What did YOU get out of learning a musical instrument at school?

[erebus]

Curious about how you feel about it now.

This isn't 'Why are you 'encouraging' your DC to learn an instrument?'- that's a different question.

I am just wondering how many of us feel the experience was worth the possible blood, sweat and tears that may have been caused by it in our own childhoods?

Fwiw, I learned recorder in primary; violin in Y7-8, classical guitar Y8-10. I can now play the recorder well as DS2 plays and I have had to help him; I couldn't make a sound out of the violin (possibly not a bad thing ) and I can't read the classical guitar music at all any more despite once being able to play to Grade 4! Bear in mind I had to beg my parents to be allowed to learn these instruments whereas DS1 was coerced into piano (and quit after getting a Distinction in Grade 1) and DS2's recorder- well, I just re-enrol him every year, but he has 'outgrown' it in that he is the only Y5 boy left in the group!

However, for myself, I'm glad I got the 'feel' for how music works, which is partly why I got the DSs to learn something at least.

How many of us have kept playing a musical instrument up since childhood?

When DS1 wanted to be allowed to quit piano (he was 11), I sat him down and made him VOW to never, ever blame us for not 'encouraging' him more! Of course he will, but I am taking the precaution of occasionally reminding him of this fact!

TBH, I eventually stopped the lessons as I was finding it was causing undue stress in the house getting DS to practice. DH is grade 8 in piano but lacks patience (and, again, hasn't touched a piano since he 14!)

I learnt flute to Grade 8, piano to Grade 4 and did lots of singing both in and out of school choirs. I met my husband through school wind band (he's a trumpet player), my sister (clarinet and saxophone but different school) met my husbands brother (tuba) through us and married him. We have 3 children between us (incl. 2 cathedral choristers). Our lives are still heavily involved in music though our jobs aren't and I can't imagine a life without the joy of music in all it's forms. I never enjoyed practising but thank God (and my parents!) every day for the opportunities music has given me.

enjoyed playing in school wind band and orchestra, and mixing with children in other year groups/classes to me. Was real cameraderie, even though I was a crap clarinettist!

gave me something to do at lunchtimes - also went to choir and recorder groups so no hanging about outside in the cold! weren't supposed gto saty in the building at lunchtimes but freeze on the field!

I got to travel to Germany and Barcelona with the county wind band and a saturday morning orchestra. And trust me, if you listen to the tape of the German trip, you don't have to be any good to be able to travel!! (We had a mixture of beginners to grade 8 in a mix of orchestra groups).

When I worked in Belgium for a few months, the nuns I stayed with (whole other story!) were told I played the clarinet and arranged for me to play with a local windband. With them I got to play at a museum opening and record a CD. The CD could still be bought there (in the museum gift shop anyway) and so I have an answer to the crappy management course question "tell me one unusual thing about yourself"

I also got out of sports days to do music exams!

Singing in the church choir got me into a faith secondary school, and I enjoyed singing in the school choirs.

I don't play my clarinet (grade 8) that often, play the piano (7) when I go to my dad's (and put it on Christmas/ birthday lusts each year...), gave up the recorder after my brother threw it at me and broke it (why did I get into trouble for ducking?) and stopped the cello because all that and scouts and brownies and a Saturday was too much with A levels.

I can still play "London's Burning" on the recorder Why don't primary school children learn to play the recorder any more??

I played piano for about 4/5 years, I think, overlapped with starting flute, which I learnt for again, 5/6 years. I remember the piano lessons as pretty much hellish - I hated practicing, the music was pretty dull, and part of the reason I took up the flute was so as to stop piano. Lessons learnt: how to read music, that's probably it.
Flute was, meh, ok. I played a bit in the school orchestra, but that was it, never did anything exciting with it (don't remember them ever going away, don't think I missed out) - can vaguely recall a single concert....
Lessons learnt: ummm, none really.

I notice that those amongst my mates who've kept up their music are often
a) usually musical - the 'nroaml' kids just quietly hide their oboes...
b) often partly/largely self taught (ie highly motivated)
c) had an instrument/group that was cool in teen years (guitar, jazz flute...)

