Learning to play an instrument at 5 or 6 years old?

[JRmommy]

My 5.5 year old son really wants to take lessons! Ever since he was a young toddler, he has always made musical sounds with his voice. When he walks, he makes a corresponding beat to his pace. When he dances, he makes music/beats with his mouth. When he plays with his toys, he is always making some type of musical sound. I'm sure you getting the picture, here. He is definitely an auditory learner and has also learned well with music and songs. Lately he has been beating on everything like it is a drum. He can really keep a nice rhythm. My husband and I aren't musically inclined whatsoever. My plan was to put him in piano lessons at 7 years old. He begs almost daily to learn how to play the drums or guitar. My husband found someone who is willing to teach him to play the drums. We just have to buy a junior sized drum set. Knowing nothing about music or playing an instrument, I have a couple of questions:

 

Is it necessary/easier to start off with the piano before learning another instrument?

 

Is he too young?

 

What experiences have you had with your young children that seem to have an interest (and maybe even some talent) in playing an instrument?

 

Xpost (I probably should have posted here first instead of K-8)

[catz]

My son started piano at 5 and my daughter started violin at 4. Kids as young as 3 start Suzuki guitar at our music school. If you are going to start young, I recommend a Suzuki teacher or at least someone very familiar with working with young kids. The other thing is even with a precocious excited child I think the parent needs to be prepared to build a practice habit and have plenty of enthusiasm for helping practice. Early days it just means getting to the instrument and following direction a few minutes at a time.

[Donna]

Is it necessary/easier to start off with the piano before learning another instrument?

No, not necessary at all to start on piano. My dd started violin using the Suzuki method when she was 3yo and my 14yo ds started guitar when he was 6yo. If your ds is interested and asking to play an instrument, you might try letting him chose what he'd like to play if he has a strong preference.

 

Is he too young?

No, the Suzuki violin method starts kids as young at 2-4yo on violin and, from what I have heard around 5yo on piano...not sure about guitar or any other instruments.

 

 

What experiences have you had with your young children that seem to have an interest (and maybe even some talent) in playing an instrument?

Music is a huge part of our lives now and my kids love playing their instruments. We've met lots of wonderful people and been able to travel quite a bit through their music. My kids like to practice and have made great progress in their playing. Music is a big part of their self-identities and even if they do not decide to make a career out of music, they will have a skill they can use throughout their lives even if it is just for their own enjoyment.

[Greenmama2]

It's not at all necessary to start with piano. If he wants to progress past a certain level on drums (many years away) he would eventually benefit from studying a pitched instrument for a while & piano would be a good choice but it's really not something you need to worry about now.

My 5.75 year old has been playing violin for just on two years now (Suzuki). I think five is a great time to start playing music :)

[runmiarun]

My oldest was 5 when he started piano lessons. We had extra practice time during the week. He had been begging for piano lessons for close to a year but we tried to hold out. He does the same musical actions that you mention watching your son do, justicesmom. Whatever can be turned into a musical instrument, becomes one. Some days it's delightful. Other days, it makes me want to pull my hair out. I don't think starting out on piano is necessary. With us, someone had given us a piano so my oldest would sit down and "play" for long periods of time.

[Donna]

It's not at all necessary to start with piano. If he wants to progress past a certain level on drums (many years away) he would eventually benefit from studying a pitched instrument for a while & piano would be a good choice but it's really not something you need to worry about now.

 

Forgot to add that my oldest is a drummer. He started at 7 or 8yo on drums only because that is when I started both boys on instruments and drums was his choice. He progressed past his teacher's, a professional drummer and music major, expertise to the point where they were learning new stuff together and he can play anything he reads or hears. He never studied a pitched instrument...though he has heard plenty of them played. LOL

 

Music is not his first choice of study or activity as he is more into his sport so he no longer takes lessons.

[SKL]

My daughters started formal piano lessons at 4 and guitar at 5. It has been a lot easier than I expected, honestly. However, it is a time commitment in terms of making practice happen most days.

 

My kids are now 5yo. One of them is capable of doing the majority of her practice without help. The other needs a lot more hand-holding, but she is learning. They don't always feel like practicing, but there isn't anything they always feel like doing when it isn't their own idea, LOL. It's been a good decision for us to start young.

