April Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

Happy Easter! The sun is shining here (at the moment) so I'm hoping spring has finally arrived.

Here's a new thread for anyone who wants to talk about music lessons, exams, practice, concerts, aural, scales, theory, ensembles or anything else music related. Everyone is welcome, from beginners to advanced and also adult learners. I started these threads 6.5 years ago when I had a beginner myself. Her nickname is Goo, she is 12 and taking Grade 8 Flute next term. I think she's finally going to do her Grade 5 Piano in the autumn. When those are out of the way, she's thinking of taking up the recorder again and doing Grade 8 on that, because flute sort of took over and she never got around to it. Her sister Rara is 9, and is currently around Grade 4 on both Cello and Clarinet. She doesn't want to do any more exams for ages, so will probably do her grade 5s in a couple of years or so. Rara is a lapsed recorder player who will be performing on it next month, and she dabbles with piano, glock and accordion. Both girls do South West Music School, although I regularly go back on forth over whether this is still the best setting for Goo. We are pretty rural and hours away from any big cities.

Please can we all be extra careful to make sure that everyone is acknowledged and assisted where appropriate... I include myself in needing to make an effort, but I'm not around all day, every day. This is a lovely, calm, supportive corner of Mumsnet but I do receive a handful of messages from people who don't feel welcome because they or their children are less advanced, or they're not in a position to consider JD/ private school/ expensive instruments and feel left out, or they wonder if it's OK to post about certain instruments/ families. I did say I would try. Thank you all so much!

It is a very expensive business Ds took up piano aged 11 so that it wasn't a rush when he applied to university if he wanted to study music . I think at the music schools and junior departments they like you to study piano but you don't have to have a secondstudy - they are really interested in first study and at AYM I know they want them to focus on fewer not more instruments ( so we've kept ds's singing lessons quiet ) but for music scholarships to private schools they always want a second instrument

Hi 2nd. I had a similar situation with Noo around September time. She just couldn't get on with her bow at all, and tbh I didn't like the feel of it either so we bit the bullet and got a better one. It was a real 'Ollivanders' moment and made a huge difference to her playing. Is she far off next size violin? Might be worth paying a bit more but getting next size up bow and putting a marker (sticker or tape) beyond which she doesn't play yet. But only if she's well into the size already...

I never really gave much thought to her bow until this experience as I didn't believe she was of a level where it would make that much difference but I'm now firmly converted to the view that it is at least (if not more) important as the actual violin!

I used to feel a tiny bit sorry for DS who was so into music yet didn't get appropriate support at home as both DH and I are non-musical (in a way that we were not formally trained/no instrumentalist/zero idea of theory and all sorts). DCs who seemed to be doing very well tended to be those whose parents knew music education very well. Well, maybe that's true.

But as DS progressed we've started to know more people in the music world and it gave us a chance to meet people like us (passionate DCs with non-musical parents). Quite a few DCs do very well without parental inputs at home.

I also learnt (to make me think ) that support can come in many different forms and my role at home is to make sure DS's schedule is running healthily (good sleep, healthy diet and proper rest while ticking needed boxes), to provide necessary materials and to ferry him where he has to go. DH had to learn to be a bit more patient and resist the urge of snatching him to all sorts of physical camps to let him deal with what DS cares about rather than what DH WANTS DS to care about.

Do I still feel DS is disadvantaged due to his untrained parents? Yes I do. He is only one who plays instruments at home and surely if he had someone who could join in and enjoy with him it would be nicer or someone who could help when he is stuck. But it doesn't bother me much now. I think it's not the most important thing and I would rather like to celebrate the fact that DS is enjoying and developing nicely.

I joined this thread last year hoping to educate myself to understand DS's newly developed passion. I probably sounded like a lost sheep in my old posts! I still feel lost sometimes as there are always new things to deal with, but I've learnt so much since then thanks to all the support and exchanging information on this thread. It's great you can find many different types and levels of musicians and their families. Some work towards grade exams - nothing wrong with it to work hard, achieve and feel proud of it, some enjoys outside of formal training, some are advanced and some are a total beginner. I don't think anyone should feel unwelcomed nor feel you have to be in a certain shaped box to 'fit in'.

We got a dramatic difference by upgrading to an £80 cello bow so I am sure it would be even more worth it with a violin bow. The difficulty with a different sized bow is that it won’t fit in the case. Dd had a very slightly nicer wooden bow for about half an hour before silly boys at school broke it as she had it in a seperate (very much not protective enough) case due to getting a 3/4 to play with a 1/2 cello.

She does wreck them through playing though, the little leather bit never lasts long for example!

Nice to hear from another late starter on piano with an eye on music school trumpet.

I meant muisi at university not music school (one track mind at the moment!).

2nd if she's going to be on the 3/4 for a while then get a 3/4 bow. I'd take her to somewhere where they have a selection (not all dealers do for fractional sizes) as even with a choice of several bows which were the same make and price Noo had a definite preference. We paid £175. It was worth every penny.

Agreed on the importance of a good bow. I couldn’t get a spiccato or Sautille out of DS2’s old bow, but the new one is awesome. Much better than any bow I have ever had... it has made a huge difference.

SE - It’s not uncommon to stick with a smaller bow for a while after moving up violin size, so perhaps try out a few a see what is comfortable for her. I think DS2 is starting to outgrow his 1/2 size violin. He is about 4’4”. However, he is only just reaching the end of the bow now and will probably get another year out of it.

Sorry - I meant 2nd, not SE!

2nd - we had the same as Taggie and used our 3/4 now on the full size cello for a while. V usual. It seems so a new bow should get quite a long life?

xennialish my understanding from open day was that piano was compulsory as a second study at that school, if it wasn't your first. But I assumed therefore it didn't need to be the same standard. I guess you are in a better position than me to find out though!

