Music

[mum0fthree]

DS 7 (AS) had his first piano lesson yesterday. I have been preparing him all week. He was really anxious, crying and refusing to go. He went and ENJOYED it, came out with a big smile on his face.

He has always been really affected by music, he comments this is joyful music and if it is music with a sad tone will cry and insist it is turned off. He can repeat a tune perfectly.

From a family who are tone deaf without a musical talent between us. The thing that has surprised me was that he was given some sheet music and after his lesson he came home and wrote the letters of all the notes underneath. He has never been shown how to read music and his lesson was only 30 mins long. Am I just hoping he is a musical genius (half joking, half serious) or can most children do this after a 30 min lesson?

Seriously happy mummy.

Hi there isn't it amazing the power that music has my dd has rett syndrome so has trouble communicating-no speach etc but loves music both to listen to and loves to take part in the band at school-she plays the ocean drum with a little help.Sounds like your son is really going to take to music.Is pretty good to be able to name the notes after just one lesson.

That is really great that he enjoyed it! And no its not the norm to just write the notes down. I took guitar lessons when I was young and I can still only play by ear! cannot read a note!

My DS is music mad. If he is stressed out the first thing that goes on is the music channels and he dances his heart out. He can watch a video once and then repeat all dance sequence. He is mad on Lady Ga Ga and has been for months her song "born this way" was quite apt for my little lad

We are going to try dd2 (5) with drum lessons next term (when she starts new school), she has very good rhythum and drums on everything, she has a small (toy) drum kit and seems to be able to copy beats from music and tv shows. Dd2 was non-verbal until she started music therapy (at the age of 3.5), within a couple weeks she was singing and started to talk.

Great to hear mum0fthree! As a therapist I have seen many children with ASD achieve amazing things through music!
SpecMus (www.specialmusic.co.uk)

DS has always loved music too. We used to play it a lot when he was tiny and couldn't do much. Apparently he can sing in perfect pitch (when he is not being silly) - no one in either of our families can carry a tune at all, so goodness knows where it came from.

Well done little one.