i REALLY want to take dd for piano lessons - do i need a piano in the house from the off? talk to me about your childs piano lessons

[nailpolish]

is she too young (5)?
do i need a piano from hte beginning? obv id like to see how it went at first...

It's better to have a piano in order to practise. Are you signed up to Freecycle? I often see pianos listed on there or perhaps an electric organ (not ideal but at least she can practise until you get a piano).

5 is just about old enough I think.

But if you haven't got a piano at home for her to practise she won't progress very fast and might get bored or frustrated with it. Unless she can practise somewhere else - at school maybe or at a friend/neighbour/relative's house?

I don't think she's too young, so long as she's keen and can sit down and focus for a while. Thing is, having a piano in the house is really exciting and will be a huge incentive to her practising and getting the most out of learning.

Has she asked for a piano or for lessons? Maybe you need to go for lessons a month or so before you launch into buying. And don't get anything too swanky until you know she is a budding Mozart. If she has an aptitude for it and enjoys practising, she will be playing lovely pieces before you know it. It's amazing how fast children pick it up.

Should say I am basing this on my own experiences. Very musical family and I can remember getting my first piano for Christmas and nearly fainting with excitment. For the next 7 years I was addicted to it. Still find it is the only thing that really calms me down (except large quantities of red wine).

Good luck

if you've got a feeling it might be a short term thing i'd get a cheap keyboard. will be able to do everything she needs as she's beginning. she'll need to practice and i'd think she would get fairly bored in her lessons as her progression would be quite slow without something to practice on. i'd check freecycle as well

I would say you do need a piano. The more they practice the more they get from it ime. My dcs have been doing piano for a few months. I got a piano free on ebay - I just had to pay for delivery, which wasn't much.

my dad plays piano, so does my aunt and dd constantly asks them to teach her. she seems frustrated because she cant read the music, my aunt sits at the piano with her for whole afternoons!

we have the space for a piano, but not really the funds. ill check freecycle, thanks

Our piano came from a Church who were building a new hall and had to get rid of it. It arrived by tractor and I gave a small donation to church funds. DD started been playing for just over 2 years now, she was 6 when she began.

She has the world's best piano teacher who lives in a house surrounded by books, cats and clutter. I am hugely jealous as I want lessons too !

i think i will be tempted too chocteapot

ebay have some at v reasonable prices, i know nothing abou t pianos, are they all pretty standard?

I haven't got much of a clue about pianos but DD's teacher suggested contacting the local tuner. She says that he usually knows of one that someone wants to get rid of which is in OK condition. He had looked over the one that we have before it came, though embarrasingly I still haven't got him to come and tune it nearly 2 years later.

I steal DD's books and have been learning, I should be able to play Away in the Manager by Christmas this year !

My small donation was £25 if that helps at all.

ah right thanks
i might ask around locally then

stupid question

would dd have to reach the pedals?

Np check how much to move and tune it. We were quoted ££££££.

< My mum is going to freecycle one btw mail me>

According to DD no she doesn't but I wouldn't rely on that. There are a couple of piano teachers on here I think, hopefully they will be along.

Don't need pedals for quite a while - maybe around grade 4 ish. If she turns out to be precocious and needs to reach them before she's big enough there are extension things you can buy (at a price).

example pedal extenders

really project

i will do thanks

(how much £££)

aha thanks snorkle