Might be worth trying a carbon fibre one 2nd? How does she know she doesn't like her bow though, has she tried other ones she liked better? If so what? Just thinking, make sure it isn't need new strings, learning new difficult bowing techniques, need more (or less or different!) rosin, or bow needing rehair.

We're only on baby violins here but I'm seeing bows as a disposable item I'm afraid, rehairing is more expensive than DD's bow. (Little leather bits are cheap to replace though, they do wear out.)

On violin sizes, DD is 4'1", is that a normal sort of size to be looking at a 1/2? I don't want to push it if it'll be unwieldy but the 1/4 is looking small to my eye. Teacher says yes but no hurry so it's kind of up to us.

Thanks Waffle for the new thread. Life got a bit busy and I didn't post much last month. Congratulations on the many successes lastly month.

I have DS2 15, piano/organ/trombone. Also ex-chorister still singing as a Junior Choral Scholar and occasionally getting paid as a deputy. No exams on trombone but getting to G8 standard. Grade 8 piano in the autumn term, hopefully Grade 5 organ this coming term.

DD plays saxes but mainly doing A2 coursework at present. She and DS2 play at school and in music service concert band.

I also have DS1 who plays brass. He is at uni doing a non-musical degree but is playing lots of music.

Hi all

Thanks for the new thread. I don’t know whether I’ll end up posting as often as others as my children are so much younger. My son is 6 and is in his second year of piano. He has said a few times that he also wants to do trumpet but he may be a bit young. I’m going to get my old trumpet out my Mum’s loft and get it serviced. If he likes it, I’ll ask about lessons.

My daughter is 4 and will start Reception this September. We’re going to start her on piano lessons right away and then add violin.

I am learning to play the piano. It is going well although I’d say that I’m probably Grade 1. I haven’t practised for the last few days because it’s Easter and we have a load of houseguests.

2nd - am in a similar boat - did Grade 7 piano as a teen and am toying with taking it up again with a view to (eventually) doing Grade 8. I have ordered the scales and sight-reading books to have a look...

April already! Although it doesn't feel like where we are currently - snowing, but thankfully not sticking and no daffodils out

Gilly - loved your musical thoughts and thoroughly agree with the ones about music in school.

I have dc at both ends of the learning spectrum at the same time. DD1 (15) did Grade 7 oboe early last month (still waiting for the results!) and has Grade 6 sax - but is about to start piano after the holidays. DD2 (11) is Grade 7 on bassoon and has just taken Grade 2 on guitar. She is likely to start piano in September when she starts secondary on a music scholarship and gets tuition on two instruments. Still to have that conversation with the school. Still very much a musical journey for us!

Xennalish

I'm not sure which school you are looking at, but at dd school they have to have an accompanying instrument, usually Piano as a second instrument.
If you want a third you have to pay for the lessons separately, we do this for dd as she will change to singing as a first study as soon as they will allow it.

She hadn't played any piano when she auditioned and after 3 years has only taken grade 2, although now is on the Jazz pathway, so exams aren't necessary.
They just need to know how to work things out on a Piano, how to compose etc.
Obviously, if studying classically they may require some grades, but I've noticed with dd peers, even then it isn't pushed too much.

Oh she has half hour lesson per week and is expected to practice for about 30 mins a day, an hour in the holidays.

Obviously the first study takes up most practice time, and with singing being important to dd she does the same amount of practice as first study.
If you choose a third instrument it is usually just the same as second with half hour lesson per week.

I'm sure the schools vary a little, but please pm if you think i may be able to help before her audition.

cat - yes, that sounds about right. DS was a little taller. However, DS has been late to move up through the sizes because he has posture problems (because he is very very hyper mobile, clumsy and floppy, lots of dislocations etc). Being stretched out on a big instrument could mask his underlying issues and cause tension or injury. If you don’t have these issues the teacher will be keen to get her into a bigger violin ASAP because of the better tone.

Cru - can’t wait to hear how your dd takes to the piano! I love that your DS is drawn to the trumpet. Fantastic instrument

I started the piano at 15 and got into university OK, but at least back then they only wanted Grade 5 (and one of the universities wanted Grade 6). I'm not brilliant, but I accompany my pupils up to about Grade 6. We started Goo on piano at 10, after she'd finished with Theory for the time being. Rara plays on it every day but won't be having lessons for a long time, if ever. She's already trying to do cello, clarinet, descant and treble recorder.

I'm beginning to think that all of our children are fortunate to have music in their lives, and that we all feel lacking as parents sometimes. We aren't even on a middle income, so can't pay for more lessons, or send the girls on loads of courses, or consider private school. I wonder daily if I'm doing the right thing for Goo.

waffle you say you can’t consider private education but have you looked into scholarships and bursaries. Some children I know are on 100% places due to a scholarship and a top up bursary. I think they have to have the scholarship first and therefore have something a school ‘wants’. Just a suggestion for anyone who thinks private school is beyond them.

Waffle I think you’re doing the best thing for Goo because she has a chance to try a very broad curriculum. I think your dilemma is having a child who is really good at a lot of things and it’s difficult for her to choose!
You’re all a lot more with it than I am when it comes to supporting dcs. I only just realised DS2 got 2 new grade 6 pieces in his last cello lesson of the term and is already getting to grips with them. I think I am some help with piano - he might disagree!
I did have a breakthrough with my aural sight singing though - I can now do sight singing thanks to sort of pointing my finger when doing it, for some bizarre reason it enables me to visualise the note and sing it, if that makes sense! I just did it suddenly in a lesson and it worked.😀