What age is reasonable for piano, violin, guitar or brass?

[IantheDelight]

Hello,

I really hope that someone can help.

My youngest is 4, nearly 4.5, and she is very interested in music. All she wanted for Christmas was a trumpet! So I got her a children’s plastic one and she was able to play it right away from the coded tunes on the back of the box. She sings beautifully and appears to have a natural interest and possibly ability in music. I asked her whether she would like to learn the piano or violin and she seemed very enthusiastic about the violin.

My eldest is 6 and less musical but is interested because her sister is interested. I asked her the same question and she’s interested in learning the guitar.

So my questions are:

1. What is the best instrument for a child to start on? Am I right in thinking it’s piano/violin?

1. What is the best age to start?

1. What age can a child start a brass instrument like a trumpet?

1. What age is guitar appropriate for?

Thanks so much!

My DC started playing the violin at age 5.5 with short 20 minute lessons once a week and 3 weekly practices of 15 minutes each. They passed their Grade one exam a year later and are now doing a 30 minute lesson once a week alongside one hour with a string ensemble they have joined and 45 minutes of a singing and rhythm group per week. They practise 3/4 times a week of up to half an hour each time. They turned 7 in September. I can see after 18 months it all starring to click in their heads and they are talking more responsibility for their music.

Their music teacher takes students from age 4.

My dd's teacher doesn't take children younger than 7

If she's interested in trumpet have a look at ptrumpet. Got one for DS when he was 4. He can't quite reach the valves yet so waiting until he's bigger for lessons, but it's lighter weight than brass but a 'proper' instrument rather than a toy.

Piano in group lessons from 4 here.

I started violin at 5 and piano at 6. I gave up the violin as I was too young but later started the oboe and did both that and the piano behind grade 8.

I'd say she's probably a little young at the moment but could you look into some recorder/ocarina lessons for her or maybe a choir/singing class for the next year or so to give her a good grounding in something musical? She sounds very keen and I'd run with that

Come and join the spring music thread on extra curricular, lots of advice to be had there.
I think violin needs a lot of parental input. Also if you do it at same time as piano, it can be quite confusing with the fingers numbered differently.
My DC's all started piano at 7 but had done plenty of singing at school/ church etc. Some folk would say start earlier but for my kids that has been fine. The two younger ones also do recorder and a woodwind instrument. I'd say piano gives them a really good grounding, recorder is easy to pick up and helps other woodwind as well as being enjoyable in its own right.
You could try string babies or Suzuki method teachers for younger strings. For other instruments, you might not get them small/ light enough. Ukulele is fun and loads of you tube videos to follow along with, you can get small guitars but the ukulele only had four strings, making it easier.

Personally I think 6 or 7 is sensible to start instrumental lessons. DS1 started piano lessons at 7 and is now studying piano at conservatoire so starting at that age clearly doesn't hold you back.
Piano is a great instrument to start with because once you can read piano music, reading string, brass, or woodwind scores is easy.
There are plenty of singing opportunities for younger children and that is a good start.

Dd started violin at 3, she plays semi pro now, she has picked up other instruments too as she has grown up, plays 6 now to orchestral standard (stupidly talented but lazy when it comes to practice). Most important for them to enjoy it, a recorder, fife etc are also good to start on

Re. trumpet, the ptrumpet is a good idea, normally they suggest waiting until they have lost their front teeth, so around 7

@Lightuptheroom re the teeth - why is that?

I'd recommend Kodaly (pronounced Koe-dye) musicianship classes - all based around singing - to get a really good foundation for understanding how music works and developing a musical ear. Good at any age (I'm learning age 40) but most classes are geared towards early years / primary age children. My teacher recommends doing this first with young children and then starting an instrument a bit later - when they do start they tend to progress with the instrument faster, but most importantly, they 'get' music.

What you don't want is what happened to me when I learnt as a child/teenager - grade 8 'in the bag' but unfortunately very little understanding of how music works and zero ability to improvise or play by ear.

Brass instruments...wait til the big teeth are through.
Strings.... fine from 5 years I would say. I started in a group lesson at primary school to begin with.

