Musical instrument for five year old

[Loobylou3]

Hi
What instrument would be good for a five (nearly 6) year old to start playing? Any ideas /experiences would be appreciated.

Thanks

Worried pleased don't take this personally, but I think you are being a bit of a prat. You have never met my children and have no idea whether they are musical or not. I think it's ridicolous to think about a child having a career in music at the age of five. There are musicians who started music in their teens and made a career out of music. (Ds' first guitar teacher was one of the backing guitarists for the Dr who theme tune and he started guitar at the age of 12)

The child in the video had completed suzuki book 4 by the age of 5. We have no idea what age she was when she started. Dd violin teacher tells me that it usually takes a year to complete book 1. I agree that the girl is not a child prodigy but she is doing a lot better than average. It is clear she has worked hard and her parents deserve to be proud. I posted the link to show that children of that age can learn an instrument even if they aren't a genius.

Learning an instrument is a huge commitment in time and parental money. It is not like doing football once a week as you need to practice every day. I feel it's unfair to inflict an instrument on a child who does not want it.

Tee hee at 'can they make a career out of it?'

DD is sloooowly learning piano. She's 12. Every so often I ask whether she wants to carry on, given the angst and slow progress, and she is adamant that she does.

'Why, DD?'
'So I can play along to myself when I'm singing, and I get to do music GCSE, and play Fur Elise, and Christmas carols, and just stuff like that.'

Sounds like a fair reason, really.

I wanted to learn cello or flute. The cello teacher didn't come to my school, so I learnt violin. My violin teacher, when I was ten, persuaded me to get piano lessons on the off chance I'd want to study music further. My career is now mainly teaching piano. I still prefer the fiddle; taught myself the flute at 16 (to around grade 6 in a year; I then stopped playing it for a while but can bash through grade 8 pieces unless they're fast) and have since acquired a cello which I can play to around grade 5 standard with a grand total of around 5 hours' practise ever. I compromised and play viola a lot.

Of my university classmates, only around a third are making a career in any way related to music, and I know plenty of conservatoire graduates who are doing non-musical jobs. The few who are full-time performing musicians make less money than I do - they do it because they love music.

But seriously? At five I wanted to be a nurse. Or an Egyptologist. I have a friend who, at that age, wanted to be a duck when he grew up.

The novety of practice wears off quickly. For the first couple of weeks dd was wanting to do 2 hours of violin practice a day. The suzuki CDs were a god send as they drowned out the racket of a beginner violinist. She learnt the twinkle twinkle variations really quickly. I am not sure that practicing two hours a day really helped her as I did not have time to closely supervise her. Quality practice is more effective than quantity.

Now dd has calmed down a bit and is doing about ten minutes a day practice. She is at a steady pace through the book, but her progress has slowed down considerably. I feel a child has to be at least ameanable to the idea of learning an instrument otherwise you will get nowhere.

ReallyTired not quite sure why all of a sudden we started to talk about your children? Also not quite sure why "I think it's ridiculous to think about a child having a career in music at the age of five."? Why exactly? You do not know OP's family personally, do you? There are instruments which you can start late, but there are some you have to start early, such as violin. I do not think you can become a decent violinist if you start in your teens? Who are those children who got their places at Junior Conservatories at the age of 8? Probably those who started early and turned out to be somewhat promising musicians? You never know....

Regarding the girl on the video - did I say she is average? Did I say she is not working hard? Did I say her parents has nothing to be proud about? Let me quote.... "she is certainly musically able...one of many musically able kids.... ". And yes, I think the video will look impressive for someone whose child is not into music yet, presumably OP. But once you are there... It is ok video, nice one to compare with your own child's progress especially if there are no other children to compare with :). My 7yo is only playing Suzuki book 2. Along with another 4 to 5 books. But she is not Suzuki student, only uses Suzuki books as a supplement material for building repertoire. So, she is well behind the girl on a video I suppose, something to think about :)

And again, quoting myself "can they do career out of it if child turns out to be really good".
I did not say "child should not start music lessons unless they are sure at 5yo that they want career in music", did I :))))?

This was a good conversation to illustrate my point. Pity, the girl did not start earlier...
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/extra_curricular_activities/a1433827-Music-career

My dd who is 8 was certainly still playing with toy instruments at that age, certainly better than none. She also at about the same age went to a concert where she could try lots of instruments. She picked the clarinet out that day and from that point really wanted to play it despite knowing she would have to wait til a later age than her friends who were starting on violin and piano and I didn't think it was right to push her to something she wasn't keen on so she had some group keyboard lessons as a stop gap. Six months into playing the clarinet she is doing amazingly, playing solo in a concert and preparing for her first exam. I totally think I made the right choice in letting her choose, as does her clarinet teacher!

Lancelottie - your daughter sounds like mine... (DD14)

My DDs 12 and 14 both started piano at about 6. DD12 still plays and has lessons, but does not do exams - she does not want to. She just wants to play some tunes - If I hear The Snowman theme EVER again it will be too soon...

DD14 is at Grade5 now, but is an angst ridden slogger - not a great talent, but able enough, she will go far when she chooses what she wants to do with life. She has just chosen Music as one of her GCSE options...

OP - I would say find something they love the sound of, try a little violin/ukelele//recorder/piano/keyboard - or encourage singing - the voice as an instrument and see if they want to carry on.

woolleybear I think your approach is good too, I don't like the idea that nowadays children are pushed too early too far, in spite of what I said above....

Another good read which gives an idea what instruments can be started later rather than earlier, professional musicians stories, how they developed their love for music and how they got there.
www.amazon.co.uk/Meet-Musicians-Prodigies-not-Pros-ebook/dp/B005BOYXOE/ref=la_B000APJTG6_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427725185&sr=1-2

Worried, my daughter is five and the same age as the op child. I think her experience is relevant to the op. You said that I don't know what it is like have a musical child because I was impressed with the little girl on YouTube.

