When's a good age to start music lessons?

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I'd really like DD to learn some sort of an instrument, probably the recorder to start with and see how she gets on. I haven't spotted any particularly musical talent, I just think she might enjoy it, and her school don't seem to do anything in that line.

I'm going to start maternity leave about the time she turns 6 so it would be a good time either to teach the basics myself (not that I have any great ability!) or to be able to take her to lessons. Is this too early? I don't want her to be put off if she's not going to have the necessary finger control or whatever.

TIA!

Very interesting!

My 3 all started piano at 6-7 and recorder at the same sort of age. Church choir too at 6 ish - as soon as they could read enough- or earlier for dd2 as the rest of the family were in the choir and she was fed up sitting in the congregation lol.

They have always been around music making.

Because DH and I ave fairly conventional musical backgrounds they learned to read music as they learned their instruments.

If anything I think maybe dd2 would have progressed faster on piano if she started at 8-9 bt maybe it just isn't her instrument.

Be aware that until probably age 9-10 you are going to need to supervise/ help practicing. Seems o take them that long to really practice ie pay the difficult bits over and over making sure they are correct - rather than just paying the fun bits or the whole piece though complete with mistakes and calling that done !
( proper practice is not fun, it's work - then enjoyment is when you can do t!).

The best age to start is when the child shows an interest! But as a guideline, for most children 7 is ok, some children can start earlier, but progress will (mostly) be slower.

There are exceptions, sometimes you will get a 5 or 6 year old who loves it so much that they HAVE to play, and they will do well (though probably don't gain a lot by starting early - I reckon that when kids start is not that significant in how far along they get by, say, age 10 - ie a child could start at 5 , or at 7, and be at the same standard by 10. Sounds unlikely, but it's mostly true!

They do have to have decent concentration, and if they are fairly sound numerically and with their letters it helps! And the other must is for the parents to be signed up to help with practice, as without that it's a bit of a waste of time.

So don't rush into it, be child-led, and if they do want to do an instrument, it is great for them, both musically and for their general development.

DS started with the recorder at school when he was 6, and then piano with a tutor when he was 8.

DS1 has always been fascinated by musical instruments, and begged to start on violin just before his 4th birthday. He was physically too small (he did have a 1/32 violin but he found it impossible to play only one string at a time) and didn't have the concentration. He tried again at rising 6 and loved it.

DD just started the violin and she's 4. She loves it and asks to play a lot which I guess is a good sign. Whether it'll make any substantial difference vs. her having started when she was 7 or older I've no idea. For now she just thinks it's fun.

My partner and I debate this at times for what we will do with our children. I started recorder when I was about 7ish and loved it before moving on to piano at about 9. I always wish I'd started a little earlier as looking back I think I would have coped with it and enjoyed it and feel I might have got to a higher standard eventually. I did reasonably well in both and played to a moderately high amateur level and more importantly had a lot of fun in the process.

My partner started learning at 7 and did considerably better. Whilst I was playing slightly out of time in my university band he had virtually abandoned college as he was spending most of his time travelling the world 'topping up his student loan' by playing with the Philharmonia. He does a fair amount of teaching children and adults of varying standard, from those with little talent but much enjoyment, to those aiming for professional careers. He feels that there is not much point in starting below 8 for any of them. He thinks he would make an exception only if the child is very, very talented and desperate to play (by which he means Joshua Bell at the age of 4 tuning elastic bands around a drawer). He feels that the time is better spent enjoying listening to and learning to love music first and then with natural talent and a good teacher you could get to a professional level starting at 8/9 or even older.

My reasons for disagreeing with someone who obviously should know better than me are that I'm pretty sure I would have enjoyed it at an earlier age and for most people that is the point. He worries that even talented children may have too little concentration or ability at a young age and will be put off from music if they start too soon. We both agree having fun is the most important thing whatever the eventual aim and I think our perspectives are slightly different! I am also now forced to blame my more modest progress on lack of talent rather than my parents for failing to provide music lessons when I was 3.

Maybe try at 6 but don't push it too much? That way if your son doesn't seem to enjoy it you haven't put him off and he can always try again at a later point as someone up thread said they had done with success.

Yes, that's his view exactly LilyBolero. He says he sees no great difference by even 10 or 11 between the children who started as tinys and those who started at 8 or 9.

Its interesting you feel that too as a professional musician - I'd always assumed that all professionals started very early before I met my partner.

I started at 7.5 or so, although I'd messed around on recorder before that, but went very very fast!

My dh is a leading musician so I know we are lucky, but through contacts we have found a fantastic violinist who teaches. IMO this is the only way to play music as you are learning how to play music and be a musician, not trying to learn an instrument/s. We don't pay a fortune £14 half hour and for my dh's students about the same. A good musician/teacher wants to pass on knowledge and gains an income elsewhere so won't rip you off. I think its down to the child regarding age. We introduced music from birth as its part of our culture, but dd didn't start playing violin till 6. She is about grade 5 now, in Y3. However, we personally don't believe in practising to pass an exam, so haven't done any yet. She will take grade 8 though before secondary. Ask your child if they want to play and find some resources/music showing different instruments. Guide to the Orchestra is good. Recorders are good, cheap, you can teach it yourself and they can prepare for many other brass/woodwind instruments. Embouchure may differ but same breathing technique. Good luck and I say go for it, please pm me if I can help any more I love talking music.

Sorry, needed to get the last post deleted, the relevant bit was;

"Doodlegoogle, I agree with your partner, a couple of years difference in starting makes very little or no difference to what standard you reach by 16, 17, 18, but it can make the world of difference to how your first experience of the instrument goes - ie whether it's productive and enjoyable, or torturous, slow, and hard. And it's really important for a child to love it at the beginning - there are enough moments where they won't want to do their practice, because they want to be doing something else, they need that wish to do it as a backup."

Totally agree Lily, also I think it needs to be fun.

I think if there's a music school nearby with a good junior programme, then starting at an early age can be a very good option. It's worked very well for us.