I’m a professional violinist.

Musicianship classes including Kodaly are a very good idea although I didn’t send my kids to them 😄

Most teachers won't do a 1-2-1 lesson until 7, as the child needs to be able to read securely before you add in something new.

I started at 4

Our local music service has “sing make play” classes for small children which introduce them to all aspects of music, and is a great introduction. They also do tasters of different instruments. Do you have anything like that close by? Google “music hubs” or “county music service”.

I'm a brass player - the reason you need to wait til the adult teeth come in is that it can impact instrument choice. The size and shape of lip and teeth means that an instrument with a bigger mouthpiece (say a trombone) may be more suitable than a trumpet,

I'd recommend starting with piano though - if your DC develops a good level of fluency in reading music then picking up additional instruments later will be straightforward.

When mine were small they were surrounded by my love of music and I tried to do music awareness as much as possible.

Serious music study started at 6, when reading was well established. Well chosen piano teachers with kids’ teaching experience. An interest in their progress and “stick and carrot” encouragement. Any books, CDs, concerts, private lessons were eagerly paid for. School orchestra, choir and summer schools were a must. DC1 went to Chatham’s Summer School in Manchester as a reward for passing Grade 8.

DC 1 did Grade 8 at 14 and got to Italian Conservatoire entrance exam at 16. Bach enthusiast, own compositions and improvisation. Very structured study. Now studies medicine and keeps piano up for enjoyment.
DC2 went in another direction. Modern piano, duets or accompanist for other (friends) instruments , so good at sight reading and singing. May well make a career of piano bar, singing and accompanying herself. Heroes are Billy Joel, Elton John and Alisha Keys.
Both have a second instrument and can strum a guitar but piano is the thing.
I was pushy (see my user name!) but for a parent not to have strengthened a latent talent would have been a crying shame. Now they’re independent musicians and it’s something I’m quietly elated about!

Auto correct CHETHAM’S

My ds didn't start piano lessons till 7 his teacher said it was pointless taking kids younger than 7, as kids fingers are to short to get the correct position . My son has played viola since 5 though drums since 4 ukelie since 5

DD -20 min piano lesson, shared with a school friend , age 6. Still doing this 2 years later. I’m considering moving her to a longer lesson, but she thrives off her friend, so I’ll leave it for now.

At the DC’s school, the whole class has a whole class violin lesson once a week in Y3, with the option to carry on in later years. You pay for the lessons, school provide the violins.

DS - ukulele in a group lesson age 6, moved onto classical guitar about 15 months later, lessons gradually ramping up from. 10-15-30 mins. At 11 he’s prepping to take Grade 2, and is joining the school rock band club next week to have a go on the electric guitars.

My DD started piano age 8. She has tiny hands (small all over!) and I wanted her to be able to commit to practising properly. We bought her a decent keyboard and the lessons (private, 30 mins) are £15 a week so I didn't want to throw money at it if she wasn't ready. She's only had 12 lessons and is doing amazingly well so I'm glad we waited.

I started recorder at 4, piano at 6, and double bass at 9, now the bass is my best instrument but I play all three to post-grade 8 standards. I would second kodaly/ dalcroze classes, and learning piano at some point even if not first as it gives a good background. Recorder is a good instrument to start little ones on, as it's a single line to read and no unnatural postures as for strings or breathing techniques as for other wind and brass, and it might even become her "serious" instrument - there's more to it than a dozen a day!

I play piano (going for my DipABSRM soon), I started teaching my son in August (not long turned four) his hands are a decent enough size to begin short daily lessons.

I teach piano. My experience with teaching younger pupils has led me to recently introduce a ‘no younger than 7’ policy. Am sure there are plenty of very good teachers out there who can work with younger children but I recognise that I am not one of them. If you are keen to start that young on a stringed instrument then I would suggest looking for a Suzuki teacher. Otherwise I second the suggestion of a recorder.

My own children started piano at aged 7 & 9. I started at aged 8.

The best instrument is one they want to play. No point forcing piano or violin lessons if the trumpet is what they want to play.