I feel the benefits of music is that it trains the mind and heart. Suzuki never intended to produce an army of professional musicans, he wanted to produce better citizens. He wanted a generation who appreciated beauty, have empathy and understand the discipline of hard work.

Really, I did not :). Quotation again "However, I do agree that this video may look very impressive for someone who does not have a musical child".
And just before you posted the video you wrote "My daughter is learning violin by the suzuki method and is loving it". Why would I possibly mean you if you dd is already learning music???? Is not it clear that I meant OP???

Really.... sometimes it is worth reading carefully before calling someone prat and being so rude....

My daughter has only had a term of lessons. Her teacher is pleased with her progress. I feel its too soon to say whether dd is musical or not. She progressed through the twinkle variations very quickly, but progress through the rest of book has been slower as she is consoldiating her knowledge. (and practicing less..)

Saying that my daughter is not musical is as stupid as saying that a five year old on stage 2 ORT is not academic. Talent needs a little bit of time to develop. I feel that five years old is too young to assess whether a child has musical potential or otherwise. Sometimes children don't click with their teacher. (My daughter loves her teacher.) Children vary so much with their development and can make leaps. (look at how fluid academic groups are at school in the early years.) Sometimes children do not get on with one instrument and then really take off with another.

Worriedandlost I think that the clip I posted is impressive. The number of five year olds who can do better is a rare as hen's teeth.

ReallyTired, just type in youtube "5yo violin", there are plenty!

My gosh. I started violin at the normal age of seven (traditional not Suzuki). I took grade 4 aged nine and scored really well. I wouldn't have got there sooner if I'd been two when I started - the reason I am good but not excellent as a classical player (grade 8 at 14) is to do with the teacher ihad from 11 to 14 and nothing to do with lack of musical talent. Quoth my audition panel for RNCM. Otoh if I could be bothered and didn't live where I live I reckon I could make it as a fiddler - gonna prove it at the next London Fiddle Convention ;-)

The point is, though... If you start at two you can probably play by the time you're five, if your parents make you practise. But you get to ten with technical ability but no emotional maturity for the pieces you play.

This is true JulieMichelleRobinson. There are some child prodigies on youtube who seem to last only few years.

ReallyTired

I presume 6 yos don't count? :)

(I personally think it is fake) etc

This 5years old lasted....

OP - My DD is 6 she plays the violin and piano, I have absolutely no musical skill what so ever! She started violin on a tiny 1/10th size violin at 3.5 because she nagged so much I found a Stringbabies teacher locally. We, on the teachers advice, bought a cheap tiny violin that it didn't matter if she bashed it on the music stand or dropped it occasionally. When she started she was taught string sounds, basic positioning of notes on a piece of music as well as rhythms etc. Mostly it taught her to love her instrument, to treat it with respect and that if she wanted to get better she needed to practise. Now at 6 we have bought her a much better sounding violin and her teacher is now teaching her traditionally and her hour lesson is split 1/2 and 1/2 with piano, which she has picked up so quickly it astounded me.

We have let her go with her heart on this and she has tried ukelele, recorder and drums at school this year too, which she enjoyed but didn't love enough to stick with.

Wo, why such an argument about music for kids/

Anyway, a waste of time arguing as we all know my dd is the best .

Julie completely agree with your last comment on maturity having experienced this with dd and singing and her 2 friends who are excellent pianists. Grade 8 at 8 years old and sibling grade 6 at six, they had something to help them reach pedals and one had to wait for a full year for fingers to reach something (not octave) could already do this.

When you hear them play it is excellent technically and they can whizz up and down the keyboard, but so little expression as they don't have the tools yet.

I still think that the five year old who had completed suzuki book 4 is impressive. It really does not detract from her achievement the fact that she is not the most able five year old.

Many five year olds lack the stamina to hold the instrument yet alone play. Dd's violin droops after 10 minutes of playing. She has learnt a lot in her first term and is still reasonably keen. I think her teacher enjoys teaching her.

I feel that music should be one of life's pleasures rather than a chore. I am not looking for my child to be a professional musician.

My DDs violin teacher started at 7, never took a grade because they don't exist where she comes from and can't play the piano.

Her performance career is now so successful I think I will have to find a new teacher as she is never around to teach!

I don't think starting really young is essential. Depends on the child I think and how much time the parents have to commit to supervising practice.

ReallyTired

I agree wholeheartedly, if it isn't fun and enjoyable, pack it in.
Just at the present moment my biggest regret is allowing dd to become so involved with music, but it's only temporary.
I also regret marrying such a talented musician, temporarily.
Sometimes I feel cursed and as though nobody on the planet would relate to it. Then I get over it.

Some people presume I'm a tiger mum and pushed dd until they find out we have much older dc who are completely the opposite, showed talent but not interested in the slightest

I think musician as a career should be something you do because you have to, because you can't possibly do anything else, where there is no plan B.
Because it is such a hard thing to do, for small financial gain. Unless of course you sell your soul, then the sky is the limit.

Otherwise, play for fun to communicate with like minded people through the wonderful language. To meets friends and play socially in ensembles etc.
I think all children should be encouraged and recorder groups and percussion instruments should be compulsory

Just ignore my waffle, had a bad day.

OP, have you checked out you local authority? We are very fortunate in that our county music service offers Saturday music schools in addition to school music lessons. Both my DDs went for a few years. It was a great experience as they were able to try out different instruments at minimal cost.

DD1 ended up as an assistant helping out early years ukelele and violin classes.

The nice thing with starting with ukelele is that the children were able to achieve a tune within the first lesson.