What instrument/s does your dc's play?

[Marne]

Dd2 is 5, she has sn's (Autism and language delay), she loves music and will make up her own drum kit out of verious objects, she has great rythum and co-ordination, she can play a simple keyboard (can play 'twinke twinkle' and 'old McDonald) and can play the same 2 tunes on a toy saxaphone (from ELC). She has ukelele but is not intersted in learning to play it (not as taken up with it as her other instruments). We have considered drum lesons for her (as this is her favorite) but i have no idea of how to find a teacher who could teach in a way dd2 will enjoy and understand. What would be the best instrument to start her on?

What do your dc's play and what do they find the easiest to learn?

bump

Your dd sounds musical!

dd1 is 7.5 and is now enjoying learning piano - she had a little keyboard when she was your dd's age, and used to like making up tunes on it. I started piano aged 5, but tbh dd would not have been ready at that age. I think it depends on the child.

dd2 is 4.5 and begged to learn the violin she has learnt to hold a bow, but thats it. Its more of a toy still, really, though as I have a violin playing friend who is happy to teach her the basics, it doesn't matter if it takes time!

The recorder is meant to be an easy starter instrument, but dd1 finds piano a lot easier.

I wonder if for now she'd be better with more of a general music class than a formal learning one. Dd1 learnt the recorder first, but not in formal lessons, then started piano at 7yo. People have always commented that her concentration is very good, and she is very musical but even then there are times when she has found it a bit of a slog.
I'd have thought for now encouraging her at home to enjoy it with the thought that around age 7, you could halp her to choose an instrument.
I think she'd probably find drum lessons rather than making up her own drums very boring at first. There's a lot more to drumming than just banging the drums. My cousin is a professional percussionist and he didn't start until he was fairly old.

Thank you, she has a recorder but is not that intersted (appart from blowing it so hard it hurts your ears), she has a childrens (toy) drum kit and can manage to play 2 beats (one with each hand). I'm not sure if she would be easy to teach, she would be able to learn from coppying a sequence, she can memorise a long sequence and then repeat it but would struggle with verbal instructions (she's a visual learner), so she would need a very understanding teacher. She loves her toy saxaphone but a real one would be too tricky (i think), i guess piano would be the easiest (easier to find a teacher). I havn't got a clue about music as no one in our family is musical.

DS1 is almost 9 and plays the piano. He started when he was 7.5.

DS2 is 7 and will hopefully be starting the trumpet in September.

DD is 5 and has already said that she wants to learn violin when she is old enough

Piano can be hard work, DS1 has private lessons and seems to have to practise a lot more than his friends who have trumpet or violin lessons through school.

I was recommended I don't know how accurate it is but it is certainly an interesting read.

DD had her last piano lesson today, after a couple of years (with a gap in between.) She just doesn't enjoy it much - well, she likes the lesons but hates the practise. So we are stopping for a while at least.

She is starting voice in September though and is looking forward to that. She already does some informal voice lessons, so fingers crossed.

keyboard and guitar

dd2 age 11 plays the flute

ds age 9 the violin

and dd3 age 7 is starting clarinet lessons in September.

dd1 did recorder for a year but gave it up and has never expresssed an interest in learning anything else. She has for the last two years been a member of a samba band where she plays tamborine and has done shakers.

not sure re hardness they are all so different it is difficult to give a even assesment

Clarinet and saxaphone

I wish dd2 could have a group lesson but she can't tollerate anyone else making noise (due to her Autism) so lessons will have to be 1:1 (private), she loves to sing but again 'only on her own' not in a choir and her speach isn't great. She had Music therapy before she started school (in a small group and on her own) which is where her love of music has come from, before she started music therapy she was non-verbal and non responsive to voice so music has really helped her.

How do i go about finding a music teacher?

saxophone

Have you spoken to your local Autistic Society people? They might have a list of local music support groups, who in turn may have some ideas/contacts for you to run with.

Good luck, music can soothe many ills.

(my daughter will not start an instrument until next term, but is hoping for woodwind)

Is the saxaphone tricky to blow?

Piano and clarinet.

hi marne, yes it's tricky.

I'd strongly recommend piano to you if she can do twinkle twinkle.

we've had great success with not-NT DS2 (5.10). Secret of success was a nice teacher who comes to my house, treats me as the expert on my child's learning style and adapts her learning style to match. She finds it a challenge sometimes, as her natural inclination is to go off into extended metaphors!!

there are lots of piano teachers so your chances of finding a sympathetic one are high.

I recommend the John Thompson books if she's visual. nice large print. each note name has its own colour-coded monster. I taught DS2 to read the music by getting highlighter pens the colour of the monsters and highlighting the relevant note in the music. Worked a treat.

Thank you lingle, i have a friend (not a close friend) who's teaches piano, i might try and contact her and see if she would like to give it go or if she knows anyone, will also ask at the school. Sounds like you have found a fab teacher . I will take a look at the 'john Thompson' books.