Oh, I sang in the church choir too, and actually I got a lot out of that:

an understanding of christianity & a high level of confidence within churches - a huge support in my teen years, in my twenties, something to rebel against
an enjoyment of joint music making
a sense of responsibility and community
extra chocolate eggs at Easter

I played the Violin, Piano, and recorder at school, then joined a musical theatre group at 13 and fell into singing.

It all fell by the wayside at uni but i'm glad i did it as i can now help DD1 with practice. She is 7 and plays the violin and recorder. I was so chuffed when she brought home the violin before christmas, aparrantly all year 2's are encouraged to take up an instrument in their school.

DD2 (5) can't wait till september when she'll get to choose something! :o

I learned that I was definitely not musical. Quite useful to know, I suppose, but you don't need years of lessons to find that out. I also learned to read music but have long forgotten that, it's not a skill you need if you can't sing anyway.

I learned piano from 4-11 and recorder from 7-11.

I played clarinet from Y4-Y6, so from the ages of about 8 to 11. I never attempted Grade 1 (although I think I would have been able to do it).

At the age of 21, I can still read music (obviously not highly complex pieces), and having learnt basic fingering for the piano, I can play some simplish tunes, such as You are my Sunshine and My Grandfather's Clock.

I had flute and piano lessons from quite young, and also play saxophone although never had a lesson.

My flute lessons were at school and god knows why I kept them up as my teacher regularly made me cry. She was a complete bitch. Her reaction to me winning the local music festival was to say that she would never have thought I would win!!

Despite all that I had a fantastic time at orchestra, Wind band and jazz band, made lots of friends and went on loads of trips abroad.

I really wish I has kept it up more.

Nothing.

My parents totally wasted their money.

But if I hadn't had the opportunity, I might be sitting her now thinking I might have been quite good, had I only been given the opportunity.

All of my DC well be having music lessons because it makes me feel like a good mum.

Played the piano my entire school career. Also recorder in primary, plus a group. Then clarinet in secondary and guitar for second half of secondary. Used to play in the school orchestra.
Was wondering the other day if I could still read music as it has been so long since touched an instrument though (20 years). Think could probably still play piano with some reminding on how to read music, but would have to remind self of how to form notes on clarinet and recorder. Guitar is probably a write-off. (Despite doing them all to grade 8.)
At the time the best thing about playing an instrument was skiving of all PE lessons (for lessons). Was terrible at all sport. Actually regret that missed out on so much sport at school now though. Discovered gym / aerobics etc at uni. But I did hate the piano. Was not allowed to give it up despite never practising.

Neither of my parents were particularly musical or played instruments, but somehow it became a HUGE part of my life all through school.

I played the recorder from about age 7-12, progressing right through to a fairly good ensemble level where I played bass, and I began to really appreciate the joy of playing music together.

I learnt the violin and hated it, and stopped by Grade 3. Piano by Grade 2 (parents weren't very supportive of the noise of me practicing!) The from about 13 I took up the clarinet and went through to about Grade 6.
As others have said, it impacted everything - my friends, my social life, my after school activities. I wasn't at all sporty, so in many ways music was my alternative 'team'.

I joined every musical group going - choirs, folk groups, school musicals, orchestra, wind band, and various small, ad hoc groups. When I was older I joined a County-level schools band and we went off on tour around Europe, which was great! In summer I used to go to residential music schools.

Between the ages of about 14-18 all my boyfriends were involved with music, and there really was a big social scene based on music friendships.

When I went off to Uni it all just disappeared . The people who played in the Uni orchestras and bands were often studying music and were REALLY good - I was just a good intermediate really, and I couldn't find a niche.

So for 20 years I hardly did anything, and then my kids came along, and my eldest is pretty musical, so I took it all up again to play with him. He is doing well, and just missed a music scholarship last year (I realised afterwards that I probably pushed him into applying - a bit of me living vicariously I suspect ) Hopefully he will find a similar passion and social scene when he changes schools next year...

Meanwhile I have joined a local choir, and a small music ensemble, both of which I love. I'd love to play in a bigger band/ orchestra, but haven't yet found one.

I answer to the OP, music was a major part of my early life, and I can't believe I effectively dropped it for 20 years of my life. Moreover, I married a man who doesn't play anything and can't sing! Eek!

