Spring /Summer 25 - Music thread

[northerngoldilocks]

Time for a new thread for spring!

Come and talk about music lessons, choosing instruments, exams, auditions, specialist schools, orchestras or whatever other music activities are going on. Everyone is welcome, from those with total beginners to those whose children are studying music at advanced levels. Ask for advice or share successes or struggles.

I think she would love that dress! Very sophisticated but still right for a teenager.

That's brilliant. She has a similar one for ballet. I was almost going to suggest it to her in case we couldn't find anything with sleeves.

I should imagine it's also very comfy @ilovesushi - otherwise there is no way DD would wear it!

Hi everyone! I'm new here and enjoyed reading about all your children and their musical experiences. I'm right at the beginning of the journey with a DD who's just about to turn 5. We'd like to start her on an instrument at the beginning of the next school year. Currently she says she wants to learn guitar. Does anyone have experience of guitar for little ones? Is it a good grounding for music in general?

Full disclosure, my DH is a pianist and I always presumed she would learn the piano which I was happy with because it seemed like an excellent base even if she decided to switch instruments later (and we have a piano in the house!). He says that she's not interested enough in the piano and he doesn't see the point, which I think is a bit unfair (she's 4! Although it's true that she's constantly singing and dancing but she doesn't go much to our piano). He was a bit sad when she said she wanted guitar because it's not an orchestra instrument and he seems to think that once you've picked an instrument, that's what you should stick with. He's the professional so I should trust him but I wanted to get other opinions. How important is instrument choice at 5 years old? She's already got a decent grounding in pitch and rhythm from a Saturday music class we've been going to since she was a baby.

Thanks for the advice.

@NeedSomeComfy You'll get more expert advice soon, but just an anecdote. My DS is musical, but it's not his big thing (unlike many on this thread). He stated on Classical Guitar in Year 3, and found that he loved it. A year later, at his own insistence, he picked up piano too. He also sings (as a chorister for years) which started even later. So he found his path.

Now (Y13) he doesn't play in orchestras, but has a very solid reputation as being able and willing to play keyboards or (electric) guitar, or add vocals, at the drop of a hat in any of the many one-gig bands that form then break-up with his peergroup. It's made him very happy and found him some excellent friends.

@NeedSomeComfy DS started piano aged 5 and the flute age 7. He only started flute to have an orchestral instrument. Fast forward to year 13 and he barely touches the piano, but will be studying flute at a Conservatoire from September. Also, I remember a percussionist on BBCYM, maybe 2016, that won the Category final saying that he had tried many instruments over the years until he found 'his' instrument. I guess it depends if you pick the 'right' instrument first off!

We've ordered it and some shoes from the same website! Her only worry is that she will look like she's dressed as her clarinet.😂

Brilliant! Hope she likes it and it arrives in time. Good luck for the competition.

@NeedSomeComfy DD2 picks up ALL the instruments (sorry I am a regular on here but namechanged for something else and forgot and now can't change it back!) and definitely hasn't stuck with her first one.

We tried her on piano at 4. It was a disaster. We assumed she was therefore very unmusical and left it

She picked up a flute at 7 for school group lessons which everyone had, then decided she wanted cello lessons at 8 - because she was obsessed with being able to play the harry potter theme on one. At 10 she asked for bassoon lessons because she'd seen one at her saturday music centre and we let her because they were half price.

Long story short - turns out she's a bassoonist who sings and does some flute on the side. Cello is long gone, though she uses the same music for the bassoon. It turns out I do get to hear those Bach cello suites after all.

She's now a bit sad about the lack of piano though so is teaching herself with some help from friends at specialist music school. Reckon she'll record her grade 5 in the summer.

And on Sunday, she's going to the school saxophone day to play her new (borrowed) toy which she's spent barely two hours on so far. Suspect it might be quite a steep learning curve but the woodwind head seems sanguine.

I think what I'm saying is that they don't have to 'stick' with anything - and they'll find their thing and none of the other musical learning is wasted. If you are particularly unlucky, they find many expensive things.

But do keep trying with the piano at other points - she might change her mind. At least it's always there and your DH can help when she's ready. I wish we'd suggested it again to DD at 10 or something but she's a very resistant person if she doesn't want to do something so perhaps it was best we left her to her own decision.