 

I would think that drums would be a good instrument to start a young student on. No need to drill the notes up and down the staff, etc., before the child can make actual music. I would also think it would make a later study of piano, etc. easier.

 

I chose guitar for my kids because I think it would be fun and easy for them to use it whenever the mood strikes, at home or away. I chose piano because I own and play a piano and I just love the instrument.

[gardenmom5]

suzuki starts at four, with a string instrument.

 

let the child's interest be your guide. I've a friend who is a violinist and did suzuki with her kids. (she paid for someone else to teach them while she taught other people's children.) all started on violin - two were quickly switched to cello.

 

a friend who teaches piano won't start until they are six - but that is more maturity and ability to cooperate. some kids can start earlier, some later. A nephew went through a host of instruments before trying cello (he was at *least* middle school) - he is a professional cellist.

[AuntieM]

Mine started piano at 5. One reason many start with piano first is that it is also one of the more economical ways (relatively speaking) for a student to learn how to read music. In our experience, piano teachers are less expensive than teachers of many other instruments. That will vary by area, I imagine.

 

I once read that more conductors start with piano as their first instrument than any other instrument.

[zaichiki]

Is it necessary/easier to start off with the piano before learning another instrument?

Nope.

 

Is he too young?

Nope.

 

What experiences have you had with your young children that seem to have an interest (and maybe even some talent) in playing an instrument?

 

First ds begged to play the cello at 5 after participating in an instrument petting zoo at a local symphony orchestra event. We finally rented a small cello for a few months when he was 5.5. Then he pushed and pushed to get a teacher. Enter Suzuki cello teacher. Ds learned the new pieces fairly easily, as we did a LOT of listening and his fine motor skills were good for his age. Still going strong 7 years later. He's done private lessons, group classes, orchestra, and (more recently) chamber groups. He enjoys it, but it's not his passion. He doesn't want to give it up. Someday soon ds will probably cut back on his involvement in music to make more time for his passion (interest in a future career).

 

 

First dd, at 2.5, picked up dolls, pencils, and sticks and pretended they were violins. She was entranced at her brother's cello lessons and sat like a statue taking in everything. She hummed all of his songs at home. We gave her a cardboard violin for her 3rd birthday and she was over the moon. She asked her brother's cello teacher to teach her to play the violin and ended up meeting her first teacher (a friend of that cello teacher)... She walked right up to that first teacher, introduced herself, and announced that teacher was going to teach her to play the violin. Teacher suggested viola and dd, 6 years later, still plays viola (private lessons, ensemble, orchestra, and chamber group). She also plays violin and, more recently, piano. Violin, being so similar to viola, has been an easy transition. Piano, being very different, has been different, but a lot of her musical experience has transitioned right over. Learning a third clef was easy. Putting the two hands together and reading two clefs at the same time was all new, but otherwise... well, let's just say that she impresses her piano teacher. Dd LOVES music.

 

 

Second ds was never really that into music, but he loved to air-conduct with his siblings' music stands and sheet music. He has worked for 2 years to be able to copy a rhythm and sing somewhat in tune. Somewhat. He is a beginning Suzuki cellist -- we're talking just passed the Twinkles. He started at 4 at his request. His full-body balance and coordination have been his biggest stumbling block. His fine motor skills and coordination have developed to the point that he actually enjoys practicing sometimes. It helps that he's starting to learn new songs (more of them), so he's more interested. He doesn't love playing the cello, but he doesn't want to quit either. He's always been an interesting kid.

 

 

Second dd is 2. She has been obsessed with her siblings' instruments since she was a baby. Bringing out an instrument and letting her touch it would solve any problem for her and stopped any crying on a dime. We got her a tiny violin (a real one, but she just plays around on it -- no lessons) for her birthday and she was in heaven. Heaven. She gets it out several times a day to play with her siblings. She pretends to tune it, rosins the bow, and packs/unpacks the instrument on her own. Who knows if she'll study violin, viola, piano, or something else... but I would guess that she'll study some instrument fairly seriously in a couple of years. She's very interested in music in general and sings *everything* ALL the time.

Edited February 18, 2012 by zaichiki