At what age did your dc start learning a musical instrument?

[SSSandy]

and which instrument are they learning?

Also, who chose that instrument, you or did dc specifically want to learn it?

ds (just 6) has recently started piano lessons. He is quite keen at the moment as we have a (rubbish) old piano that he likes to mess about on.

I am a music teacher and will be holding out as long as possible for ds (3). We do go to a music class for preschoolers each week (run by a music therapist) and he comes to the preschool classes I teach on a Friday morning, so he's getting more than enough.

threebob why are you holding out as long as possible? What age do you have in mind for him starting music lessons?

both started the recorder at the age of 5-6 (heaven help us all!)
Dd started the cello at 7 and has just started the piano at 9. She chose the cello and bugged me about the piano for 6 months before I let her start.

She aslo has singing lessons in class (as does ds) and I have been approached about getting her voice trained, but atm she has more than enough on her plate and as a girl she can afford to wait on that one.

Dd1 started flute in Y3 -- sort of her choice, but we had a friend who was a flute teacher, so it was an obvious direction to go in.

Ds Y2 has just started learning cello properly after messing about in school classes for a year learning nothing. Now he does one-to-one with a proper teacher, loves it and is learning lots. Expensive but worth it.

Most important thing (found this out the hard way) is that you have your head around it, since learning properly requires daily practice, which for a beginner or a littlie requires you the proud mother to sit next to the child cajoling, encouraging, instructing, rewarding and occasionally bribing.

DS1 (nearly 8) has started the trumpet this term. Surprisingly (as he has never shown an ounce of musical talent, just like me) his teacher says he could be really good.

He chose trumpet after a demonstration at school. We aim for 5-10 minutes a day following the very sensible advice in the front of the 'Tune a Day' book - "make sure at least one thing is better after practice than before".

my ds (12) is just starting to learn the guitar at school, he showed no interest any earlier, but seems to want to now. but he's left handed! can he just use my guitar and turn it around or does he have to restring it (or buy another) argh.

Mine started with Saitenspiel last year. Dunno what it is in English but it's like a simplified version of this:
\link{http://cgi.ebay.de/Schoene-Zither-Harfenzither-gut-erhalten-30er-J_W0QQitemZ6638194075QQcategoryZ21591QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem\cither}It has 10 strings which are plucked with the fingers. Dd learns in a group of 5 and it's very playful still. I'm happy with it. They're getting a good ear for notes and training motorics and learning very basic notation but they're not expected to practice at home, so there's no pressure on them yet. Dd really enjoys it.

I thought she could do it for another year since the course is set up for 2 years. As a "real" first instrument though I was thinking of cello. However when I took dd to the head of the cello dept at our local music school to hear how they teach the 6 year olds, I was told she looks like a pianist; although she couldn't tell me why exactly, she said : when I look at her, I just think she's a pianist.

actually the music school also offers a course to get kids acquainted with different instruments. They get to know 6 different instruments, spending about 6 weeks on each. I think it's a good idea but I can just see dd picking percussion. So what do you say then?

DD age 6 has recently started the dreaded recorder too and loves it. She's also worked out how to bang out a tune on younger brothers ELC organ - so feel I ought to encourage her as she's showing an interest.

When I was a kid one of my two best friends was very into music - all types, listening and playing. I remember him borrowing my Dad's records and my parents divorced when I was seven, so he must have been young.

He became a well known Jass musician and often tours with Sting now. It was in his blood from day one and always was, his parents helped, but it came from him.

DD started learning the piano when she had just turned six, she stopped last year (age 8) but is hoping to start it again in September.

She started learning the flute when she turned 8.

Have just seen second part of your question!

DD wanted to learn the piano and we had one so it seemed ideal. She got a music scholarship to local independent school that required her to play an instrument in their orchestra (piano obviously not being suitable) so she chose flute (which she has also wanted to play as I play it also).

How old is she then?
I think the 6 wks with an instrument is a great idea if you/she aren't sure what to learn. But if you already have strong preferences (for or against!) it could be a bit frustrating doing the beginner's bit on lots of different instruments.

DS2 started piano 4 months ago and has made astonishing progress. (He was nearly 7.) It was just the right point for him, and he's been motivated and enthusiastic and practices twice a day every day.

roisin, dd is 5, she'll be 6 in 3 months time.

That's a good point about it being frustrating. I know she quite fancies the double bass because there's an Estonian group that play at our Saturday market and she always goes and has a chat with the bass player. I think she likes it because it's so BIG TBH though.

I'm trying to avoid the piano for stupid reasons. Since in dh's family everyone studied piano and is either a trained piano teacher or concert pianist, so I'm the odd one out there - and I think it's partly bloody-mindedness to look for something else.

I also learnt the flute and got nowhere with it. I think it was just the wrong instrument.

Interesting reading! Thanks

recently had a long chat with a music teacher i know who says that percussion is a really really good thing for young children to play as they learn about rhythm, so don't despair if she does pick it

ds began piano at 7. We have an old piano in the house and asked if he wanted to learn which he did. I guess we steered him towards it somewhat. Progress was quite slow to start as he didn't practise much. In year 4 he had to learn a stringed instrument for a year and chose cello (that was a very strong choice, I tried really hard to talk him into something smaller). Is now 12 and doing really well on both.

Dd started piano about age 7 too, she wanted to, but mostly because her brother did. She didn't practise at all and gave up after about a year. Now plays viola (again started year 4).

I'm amazed how many mumsnet kids play cello! I'd have expected more violins and less cellos.

DS1s school started offering guitar lessons last year, and he was really excited about learning (Dh has tried to teach him in the past as he's been interested off and on since he was 4 or 5) I already knew the teacher so we decided to let DS give it a go, and he's doing really well. We're not very pushy about practising though, as I see it as a hobby, something he has fun doing, rather than something serious. If DS decides it's more important to him than that, then we'll take it from there. He's in yr3.

Had a nightmare with dd1 and violin by Suzuki Method at age 5. She stopped after six months as couldn't understand rhythm or (being slightly dyslexic) couldn't remember the note sequences. Added to her lack of confidence in spades.

Might reconsisder with dd3.

We have a piano but I want a teacher that will come to the house and teach us all (me included) and at the momen we are pushed for time. Also hated practising as a child (but now wish I had, obviously especially when i hear the piano tuner play...) and don't want to turn into a nag to have to get kids to practice.

dd started the cello just over a year ago, when she was 5 and a half.
She loves it and goes twice a week for lessons and practices most days, she has an amazing teacher
nice to see other cellists around
she has chosen to take singing lessons as well at school from september
I play the piano
dh sings

SSSandy - I am holding out because I started piano at 4 because I begged and begged. All of my best students begged and begged to play a certain instrument.

So I see begging as a positive thing which usually indicates commitment and interest by the child.

Also the longer he continues in group music lessons the more he learns to use his most important instrument - his voice.

yes I begged to learn all my instruments - my parents had learned their lesson from making my brother and sister learn piano.

(it's arfy)

So what age could a child start to learn the piano? DS2 (5 in August) says he wants to, but I think he is too young. He is more obviously musical than DS1 (holds a tune well and has danced to music from 6 months - sitting at first).