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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

What instrument? DD1 is 6 and needs to choose in the New Year...

49 replies

TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 18/12/2007 23:46

That violin thread has reminded me that music lessons are looming for DD1 and I have no idea what to do. She hasn't expressed a preference, although she likes to have a go with any instrument she comes across.

Do you have to be reasonably academic to get music? DD1 is not a fluent reader of English, does that have any bearing on ability to read music?

What is relatively easy to learn? DD1 likes to 'know' and hates to 'learn' so the faster the results the better.

We do have a local music shop that rents as well as selling used & new. And we have a piano available.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Twinklemegan · 19/12/2007 00:32

Duchess - if you have a piano available I would say one hundred percent start her on that first. Any other instrument can follow that. If she ends up taking it seriously she'll be expected to have piano at least as a second instrument. Good luck with your choice.

tortoiseSHELL · 19/12/2007 00:34

I use Me and My Music by Fanny Waterman/Marion Harewood for littlies - it's the right sort of balance of colourful pics and tunes they know. Book 1 us particularly good, book 2 slightly less so, but is good for getting them started. It does right hand 5 notes, then left hand 5 notes, then 2 hands together.

tortoiseSHELL · 19/12/2007 00:34

Sorry, hit post too soon, is Me and My Piano, not Music (don't know why I typed that!)

Original poster

TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 19/12/2007 00:35

Thank you both. I think piano makes sense. And now I'm going to bed. LOOK AT THE TIME!!!!

OP posts:

tortoiseSHELL · 19/12/2007 00:37

Don't tell www DofNB!!!!

foofi · 19/12/2007 07:33

If you decide you'd prefer dd to learn outside school, cat me. I'm in TW.

TinselHockey · 19/12/2007 07:38

Piano is by far the most useful and pretty easy.

ShrinkingVioLetterstoSanta · 19/12/2007 08:35

for flute you need to have the front adult teeth through (unless you want to relearn how to blow at the various "toothy" stages). pLus you need longish arms if you have a straight flute. Oboe is most defiately NOT a first instrument, and wouldn't recommend a French Horn, especially when it's as big as the child [flashback to struggling to lift the case at age 7].
Recorder isn't too bad, as you cna tecah yourself the early stages, and at least you've got the music reading sussed before forking out for expensive lessons - can you tell i was a mean mummy and made the DDs learn recorder for a WHOLE YEAR to show commitment?
Clarinet is quite good as a starter instrument, and personally I'd avoid anythign with strings unless a) child has a good ear or b) you have no ear for music whatsoever.

snorkle · 19/12/2007 08:49

ds is very good at both maths and music . He started with piano, and I would say it is one of the hardest instruments and takes a lot of work to get results. Piano starters usually take longer to reach 'grade 1' standard than other instuments and it's not really until you are that standard (or higher) that the music starts sounding satisfying so it might not be the best for someone who likes quick results. What about Saxophone? That is considered to be one of the easier instruments & is good fun. Cello of the stringed instruments is by far the easiest, but if you're sure about no strings then maybe not for you.

tortoiseSHELL · 19/12/2007 08:50

Ooh, I'd prefer a violin to a starter clarinet any day - clarinets up to about grade 5 cause me physical pain!!!!! It's the way they suddenly with no warning squeak. It's the only instrument that there is NO WAY my children are playing it.

snorkle · 19/12/2007 08:53

Piano is also useless if you want to play in a group (until you get really, really good). Being in a band or orchestra really helps motivate kids and so with piano you need a lot more self-motivation.

seeker · 20/12/2007 06:50

My dd loves her clarinet - and it wasn't too painful when she started - but she was 8, not 6! Or it could be that I have a clothe ear so I didn't notice the squeaks!

She likes the fact that she can play lots of different types of music. I know that's true of all instruments, but it seems to be easier to join in with other people on the clarinet - she loves jazz and folk and has had the fun of joining in when people are having "sessions" (we are very sad and go to folk festivals). Hard with a piano or a cello!

Blandmum · 20/12/2007 07:47

cellos are very nice, after a while! But tooth achingly expensive to buy.

Christywhisty · 20/12/2007 08:09

I started of with the recorder in junior school which gave a good basis for the flute in secondary school, also played the treble recorder.
Both my DC's started piano at school at the age of 6. They had a lovely teacher at school, unfortunately he left and the teacher that took over was awful, so they stopped.
I think the piano is a good grounding for going on to other instruments.
Ds wants to learn drums now and DD wants to learn violin when she goes to secondary.

SSStollenzeit · 20/12/2007 08:34

dd, 7, keeps bringing up the drums and the double bass (!) but I'm turning a deaf ear

I have her on harp and piano

SSStollenzeit · 20/12/2007 08:35

Clarinet is a nice one. Never thought of that. Like the sound of the clarinet

seeker · 20/12/2007 09:11

Only problem with the clarinet is that you have to have big enough hands. Take her to a music shop and ask to have a try. Oh and the reeds. They break quite easily if you're not careful, but they aren't mega expensive, it's just annoying!

Second hand clarinets come up a lot on Ebay - but you have to be careful - there are some very cheap ones made in China that don't actually play - according to dd's teacher. There's a couple of makes to look out for - can't remember what they are but I'll find out for you if you like. Buffet is one.

smartiejake · 20/12/2007 10:16

6 is much too young for the clarinet or the sax. Besides the size thing you need an awful lot of puff. If they find it too hard they will give it up and it might put them off music altogether.

THe piano does take along time to get to grade 1 but is def the instrument I would start them on. Another option might be the electronic keyboard as they have chord options and drum machines which young kids enjoy. They are really quite cheap to buy too.

As to the question of maths and music- I was rubbish at maths but have a degree in music- so it didn't help me but I have noticed that both dds have improved vastly with maths sicnce starting the guitar last year.

seeker · 20/12/2007 10:23

Oops, sorry if I misinformed the OP. Dd was a not very big 8 when she started on the clarinet and she was fine so I thought 6 would be OK. Sorry again.

Ubergeekian · 20/12/2007 12:02

"Any virtuoso recorderists (is that a word?) out there to prove me wrong?"

Michaela Petri. Listen and weep.

One of the problems with the recorder is that the soprano (descant) is such a squeaky little thing. Children don't have to be very old/big to be able to play an alto (treble), which is a far more satisfying sound.

Sammy3 · 21/12/2007 15:29

A vote for brass instruments here! They are loud but it doesn't take long before kids can play recognisable tunes on them, which really encourages them. DS has been learning the trombone for over a year. Our local council's music teachers go around the schools & teach so his teachers have been very good so far. His 1st school didn't offer lessons until Year 4 though. When he was in Year 3, the council's music teachers did a demo of the instruments they taught. Their advice was for the children to choose the one whose sound they liked because they were more likely to stick to it & practice. It's worked for DS (though he's lazy about practicing & does it all in 1 go each week). I wasn't exactly surprised when DS chose the trombone, since it was so loud, but I had promised he could decide if & what he learned. He practices in his room so it's not that loud really. Mind you, I play the drums so....

NorthernLurkerwithastarontop · 21/12/2007 15:45

My dd did recorder then clarinet - but she was 8 when she started the clarinet - and tbh she was only just big enough - hands and puff wise

Swedes2Turnips1 · 21/12/2007 15:54

If she doesn't like a long learning curve, don't go for the violin. It takes quite a while to feel encouraged and pleased by the noise .

Piano?

frogs · 21/12/2007 15:57

Another vote for the cello -- ds started when he was 6, and it really isn't too painful to listen to, unlike the violin.

We're selling his outgrown 1/4 size cello, if anyone's interested? [ingratiating ]

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