I think some of you could start up mums' bands/orchestras

One mum at dd's orchestra asked me if I played anything, they are setting up some sort of group - just for fun she said. I had to pass, had a brief spit-infested battle with a flute at university and the flute won. It is sitting on a chest of drawers in the hall at the moment. Dd dug it out of the attic. Hate that thing, I couldn't do it at all. My teacher was lovely though, we'd have great natters, so I could put him off doing any work but in the end I saw sense and quit it. As a dc I asked for music lessons but my parents decided there was no point since we were moving around a lot and living in out of the way places where often good teachers were simply not available. To my shame I hold this against them. Tbh I think I would have been crap anyway

mousymouse - I cannot imagine you with a trumpet.

ZZZ - that's a really good idea - I bet loads of people would be interested in a 'get back into it orchestra of band' - no pressure, just good fun and a chance to play again....

Im with that, too.
the bands often come with a big commitment and jam sessions are for more advances players and at stupid oclock...

I learnt recorder in junior school, had a few piano lessons aged about 10 and a years worth of flute lessons when I started senior school. I think I could play recorder OK, but never got anywhere with the other two (not practising would have been a big contributing factor). What I got out of it longer term was the ability to read (or at least be able to follow) music and the knowledge that making music really wasn't my thing - I think I would probably have regretted never learning if I hadn't had the chance and fondly imagined I could have been a concert pianist or whatever if I had had the opportunity.

I played the piano from age 5 to 14ish and the cello from age 8-18 and 25-now. I gave up the piano after getting Grade 5, because I didn't like it much and wanted to concentrate on my cello. I was put in for Grade 8 on that but it ended up clashing with my A-Level exams and so I didn't take it, despite having done all the work. I was in the citywide schools orchestras for most of secondary school.

I went off to uni with my cello and found like Cornflakemum that there was no niche for me. I wasn't ever going to be a pro, although I'd been asked by my cello teacher if I wanted to go to music college, but the scratch orchestras were way below the standard I was used to. I dropped it for 7 years until I found a very good adult amateur orchestra to play in. I was so rusty when I picked it up again but I'm better than I ever was now because playing in an orchestra gives you such an understanding of music which I just didn't appreciate in my teens.

I didn't give music up whilst my cello was put to one side though. I'd been in choirs and the odd musical theatre thing while at school so I dabbled in a uni choir (same problem, they were crap) and ended up joining a Gilbert and Sullivan society, where I was crap, because although I'm musical and can sing, I can't dance at all, or act much. So I was perfect for the chorus. I also did bits of musical 'consultancy' on the side for the G&S society, interviewing conductors, managing the orchestra, etc. I also met my fairly musical but also can't dance or act DH there.

I didn't enjoy practising. I still don't when I'm on my own. I'm so glad that my parents (well, my mum really) made me do it though as playing in an orchestra is just so fabulous. My orchestra wouldn't have me if I hadn't done all that practice as a child.

My DH was never given the opportunity to play an orchestral instrument. He wanted to play the piano but wasn't allowed until his brother also asked to do it. So he only started when he was 16. He's still much, much better than me though. He wishes his parents had allowed him to start much earlier and that he had also played a second orchestral instrument. He's determined that our DS starts the piano at 4 (if he wants to, of course, although he currently enjoys 'playing' it, at 17mo) and plays a string instrument.

I may wind somebody up here, but I really don't class playing piano only as learning an instrument! Learning an instrument involves lots of teamwork and listening skills which just don't feature when learning the piano alone.

I have made a career out of my instrument along with many friends. I'm not that good, there were many in youth orchestra with me that were better and no longer play. But whether people continue to play after age 18 is irrelivant to the skills you learn along the way. The dedication, problem solving skills and intelligence required just to reach Grade 4 changes the way a person deals with life completely! Those that learnt an instrument as a child, are generally more responsible and more reliable adults which large companies are very keen to employ.

Personally music's influence on my life has been huge. Without it I would never have met my husband and would never have been socially mobile. I can now afford things that I would never have dreamed of as a child in a working class family. Free music tuition at primary school changed my life!

don't know what you mean about playing piano =/= equivalent of learning an instrument. They also play duets with other instruments and accompany singers etc.

Certainly not in the first few years, that only comes later. No offence intended, just an observation.

didn't ofend me at all, just don't really see what you mean tbh but ok

I studied at music college and it was like having a RAM upgrade fitted to my brain - my IQ seemed to go into supercharge mode and has stayed like that. Very interesting.