Flute for a 6 yr old?

[sleepymommy]

Has anyone's young child here taken flute lessons? Ds1 seems interested in flute lessons (and piano lessons), I don't want to start him in anything until he's at least 6yrs old.

 

Since we don't have a piano (or the space for one), I'm leaning towards the flute lesson instead. Is this an appropriate instrument for the younger children, similar to recorder maybe? Or would it be better to just invest in a keyboard and stick to piano? I would want him to eventually take piano lessons anyway if he still has the interest.

 

I know little to none about music lessons, so any advice on this topic would be great.

[Dmmetler]

Suzuki has a flute program, and Suzuki flute teachers teach young children. Jupiter makes a flute that has a curved head joint, no foot, and altered key position to make it possible, and it's a nice instrument. I imagine that a child could learn a more traditional flute method early with that instrument as well.

 

At 6, a child can do piano in either Suzuki or traditional, and almost every series has a book designed for that age level-the only real adaptation at this age would be a footstool and that the child wouldn't be able to do pedaling yet.

[Storm Bay]

I'm not familiar with the Suzuki method of teaching flute. What I have always been told is that due to the size of the transverse flute (the one people play in orchestras, for anyone reading this who hasn't heard that term), it's better to start a 6 year old with a regular flute such as a recorder due to their hand size. This is what we did when we taught flute in the schools in Ottawa (I only subbed for that because I used to play the oboe--I was a piano teacher). Unless your dc is set on only playing a transverse flute, I'd do a recorder. If you'd like to have lessons, you may find someone who will teach this. My first choice is always lessons from a good music teacher when it can fit in your budget.

[FO4UR]

I would do recorder.:iagree: Just don't buy it from Target.;)

 

I would also consider making piano more of a priority.

[Storm Bay]

I would do recorder.:iagree: Just don't buy it from Target.;)

 

I would also consider making piano more of a priority.

:iagree: I agree with not buying a recorder from Target. A Yamaha recorder will do nicely; you don't need to start with a wooden one (I learned that from an adult recorder peformer.

 

Piano is definitely a great help if you can afford it. But if you're going to be at all serious about music it needs to be either a TUNED acoustic piano or a DIGITAL piano with weighted keys, touch sensitivity, etc, etc, not just a cheap keyboard. Cheap keyboards won't help with developing musicality, which is an enormous part of playing well. Of course, some of that is hard with the recorder (not much in the way of dynamics) but you can with everything else & that will easily be rectified once the switch is made to a transverse flute.

 

You can start with a recorder, then flute, then pick up piano later (helps with theory and many other things). I've taught older beginners who were getting piano requirements so that they could study their instruments in university. Of course, I'm being a bit of a traitor to the tradional world of piano teachers;), where piano should be required for any instrument. In an ideal world where everyone can afford this where it won't ever turn kids off I'd have to agree. However, it's more important to let a child learn the instrument they are passionate about first, IMO.

 

I own 2 types of flutes, an alto recorder (too large for small hands--start with a soprano--and an alto wooden transverse flute (no keys). I also have an ocarina I hope to learn to play, but that's a clay pipe, I think, not a flute. I can't play the wooden flute yet as it's much harder to blow than my old soprano bamboo recorder I no longer can find. Not enough time!!!

[SeekingSimplicity]

I play the flute, and I would hold off on it if I were you. I agree that it would be better to start with a recorder and move on to a regular flute closer to the age of 10. For one thing his arms have to be long enough to hold the flute correctly while sitting with a good posture. And a lot of kids just seem more developmentally ready around that age.

[Orthodox6]

May I "second" the suggestion of recorder for a child so young ? A fipple flute (e.g. recorder) is much easier for a beginner than a transverse flute. I'm partial, admittedly, to an inexpensive wooden soprano for this purpose. Plastic always sounds unduly harsh.

 

I always fell into the camp of "piano precedes all else". Then I had a dd with severe math LDs. On some instinct from who knows where, I speculated that piano was troubling her so much because of the need to integrate simultaneously two lines of music. She shifted to violin, and happily is going gang-busters now !

[Peaceful Isle]

I started my dd out with piano lessons , first, at age 6. I added another musical instrument at 7 1/2. Since she could already read the notes, the extra instrument is easier for her to play. My suggestion would be to have your child take piano for a year first, and then another instrument. Just my opinion:) hope this helps!

[Brindee]

 

I started my dd out with piano lessons , first, at age 6. I added another musical instrument at 7 1/2. Since she could already read the notes, the extra instrument is easier for her to play. My suggestion would be to have your child take piano for a year first, and then another instrument. Just my opinion:) hope this helps!

I agree with this if it's possible for you to do so. We did this same thing. My dd started piano at 6 and violin at 7. :001_smile:

[Nayner]

I start very young students on the yamaha fife. Sound is produced in the same way as the flute and the hand position is the same, yet suitable for smaller hands. After students play the fife for 6 months or so (time varies) I have them transfer to a flute with a curved headjoint. The transition is smooth because they can already produce a sound and play a few songs. In addition, they are usually very exited to be playing a real silver flute! It's important to have a good teacher who has experience with young students. Suzuki is a good method for very young children also (I'm not a Suzuki teacher).

 

That said...it's still OK to wait a couple years for flute if you feel that's best. Piano provides a good foundation for learning any instrument.

