can someone musical tell me what to think about with regard to selecting instrument for dds

[hatwoman]

we have a piano and I have always thought of it as the instrument to play. It's always seemed to me to be the one that underlies all music. don;t ask me to justify that - I'm not musical enough. dd has started a few lessons and is doing well butit has occured to me that if she is a bit musical she might get more enjoyment from a smaller instrument - something she's more likely to be able to play in an orchestra. could she take that up at a later stage? but on the other hand pianos are so beautiful and you can make amazing solo music - even if only for your own enjoyment.

Let her play something small so that it is easy to carry to school, etc. Don't choose the bassoon it is soooo heavy - like a log in a box. Saxophone, also terribly heavy (my dd1 plays it and it nearly cripples her). Brass instruments - very loud, but the trumpet is good as it isn't too heavy if you choose your case wisely and you don't need to buy reeds. Clarinets and flutes - too common! If you want to get into an orchestra - oboe, viola and bassoon (but very heavy). Oboes are difficult (it is not the fingering, but the blowing which is hard - develops excellent stomach muscles - I really should take it up).

The piano is a great foundation particularly if you are going to do exams/theory, but it isn't the best instrument for bands, etc. Remember that some instruments mean you can only go in a windband, whilst others are orchestral (strings, etc.).

I also recommend the book - there is a website I believe that goes through the different instruments too.

I can kind of see your pov on that cf - I agree you can't reduce music to maths (which is not what I meant by it helping dd - I was just literally talking about the very basics of using lines and spaces and different kinds of notes etc) but - in defence of maths and physics they're not always themselves soulless - like anything they can be - but there's a lot of beauty in them too - from my limited knowlege (gleaned by a kind of osmosis from dh) great leaps in maths and physics are made by creativity of thought. (which is totally off the point of this thread...)

IMO the piano is a very good foundation for learning music. It really helps with an understanding of harmony, for example, and it's easy to experiment with sounds. Also the repertoire is second to none.
I started on the piano aged 5 and the violin aged 8 (also because it was the only other instrument taught at my school). The violin (and other orchestral instruments) can be frustrating as it rarely sounds good when you're just playing on your own, without accompaniment. The violin is also quite hard for a youngster with the tuning, etc., not to mention the expense of buying the different sizes as your LO grows. But I would agree that learning an orchestral instrument is a real plus from a social point of view.
So basically I would agree with other posts that she should continue with the piano and introduce a second instrument at a later date if that's what she wants.

My son totally suprised me by asking to learn to play the cello. We had never discussed this instrument - we are not a 'musical family' having struggled even with recorder!, and he said that he heard one being played at school and it made him want to burst (his words).

He started lessons in September with a half size cello and LOVES it. He practises every day and reminds ME about it. He is nearly eight.

What i mean is, perhaps your daughter would like to choose? Maybe take her to a concert and watch her as she listens? I think a string works practically for my son as he can SEE the control needed and adjust his movements accordingly - recorder (or wind instruments in general i think) are difficult for him as he cant SEE the air and that frustrated him to the point of not wanting to play. I learnt piano as a child and hated it, my hands did not want to do the same, but different, if you see?

My littlest son though wants to learn the mini-cello as he calls it - the one you balance under your chin. We'll see!

I do hope you and your daughter find something she is inspired by.

he he -I I have it planned out to as to what DD will play - not clarinet or flute like me, but something where it will be easy to get playing later because you'll be so in demand - horn, viola, cello, trumpet, trombone, bassoon, something like that

of course she will want to learn the flute and I'll let her and she'll be one of two trillion female flute players with nowhere to play.

that book is very good. I am a great believer in choice, I asked to play everything I learned (including piano) and now I still play them all for a living (a crap living, but a living nonetheless). PIano is v.useful and if she enjoys it let her keep going, but there's no reason she can't choose to learn something else as well. She could start on recorder - it's cheap, easy, light and portable, and leads on well to most wind instruments. But just see what she wants to do and where it leads you.

if you let her play the flute I shall report you to social services mrs JC

yes it might have been me recommending the book because I recommend it to all and sundry and I should really be on commission.
the thing is, even if you know something about music, there are lots of lots of instruments about which you know nothing about playing sorry terrible grammar but YKWIM. I learned loads from reading the book.

(she's not allowed really - I shall hide mine and Put My Foot Down)