Music lessons for DD - Violin or Piano?

[woodyrocks]

Opinions and advice sought!

My little madam is due to start music lessons, she is in Yr.2 and I am not sure what to pick for her. I am more inclined to choose violin because of size (!) but I know piano is a very popular choice. What would you advice?

n.b She has a child size guitar at home and as been 'learning' on a ad-hoc basis for over a year.

violin means she will be able to join groups

piano always v useful

sorry that didn't help did it?

Would say she's more likely to ditch piano if you don't have one for her to practice on. The school will give her a violin.

I'd say violin, but only because that's what I did and I luuurve stringed instruments. Not such a good idea if you have cats, though, mine always used to make herself scarce when my sister practised, either that or wail with her head under my armpit....

I'd say piano - less hard on your ears while she's learning, perfect instrument for learning how to read music.

piano

I reckon ideal scenario is piano now, then violin in a few years time if possible.

Well, there are arguments for either one!

True, violin is more sociable. Piano is more instantly satisfying though, ie the note you press is the note you hear and it's much harder to 'find' the note on the violin, so it sounds like you make more progress on piano initially. In some ways piano gives a good overview of the way the notes follow on from each other, so it might be easier to learn the violin if you already play piano.

True, violins come in small sizes, but still, y2 isn't particularly young to learn an instrument. If she's keen on both, is there any reason why she can't give them both a try?

I'd go for piano, I was made to learn the violin as a child and hated it. When you start learning it sounds awful! However I think the key question is what would your dd like to learn? My dd (also yr2) has just started piano lessons, and loves it (she's been wanting to start ever since last year). The keyboard was a bit expensive to buy, but I think it's a good investment. ds on the other hand wants to learn to play the drums - I'm not so sure!

Ds1 is in Y2, has been doing violin for a year, piano for about 3 months - he likes both, they have different difficulties - the violin is hard work to simply hold the instrument in the correct position, makes quite a horrid noise to start with, but only one line to think about.

Why not give her the choice?

I'd just ask her what she prefers.

What's her ear like? - for hearing pitch, I mean.

I started on violin, & haven't good pitch - it made it v difficult for me (and everyone around me when I was practising).

Thanks guys for all your opinions

I did ask DD and she wants to do both! However, I would rather she took up one at a time. Maybe she could do the other next year once she has established herself with one.

We do not have a piano (which I had the space for one) but my Mother does. We do have a keyboard though.

A friend mentioned that the noise she makes in the early days of learning the violin might drive me up the wall. Think I am leaning towards the piano but as of yet still undecided!

More views and thoughts from you guys please!

If you've just got a keyboard, I would go with the violin!

that should read wish I had the space!

what tortoiseshell said, I wouldn't advise a child who is learning the piano to only be able to practise on a keyboard.

Unless she would have regular access to your mum's piano of course!

TS, because I myself do not play I am unable to turn her attention to the keyboard at home so as it is she needs the structure that lessons would provide.

Decisions, decisions!

I think it is very hard learning the piano with only a keyboard to practise on - the touch is so different that everything feels 'different' in a lesson and you can't learn piano technique.

I would go with the violin tbh, ds1 doesn't seem to mind the terrible noise he makes, and it gets better quite quickly! Actually it starts ok, when they are just plucking! It's just when they introduce the bow that it can be a bit excruciating.

If you haven't got a piano, I'd definitely start her on the violin. DS2's piano teacher will not teach children 'piano' unless they have a piano at home to practice on - for the reasons mentioned below.

Having said that I've always gently steered mine away from the violin. My mum had four children at home who learned the violin at one stage or another; none of us were ever particularly good at it (grades 2-5), but they enjoyed years of agony listening to violin practice which sounded like cats being tortured.