Good luck!

Mine started on recorder in year 1 at school. He then took up French horn at the start of year 3 and never touched a recorder again. He did piano from age 9ish up until almost grade 5. He is now 3rd conservatoire on horn. He owns a trumpet too. But he definitely found his instrument early on.

Definitely echo other points about no learning is wasted. Mine have tried all sizes of recorder, ukulele, piano, guitar, bass guitar, oboe, bassoon and dabbled with flute.
I would say guitar can be quite tricky for little fingers. Obviously you can get smaller ones but classical is quite complicated and chords for singing can be hard work. What about recorder to start learning to read music? Although if it's really guitar she wants maybe just go for it. Piano can be quite a slow start although it massively helps other instruments too. Have fun, try a few things, she may end end on french horn or something else!

The pianist husband does seem to have something of a fixed mindset! Lots of people play multiple instruments, including such rock gods as Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift. I think learning a 'chord' based instrument as well as a more linear one like piano would make for an amazing musical brain.

My DS dabbled with guitar and ukulele at about age 7 and steadfastly refused to touch the piano in the room. I bought him a book anyway. Then one day aged 8 decided he was going to teach himself, which he duly did. A year later he started lessons and was grade 8 by 13. He too was a chorister, and still sings. And plays French Horn. So, the path to musical fulfillment is a winding one!

In other news, his piano teacher has put him forward to be part of a choir recording a new piece. He'll get a massive fee! What larks...

@NeedSomeComfy I’m not much further down the track than you as DC1 is 6 but I also have a (professional) pianist husband.

DC1 had no interest whatsoever in piano - I think he saw it as his dad’s thing and he wanted something of his own, which I totally get. He has been obsessed with violin since he was tiny but I actually deliberately held off getting him lessons because I knew he would be frustrated unless he could progress quickly. He started lessons on his 6th birthday and 10 months later is apparently at grade 2-3 standard so I think was the right approach. He is also learning recorder and by contrast really not that into it and progress has been completely average. I will still encourage him to learn piano but not for another year or two.

Despite loving it, it is still a big effort getting DS to practice so I can’t imagine how hard it would be with something he didn’t like/hadn’t chosen. So basically I’d go with guitar (or ukulele at first for small hands?), if it’s what your DD wants, keep doing loads of singing and general musicianship and see how it all pans out.

I play brass and orchestral playing was the greatest joy of my life, but pianist DH also an excellent percussionist and he found orchestras boring compared to piano. Loads of amazing guitar repertoire and it’s such a versatile instrument. Also never sounds bad even for beginners so a lot to recommend it!

@NeedSomeComfy DD has friends who have been studying guitar at Guildhall on String Training Programme, IIRC they started the instrument at 6 so it's definitely possible. They have guitar ensembles there so it's not necessarily just solo studies.
Preferences and circumstances do change - DD started piano as third instrument when she was 6, never had enough time for practice so it was lagging behind everything else. We kept going as piano is such a useful instrument but it was a struggle. Now DD has a bit more time and is actually enjoying piano, it helps her with composing and MT songs, and the instrument at intermediate level seems so easy compared to violin 😂

Thanks everyone for all the replies! They are all along the lines of what I’ve been thinking too - that the most important thing is following her interest and letting her change/add new things if and when she wants to.
The music school system in this country (mainland europe) is more intense that most I see in the UK - she would have an instrument lesson, choir and a theory/musical appreciation class every week, which added to her already pretty full schedule of extra curriculars means that I’m a bit wary of the thought of her taking up multiple instruments - but that will all depend on her interests of course.
Re my husband, I think he just found his instrument straight away and finds it completely fulfilling just having that one, doesn’t at all feel the need for other instruments, so that explains some of his mindset. He also places great importance of doing something properly, which means having real dedicated practice time and also sticking at it for a while rather than dropping things at the drop of a hat (he teaches and gets frustrated with the students who don’t practice or switch in and out on a whim), so for him he’d like to think she’s choosing 'well' early on.

