which instrument?

[shinesparklesmile]

My daughters are grade 4/5 in Piona - they would like to learn another instrument. Which one do you recommend? - Violin, Guitar or Flute? Which one is easier to learn?

Thank you.

If they want violin go for it - but viola is also a good shout. Definitely an orchestral instrument as piano is often played alone and you can progress fast on strings if you really want to play them - a good friend of mine (admittedly she was already grade 8 piano) started the violin at fifteen and got to grade 6 by eighteen!

I'd go for sonethimg that fits lots of music styles - so violin is great for classical (or folk), but not so much for jazz etc. Something like trumpet can be played in a huge range of genres and ensembes, from classical to brass band to jazz to pop/rock. Check what ensembles your school has and see what she'd like to play in.

so violin is great for classical (or folk), but not so much for jazz etc.

Better not tell Stephane Grapelli that!!

Clarinet and then can also do saxophone. It is an orchestral instrument but can also be used for areas of interest including jazz to develop a 'feeling' for the instrument.

Or go crazy and try Tuba! Very in demand!

Well sure, you can play the violin in more genres, but realistically how many school Rock and jazz bands do you actually find with violins?

What does your child want to learn? Surely that's the only really relevant question since it's going to be demanding on time and requires commitment.

If your child is musical, learning violin is no drama. We never had any "awful noise" issues learning as a first instrument from age 6 (and no, I'm not deaf...). I agree with other posters, an orchestral instrument would be a good choice

The one they want to learn. It should absolutely be their choice. And "none" should also be an option.

Whatever instrument they are prepared to practise. I have a child who cycled through loads of instruments, finally hit the one they loved, practises for hours (had to be nagged before) and was grade 5 within a few months.

Guitar. Or failing that, anything else that they really fancy. They may actually pick one up again once they leave school. Extremely unlikely with a Cor Anglais or a Tuba, however 'in demand' they are.

Music's there to be enjoyed. It exists for no other reason. It's not an extra GCSE.

How come? My son still plays Tuba in several bands. They are very in demand, not just at school. You don't know what you are talking about.

Can they go to a try out day at a local
music service or at school? Both my DC picked unusual (and it turns out, in demand) instruments from having a chance to try quite a few and see what they liked the sound and feel of.

I also agree with a PP, a decent pianist will pick up another instrument fast with consistent but not massive amounts of practice. One of mine did beginner to G6 in about 18 months, as she already had reading music and the theory stuff sorted.

I play a few instruments and most of my friends learnt at least one instrument when they were young. The only ones that still get played are, by and large, guitars and pianos.

Obviously there are exceptions. I wouldn't suggest that there are no adult tuba players - that would be ridiculous - but the overwhelming pattern is that the tuba gets learnt up to 16 or 18, and then follows its owner round through various house moves, never leaving its case. I'm glad your son is still enjoying his though.

I'd do the flute - or see if you can hire one for a bit to make sure they are able to get a sound out of it as not everyone is suited to the wind instruments. They are small so easy to transport if they end up going to music centre/orchestras etc. Otherwise violin as easy to get a sound out of straight away, but difficult to master.

Drums! It's the most fun and my daughter got really good very quickly

@thedancingbear whaaat! I know of lots of adult tuba players in both wind orchestra and brass bands. I'm a member of a Facebook group for brass bands with 14k members- there are 4 tubas in each brass band - and often the bands will loan the bigger instruments to the players as they are expensive.,Tuba players are much n demand an there's lots of opportunities to play out there if you go looking for them, both as adult and child.

Whatever they like the sound of would be the starting point. Can be hard to ' catch up ' with violin players who started at 5, although learning later often does mean quicker progress. Whilst there are always loads of flutes, there are usually plenty of spaces in wind bands etc, not just always orchestras. I would second going for something more unusual -oboe, french horn, double bass, trombone, bassoon, tuba. Some of these are more expensive than others so it depends if the school lends instruments. With double bass, sometimes there will be one at school for lessons and you have one at home ( they are actually not hugely expensive for a student one, often available on Facebook marketplace) Many adults continue to play in student then community/ amateur ensembles/ bands etc, it's a great way to meet a range of friends.

Fine, that's great. It's good that those skills are being used. It's just not my experience with those instruments.

I was just trying to provide the OP with my perspective, because I thought it would be useful. If yours is different, then brilliant - she has a range of views.

She should definitely play the one she loves most - but it's good to think about all the options.

I have girls who have played various things between them. DD1 started on violin and picked up viola later. This was a GOOD move. She's not a soloist and says the violas are always the nicest people in any orchestra (and she's all about the social life when playing, not about being in the limelight at all). Also she loves the way it sounds - but still uses her violin for solo work and folk music, so that's an option.

DD2 is a flautist. As others have mentioned, flute is a relatively easy and cheap start. However, if she does want to play in orchestras and wind bands it is vastly competitive, and though it was cheap, the £3000 flute that her new teacher wants for September is an eyewatering cost for a 13 year old. She is also a bassoonist. Although she picked this up much later it gives her a bazillion opportunities, and it isn't even a nightmare to transport. If I'd known what a bassoon was, and if her school had had teachers I would definitely have suggested she took that one up earlier.

In terms of opportunities, I'd say oboe (small, not massively expensive for a starter instrument, always in demand), clarinet, and then the less popular brass including tuba and trombone. And bassoon, though harder to source.

As an unscientific study I once looked briefly at what the musicians I know had got their children to learn (after all they know what is in demand)

Viola (as a first study)
trombone
oboe
double bass

And some violins...

All of them were quite anti flute as a choice, but DD2 really loves hers!

Oh, and french horn.... which is what all the children DD2 has come across from choir school seem to learn.