Age for piano lessons

[KateandtheGirls]

What is the best age to start lessons?

Don't know about best age. I suspect it depends more on the character of the child and their interest in learning that particular instrument.

DS3 has piano lessons and started at the beginning of September. He is 6 1/2 years. We did start him in June/July, but the lesson was at the wrong time (5.30pm - too long after they'd got in from school and he didn't want to be dragged out again), so we stopped it quite quickly and then arranged an earlier time (3.45pm straight after school) for the September. He just took part in his first public piano concert on 21st December!

I think it also depends on the teacher - my ds had lessons from about 5 and hated it, but still loves to tinker about by himself. However I have a friend whos children go to the most inspirational teacher and have adored it from the age of about 4.
I would suggest getting a piano to let them muck about and work up an interest for themselves, and then starting lessons.

I've been going to lessons recently and they take children from 3.5 to 4 years.

They don't teach them to read music at that age - obviously really - but just try to develop their ear and get them playing a few tunes. I think they sing a lot aswell.

We have an old piano which I'm trying to get rid of and replace with one which works a bit better!!
My dd is almost 2 and loves tinkering about on it and pretending to turn pages in the books. If she keeps up like this I will try and find her a teacher when she is 4 or so.
My ds isn't very interested though and he is 4½. My dh has bad memories of lessons and doesn't want to push him into anything. I hope just having a piano around without any pressure will eventually incite some interest and we will see about lessons then. They do have a teacher at his school, I believe she teaches them from age 5.

Good point about the piano. But I don't really want to fork out for one if they have no interest IYKWIM.

My neighbours were raving about their piano teacher and says she's very nice, great with children. (Their kids are slightly older than mine though.) I mentioned it to DD1, who's 5, and she's very excited about the idea. I think I will probably get this lady's number and give her a call and see what she says.

I was also wondering about DD2, who's 2 3/4. She's probably just too young to do anything musically, isn't she? But she's so bright and picks things up so quickly. (She has progressed from writing her own name to writing "Dora". She also knows how to spell Mom and her sister's name.) If she sees her sister playing, I have no doubt that she will want to play too!

Cupcakes, I also don't want to push them at all, which is why this particular teacher sounds great, if the girls themselves have an interest. I took violin lessons for many years, and for at least the last few years I didn't like lessons and hated practising.

I started aged 8 and would like to start my oldest children (now aged 8 and 7) but can't as we have no piano. You could try them on something cheaper to see how they take to reading music. I gave my son a recorder and a teach yourself book last summer and within a couple of hours he could play some recognisable tunes.

Lonelymum, the teacher I'm interested in has lessons at her house, so I don't need to buy a piano (but I will if they enjoy it).

I'm not bothered about reading music at this stage - doesn't that come later?

If purchasing a piano is too much, have you thought about buying (or even hiring) a keyboard? Would give the girls the opportunity to try it out and you could progress to a piano if/when they decide they do want to play long-term.

Kate, you will need a piano, or a keyboard. It's all very well using the teacher's piano for lessons, but how will they practise?

But wouldn't they need a piano at home to practice on? I realised after I had posted that your children are abit younger than mine, so reading music may not be appropriate, but I was also remembering back to my lessons and I started reading music at the first lesson. What form do the lessons take?

But don't you think it makes more sense to try them with a few lessons first? A keyboard is a good idea, and I will happily buy them one if they enjoy lessons and want to practice at home.

Missed your post Lonelymum. I dont know the form of the lessons - I guess I need to talk to the teacher, and I can also ask her about whether it is necessary, or even just a good idea, to have one at home.

Would be surprised if you didn't need to have some sort of keyboard at home for them to practise on, but of course you don't want to buy one before you know if they will take to it. I only know I want a piano for me to play on anyway, and also so I can try out lessons on my kids. Honestly, if they didn't take to playing it, I wouldn't mind as that would free the piano up for me!

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DD started piano lessons aged 7 last Feb. She learned at a friend's house on their piano. After a ocuple of months, when her teacher said she was progressing extermely well, we rented a piano so she could practise at home. And she does, very regularly e.g. she will wander into the study, where the piano is, play a tune, and wander out again. She prob racks up around 15-30 mins a day in practice time.

Advice from a musician!

I wouldn't recommend any earlier than 4yrs old, although 3.5yrs may be ok if they're and 'old' 3.5 (ie they're already at nursery etc).

I doubt you'll find any decent teacher who'll accept them for lessons if you don't have ANYTHING to practice on at home - because it's all very well having 3 or 4 lessons to see how they cope - you'll see how they find lessons - but you won't be able to gauge how much they're going to enjoy it and improve if they can't practice at home.

If you 'really' can't afford a piano (no a keyboard - unless it's got the full 88 keys and is touch sensitive won't do!) even a £50 2nd hand one then perhaps you could ask at your local church (if you go to one) if you're lucky they met let you in for her to practice a couple of times a week.

For children up to about 8 or 9 yrs old 1/2hr lesson once a week is usually enough, perhaps up to 45 minutes for older ones - or if they're 'really' into it.

As for the reading music, apart from the Suzuki method, most ways of learning DO include reading music, although there are a LOT of excellent books out there which teach the 'music' reading by the way of shapes and colours (so if your child can recognise shapes and colours they'll be able to learn).

Have a good look around for a teacher - and don't just pick one because they're got lots of qualifications, you'll find lots of advance piano students (grade 6 or 7 plus) make excellent teachers, especially if your child only wants to learn for fun - ie without working towards grades.

anymore advice - just ask!

my sister learnt at 7, I was 8...tbh if you want to play I don't think it makes any difference what age you learn as long as before 10....put it this way my mum made my older sisters have lessons and they don't play now as were pushed into it....I asked for lessons, was never pushed to practise as it was something I loved doind regardless...by all means offer him lessons and encourage him but if he doesn't want to play for any reason please don't push him (my friend was pushed to practise and it put her off)...it's like anything if there a natural interest it will shine through above all other things...

Kate, my DS is doing lessons and he's 5 and a half (he's been doing them since 5).

His piano teacher said he didn't need a piano at home for a year or so, but a cheap one came up in an Oxfam shop, so I got my brother to buy it for him (handy things, brothers.)

He never practices, but I figure as and when he learns more in the lessons, he eventually will. Having lessons can't hurt him.

Thanks for the advice, especially Gwenick. I'm going to call the teacher that my friends recommended and see what she has to say. I can afford a piano - that's not the issue - it's whether I want to buy one if it turns out the kids aren't really interested. (Although maybe I would end up learning to play it...)

I learned violin through the Suzuki method. I didn't realise it could be used to teach piano too.

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