungVisiter · 23/10/2007 21:55

You could always take my dad's line. He is v good musician and entirely self-taught. When we badgered for music lessons he refused to get us a violin on the grounds they were too expensive and bought us a cheap guitar and a book and said "if you're truly musical you'll teach yourselves - when you've learnt to play the guitar I'll think about violin lessons".

Needless to say I cannot play a note to this day.

TwigorTreat · 23/10/2007 21:55

look recorders are about £4 each .. and any child can easily play a note and make a tune and so don't disappoint young kids

we're talking about an introduction to music here

yes there are adult recorder players but it is more likely they will move on to clarinet or saxophone or another wind instrument by the end of primary level

Original poster

Doodledootoo · 23/10/2007 22:00

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ScaryMonsterStories · 23/10/2007 22:06

I agree with Twig.

Recorder is very easy to play from a young age. DTDs have just started at 6 (15min a week at school + 10mins (supposedly) a day at home and they love it.

It is a good introduction to music, to learn what the symbols etc. mean.

Choice of violin or something else (I can't remember what) are offer her in year 3 - so they will move on from recorder. But recorder is very good for learning about the mechanics of music.

Do you have any experience of recorder playing?
DTDs have brought a book called PLaytime 2. This tells you all the notes and moves in a logical way through - such that I could easily teach them if I wanted to. I did a bit of recorder at school (didn't start until equivalent of year 6)

bunnyhunny · 23/10/2007 22:09

ok, maybe recorders DO lead onto other wind instruments! .
just can't stand them personally

MrsJohnCusack · 23/10/2007 22:11

yes recorder v.good for all the reasons twig says. and group lessons for that absolutely fine (and easy peasy - you could teach them yourself with a book). good for learning the rudiments of playing/reading music - no actual need at this stage to think it would only lead onto another wind instrument.

did I read right, a 2.6 yr old learning violin? . are you doing Suzuki?

WendyWeber · 23/10/2007 22:12

How about a glockenspiel? (Or else just a wooden xylophone)(cheaper one on ebay)

They make quite a nice noise even when played unharmoniously and a musical child should be able to work out some tunes and musical relationships; and percussion is a valid part of the orchestra! (Easy enough for little hands too)

ScaryMonsterStories · 23/10/2007 22:16

pah 2.6 learning violin.

DD3 (18m) is very proficient on this....

Original poster

Doodledootoo · 23/10/2007 22:16

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ohmum · 23/10/2007 22:20

Def go for recorder, cheap, light, easy to play and can help with other instrumenst later (ie they have learnt play read music etc)

ScaryMonsterStories · 23/10/2007 22:21

One of the teachers at our school offers recorder lessons on a Monday lunchtime to yr2, 3 & 5. Thats how I learnt too - but it is deppendant on 1 teacher giving up her lunchtime.

Each group only get 15mins but with the recorder it is the pracise which makes a difference.

Yr3s are currentlt getting (free) violin or (something else) tuition with a proper teacher once a week. Alhtough they won't gurantee that next years Yr3s (i.e.DTDs) will get it free if at all.

Ask what your school offers/

mistlethrush · 23/10/2007 22:31

Yes, but if your 2.3 yo said 'my play violin like mummy' and the smallest violin you had in the house was a 1/2 size, what would you do? (BTW, strings in the blood - my grandfather was a violinist, I play violin, viola (to teaching standard), dh's grandfather played viola, dh plays cello and db)

GarrottedbyElasticband · 23/10/2007 22:46

how about keyboard.
they look like fun?

islandofsodor · 23/10/2007 22:53

If you do go for recorder I would reccomend splashing out and going for the more expensive aulos one that is about a tenner.

I think it is better for children's confidence if they have a decent instrument as they can produce a bbetr tone more easily.

I love recorder, I played it myself and carried on through to A Level (though by that time it was my 3rd instrument taking a back seat to piano and voice.

There were plenty of 1st study recorder players at uni, alongside many second study players who had a 1st study clarinet or whatever.

Original poster

Doodledootoo · 23/10/2007 22:53

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EmsMum · 23/10/2007 23:11

EllHell - my DD started flute last year, when about 7.5 and she's small. We're lucky that lessons are available in school lunch times, the teacher had interested children for 'tryouts' on flute and clarinet to see if they could reach and make a noise... the bottle top test is a good one, I cant get a squeak out of the flute mouthpiece but DD could first time.

She can just about reach... the flute is quite heavy. For very small kids you can get u-shaped mouthpiece which shortens the arm stretch.

Flutes are a heck of a lot more expensive than recorders though!

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