Oh you are in Europe! It's totally different then, they do take music studies much more seriously there. My niece lives in Europe and her music timetable is intense indeed and she can only do the piano as the teacher demands full commitment and lots of practice and expects fast progress. Our European teachers say exactly the same about their own studies back in home countries. There you have to focus on one instrument to excel and max have a piano as an add-on.

She would have an instrument lesson, choir and a theory/musical appreciation class every week.

That's pretty much what they do at Junior Departments on Saturdays here, plus ensembles and in some cases Dalcroze, Alexander Technique, Kodaly lessons. But the general attitude was in our experience very different to European music studies.

@Ubertomusic oh dear, that actually worries me! Of course if music becomes her thing I'm happy for it to take up a lot of her time, but I would like the option for it just to be a fun and casual hobby too. What you say makes a lot of sense with my husband's attitude and from what I've seen in other kids around though. (I'm from the UK so I don't know the system here very well yet).

Sorry I didn't mean to make you worry! 😁🤦‍♀️

Please feel free to ignore my opinion, it's probably skewed somehow as my DD, though entirely British educated, mostly studied music with Hungarian, Japanese, Gypsy, Jewish and Russian teachers so my opinions are not very representative on this thread.

Yes, you're right, if music is too intense right from the start, it kills the joy of it for the child. My niece has an incomparably better technique than DD but sadly wants to drop the instrument as soon as she can, even though she's musical and loves folk and choral singing.

European countries differ though, some still have lots of local music schools that are less intense.

Hello, hope it’s ok for me to join, not for a child but for me!

I am an adult cornet player. I played piano and clarinet as a child/teen but have always loved brass and took up the cornet about 3 years ago. I did grades 1, 2 and 3 in one year, all with merit. Skipped grade 4 as I didn’t like the pieces and am now doing Grade 5 in 3 weeks time! However the jump is huge and I am struggling with high notes and stamina. I’ll be lucky to get a pass but I just want to get it over and done with now.

Any other brass players on here?

@bendmeoverbackwards me! I'm a cornet player since childhood and still going despite various breaks of up to a year. I've never been strong at the top range (A upwards) but managed a grade 7 as a late teen. I'm currently trying to rebuild after adult braces (turns out moving all of your teeth destroys your embouchure...) so I empathise completely. Hints and tips: 1. practice at least half an hour every day if not more, I'm trying Gordon's systematic approach for trumpet for structure at the moment. 2. Join a musical group, my stamina is always better on at least 2 brass band rehearsals a week but if you are playing 3rd cornet it won't necessarily fix your range. 3. Think about your mouthpiece, shallower will help you hit higher notes but possibly to the detriment of tone. I've got different mouthpieces depending on what seats I'm playing in band. 4. It all comes from the air so take massive breaths and relax. All of these are long term strategies so they're not going to make you magically hit the high notes for your exam, but missing a few high notes in your pieces is okay if the rest is there and musical so I'm sure you'll do great. If you're really stressed about it (as it's not an insignificant amount of money particularly once you've got accompanists involved) ABRSM still do full refunds for exams up until August if it's a face to face exam.

Thank you @NimbleFox great advice. I’m currently taking a break from a practice session, I’m using a practice mute for the benefit of my family (!) but it’s such hard work!

I’ve just joined my local brass band which I love after playing in their training band for a year or two.

Still can’t get a top A with 3 weeks go to! I’m doing Prince of Denmark march which is high. But I’ve got the trills sounding nice so will hopefully pick up some marks there. Other accompanied piece is Raiders of the lost ark theme.

@bendmeoverbackwards Nice piece choices! I did Prince of Denmarks march back in the day (and would have probably fluffed the A, I've only ever been 50/50 on them). Looking at the lists I also did Tequila Sunrise and Prairie song for a grade 5 but the rules were different back then as list C was always a study.

Good luck with the banding! If you're not already playing on the front row, that will do wonders for your range if you want to continue with exams. As I'm lazy my sweet spot is a 1st/2nd section band on back row which means I get to play interesting and challenging parts without having to have a high range.

A music organisation near where l live has open days where children in years 2 to 5 can go to try out lots of instruments and see which they fancy. The instrument can then be hired for a year. (There are then groups to learn and play with up to age 18)
This seems such a good idea and l wonder why it does not seem to be more popular round the country