[Storm Bay]

I start very young students on the yamaha fife. Sound is produced in the same way as the flute and the hand position is the same, yet suitable for smaller hands. After students play the fife for 6 months or so (time varies) I have them transfer to a flute with a curved headjoint. The transition is smooth because they can already produce a sound and play a few songs. In addition, they are usually very exited to be playing a real silver flute! It's important to have a good teacher who has experience with young students. Suzuki is a good method for very young children also (I'm not a Suzuki teacher).

 

That said...it's still OK to wait a couple years for flute if you feel that's best. Piano provides a good foundation for learning any instrument.

 

 

I hadn't thought of the fife, perhaps because of our experience with a sopranino recorder--so high all the time!

 

This is good to know. Just curious, how hard is it for a 6 yo to learn to blow this type of a flute?

 

My ds wants to learn the French Horn and will be 10, so I have to figure that out now. We might put him into the ps band, but they don't give first year dc horns, and they only have so many, so I'd like to rent to start if we can afford it.

[Nayner]

Sound production can be difficult for some at first, just like the flute. I had one student who was able to get a sound by the end of the first lesson and by the next lesson she forgot! She's playing the flute now and doing great. My four year old can make a sound, most likely because she's been around me playing and teaching!

[sleepymommy]

Thank you all for such great advice! As usual, the Hive has such a great wealth of information!

 

I'm going to have to go over all this with dh tonight. It seems like I should go ahead and keep my eyes open for any keyboard sales and maybe go with piano lessons until he's a bit older. I'd love to get a piano, but we move pretty often so that's just not the best option for us unfortunately.

 

I may go ahead and start him on recorder, perhaps just the basics, until he's old enough for piano.

[Storm Bay]

Sound production can be difficult for some at first, just like the flute. I had one student who was able to get a sound by the end of the first lesson and by the next lesson she forgot! She's playing the flute now and doing great. My four year old can make a sound, most likely because she's been around me playing and teaching!

 

 

Thanks. Makes sense. I do have kids that could make sounds by blowing into dh's bottles (he collects antique ones), but I don't remember how old they were when they learned. They don't make any music with them, though.

[Shifra]

When my husband and I could just not afford a acoustic piano, we went ahead and bought a Yamaha digital piano(ARIUS YDP-140 DIGITAL PIANO), on sale at Music & Arts for about US$900 (November, 2008). It has weighted keys and a full keyboard (and it's not as heavy as an acoustic piano--we were able, with difficulty, to move it from our minivan into our first floor living room ourselves). We have been very pleased with it, so if you decide to buy a piano, you may want to consider it. But a Yamaha recorder or fife is also a good introduction to flute.

[Storm Bay]

When my husband and I could just not afford a acoustic piano, we went ahead and bought a Yamaha digital piano(ARIUS YDP-140 DIGITAL PIANO), on sale at Music & Arts for about US$900 (November, 2008). It has weighted keys and a full keyboard (and it's not as heavy as an acoustic piano--we were able, with difficulty, to move it from our minivan into our first floor living room ourselves). We have been very pleased with it, so if you decide to buy a piano, you may want to consider it. But a Yamaha recorder or fife is also a good introduction to flute.

 

 

This is a lot better than those cheap keyboards such as the Casio ones and you hage the most important basic components there and it was a sale price. What I could consider an entry level digital piano costs about $1700-1800 regular price (you might get a great sale, and maybe that's what you got. I don't remember the numbers of those.) I'm thinking of the Yamaha, but I think Roland, another good make, starts around the same price range. The Yamaha one I'd like to get is over $3000, but I can't afford it right now. It imitates all the important features for really going ahead with classical music all the way to advanced levels.

 

Digital pianos don't last forever. By the time my old one died, they were no longer making them and would have had to ship it overseas to see if it could be repaired! Too pricey for something that might not be repairable.

[EmilyK]

As between flute and piano, I would urge piano. I thought we didn't have room and so put off piano --then got a weighted keyboard and wished we had started piano earlier.

 

My 11 year old started flute this year, after doing piano for 2 years and violin previously for one, and found flute HARD. He persevered but found it tough going for a while. Part of the problem is the way you hold a flute -- you can't see the fingering. He also took a bit to learn how to blow correctly. Now he's relearning with braces.

 

If you can at all make piano work, it is such a great gateway instrument -- you read both staffs eventually, and it is easy to sound good right away.

[Tracy]

Sound production can be difficult for some at first, just like the flute. I had one student who was able to get a sound by the end of the first lesson and by the next lesson she forgot! She's playing the flute now and doing great. My four year old can make a sound, most likely because she's been around me playing and teaching!

 

I also play flute, and my 5yo very much wants me to teach her. But every time she tries it, she can't get a sound out of it. I would go with other suggestions for instruments that require a similar embouchure and fingerings and plan for a possible transition later on.

 

Tracy

[KAR120C]

We rented a flute with a curved headjoint until he was tall enough to switch to a straight. It also meant that if it turned out to be too difficult he could drop it without financial drama... But he loved it and has been playing ever since.

 

I wouldn't go out and pay gobs of money on a (pretty risky) chance that a six year old is going to be devoted to it, but I don't know that I'd discourage it either, if it's possible to give it a try without spending a ton.

[Susie in CA]

I just want to add that if you are low on funds the 'cheaper' casio keyboards are just fine for beginners. That's what we started with. The boys use a real piano at lessons and performances, and at home, to practice,they use the keyboard. We are just now looking into investing in something better, after we (and the boys) decided to keep on playing.

 

Also, my younger son started with the recorder. He played beautifully. When he switched to Piano at 8 years old he had no trouble at all, knew all the notes, and is generally just rolling along. All this to say that piano does not HAVE to be first. Either way is fine in our experience.

 

Susie