How old were your DCs when they started to sing in key?

[CoteDAzur]

I mean sing with the correct musical notes, not necessarily the right words.

Anyone remember?

My 2 have sung in tune from when they could sing at all - about 2yo I think. Mostly show tunes...

maidamess - I explained why I asked the OP. Just curious because DD started to sing about age 2 and my mother says I was singing in tune while only a couple of months old. I was wondering if that is even possible.

Well plenty of adults can't carry a tune in a bucket. A child who sings anywhere near in tune at toddler stage is a child who is going to be a reasonably good singer in adulthood, and probably be interested in music, but so what, exactly?
(NB my DS can sing something like in tune at age 3 and has been doing so for about a year now. He loves music and singing, it's nice that he does but that's all).

maidamess, yes all mothers should stress, if your child can't sing in tune by age 2 they will be condemmed to an education from a state school situated in a sink estate ;) [GRIN]

Having one who is useless and one is Ok I took it as a fun / interested Q ;) I managed grade 8 in music exams but cant sing. My dp can sing but can't play a note LOL

DD could before she could talk, probably at around a year? She's 4 now and will sing anything and everything (which can be a bugger if I haven't listened to lyrics properly first) She'll also make up her own songs.

DSs loved music but didn't sing until they were far older, maybe school age, and they aren't as good as DD - she performs. DS1's a fairly competent singer, but would rather have guitar lessons than be in the choir. Ditto DS2 who wants piano lessons.

CoteDAzur my youngest doesn't sing many songs but since I can remember doing notes and sections from tv ads etc pretty well. Seems to have good lungs and memory for sounds and sequence. My Dp has a good voice and both his parents are good singers. My Mum can sing but my dad is awful REALLY BAD. My eldest has my voice ..DAD..., the other seems be able to sing. Wish I could

I am not sure this should be in develop,ent. It rtather gives the impression that is ti s stage that chldren get to, like walking or feedin themselves.

IMO, FWIW, musicality and the ability to sing in tune realy depedns on how exposded to music a child is. (Plus also their natural tendency to musical talent). so it is nature AND nurture.

A baby exposed to music from a yonung age with some genetic dispostion to musicallity will no doubt siung in tune earlier than a chld wiht no musical parentage and who has never been exposed tyo music. (Which is why a lot of chilrne entering secondary school cant sing in tune - untl they are 'taught')

Long post, sorry - hope you can make head and tail of it!

ds has always sang in tune

he's only 5 so I am assuming he may be musical,his sister is very musical and has perfect pitch

dd 5 continually exposed to music, but can't sing in tune that well.

I can , ex dh def cannot.

Well it depends on how musical they are doesn't it? I can't remember a time when DD wasn't singing in tune. DS spent years croaking tbh but he sounds more or less okay now (aged 8) and is in the choir

DS is 4.4 and doesn't reliably sing in tune. DD is 2.6 and seems to be singing in tune more than DS does.

Both have been exposed to music just as much, and both DH and I are musical.

Actually, being musical and being able to sing are not the same thing (in adults or children. Plenty of people who play one or more musical instruments very well are rubbish singers. [insert your own favourite example here]

I sing well and have perfect pitch. ds1 (2.11 and loves music) doesn't really sing in tune.

ds1 could sing in tune from about 18 months or so - he could be musical if he wanted to be - he just doesn't!

ds2 is not remotely musical and has a singing voice that sounds like a rusty tin-opener

dd (5) loves 'performing' - she's constantly singing and has a special head-on-one-side expression to let you know she's performing and barely hits one note in ten - I sing well (choirs, music college) and it's excruciating to listen to

I was going to write more or less what PaperChain said. There is lots of reasearch on this.

Children need to be predisposed to being able to sing in tune and given opportunities to practice.

DS has always sung in tune

from when she could sing, so around 2. she has excellent pitch. Actually, she could sing a lot better than she could talk for ages, so she is the embodiement of Abba's 'Thank you for the Music' ('my mother said I could sing before I could talk')

however, I couldn't sing in key properly until I was about 12/13. I'm a professional musician now, and sing quite a lot as well - go figure! I know lots of professional musicians who can't sing for toffee.

So what I am getting from this thread is ... being good at playing an instrument is not the same as being good at singing in tune and is not the same as being a performer.

Paperchain, underrated - do I understand you both as saying that a child who cannot sing in tune can be taught to sing in tune with sufficient exposure and practice?

My dcs are constantly exposed to music. dd 4.6 does not carry a tune. My dh is rubbish at singing in tune. Can they both be taught to sing in tune with just pure exposure to music and being asked to sing along?

I struggle to see how this can be taught because being able to hear that something is or isn't out of tune is so innate to me. Or can you hear that something is out of tune yet not be able to tell that you are singing in tune?

I ask because I see my dh as a lost cause.

I can tune a guitar by ear, but I can't sing that well. I can hear that I'm not hitting notes, I just can't physically get them. I do wonder whether it's technique, and whether lessons would help but can't really justify it!

I've recently started giving a music class - really I use it as a medium for teaching English. But saying that, I follow an American music programme which is fabulous. They provide a cd and book for each 10 weeks and it is full of songs but then, they isolate the rhythms and tonals, too.

I have it on constantly and suddenly, my 6-year-old is singing (for the first time ever - we live abroad so have missed out on all the playgroup singing stuff) and reasonably well. My 4-year-old, who has delayed speech, also chirps in. I'm over the moon about these unexpected bonuses.

So, yes, I think exposure and opportunity to then, use the music really can make a difference.

serenity - that is very interesting. I can also tune a guitar by ear but also can sing. I didn't think it would be possible to tune a musical instrument (and hence can tell when two sounds are alike/different fairly exactly) but not be able to sing.

I have no expectations of my daughter ever being able to sing in tune - if she does, it certainly won't be down to me or my partner. I can sing a bit, but I loathe music unless it is for dancing too. My partner can't sing at all (though he listens to music in the car out of my earshot).

I put it down to being taught it at school. Not to tune guitars, but we were taught to write (scribe?) music after hearing it played (I'm sure that has some proper technical term!)

serenity - You were taught to write down the notes on a music you listen? That is amazing. I play several instruments, sing, etc but would never be able to write down the notes of a music I hear. (Don't you need perfect pitch for that?)

My mother says that I have always been able to sing in tune and used to tell her 'don't sing Mummie' - she says shes is tone 'hard of hearing' but I still feel guilty about telling her to stop! I'm still not sure about my DS1 who is only 2.4 and has only just started to sing.

However, my nephew who is now 10 has only just started to sing in tune since he took up the bassoon in September last year. It's amazing, previously he couldn't hold a tune in a bucket and even 'Happy Birthday' was excruciating; but now it's great, his voice isn't fantastic, but it's lovely to hear him sing in tune (mostly) when he concentrates!

So don't give up hope all of you with DCs who can't sing, give them an instrument and teach them to listen!

Serenity, I only had to do that at A Level when we'd been given the first note of a four part harmony piece and had to write down all the rest on three listenings!