Music lessons for 5 year old

[supergolden88]

My daughter who is five has expressed some interest in starting music lessons but I think it's purely because some of her friends take lessons. Her school (Ivydale) has a great range of music lessons offered and a lot of the children seem quite accomplished at a young age.

We chatted with the music teacher and she suggested violin lessons - the suzuki method. Somehow the violin seems one of the hardest instruments to master but I could well be wrong. My daughter also tends to be a little flighty so not sure she will stick to practicing but guess we won't know till we try.

Anyone have any suggestions or experience?

[Otta]

Be warned, the violin played by a complete beginner is painfull to listen to. Think high pitched bagpipes, and you're nearly there.

I think I'd go for something like the flute or clarinet at that age. Or even the recorder, just to see if she keeps at it for a while.

[Otta]

Plus, you could throw big banquets, and use her as entertainment

 

[supergolden88]

I know I am very wary of a violin playing five year old but looked into the suzuki method and it sounds promising

I was playing the recorder as a child and loved it. I then took piano lessons and it was very grades/exams orientated in Greece so very soon any joy was taken out of it and I eventually stopped.

I loved classical music as a child - was very into opera(!) - which of course made me an enormous geek. Still love it now and I feel rather sad to have given the piano up.

[Pickle]

Violin can be painful, but it is a good one for littlies to start on. I would be wary of any teacher that suggests flute or clarinet so young (I'm an ex-pro flautist), for a good basis to wind playing the recorder is a much better option when they're small, then they can move to a "proper" instrument in a few years time.

I played recorder until I was 10, then moved to flute, and it didn't harm my progress at all.

P x

[The Nappy Lady]

Agree with Pickle, my eldest is learning guitar, harmonica & recorder at Ivydale. I wanted her to learn clarinet & was advised to wait until her 'big teeth' are all in place, so hence the recorder lessons instead for now.

However, my daughter is nagging & nagging/begging to do guitar(I think mostly because her friends are doing it). They do seem to push Suziki Violin in a big way though, no idea why.....Pickle, do you know?

[Pickle]

The Suzuki method of teaching is based on the kids copying what the adults do (where I used to teach, the parents had to get involved too, so beware!). I have a lot of friends who learnt using the suzuki method from a very young age, but it didn't really help them to get ahead as they then learn to read music later (so were no more advanced than those who started later).

Not sure why they'd push it so hard... maybe there's special funding? Or a glut of teachers with nothing to do?!

Recorder really is the ideal (in my opinion, admittedly a bit biased as a wind player). It's an easy instrument to play, therefore leaving scope for the kids to be able to absorb other musical information - reading music, dynamics, musical terms) which will stand them in good stead for later on.

[nunheadmum]

I'm wary of the violin too - the screeching could well be too much for me. But as I play woodwind (and have done guitar and piano in the past to a limited extent) and hubby has toyed with brass, I do wonder whether it's better to go for something that neither of us has any experience of....and strings are the only thing left.

I did speak with the music teacher too and she did seem keen to let a wider group of kids do recorder but I think it's a case of teaching resources. She also spoke of the ocharina (think that's what it's called) - it's like a 4 holed recorder - which is meant to be great for little ones to start on. But can't help but think it may be a little restrictive, but maybe not for a 5 year old.

I'm sure there are more parents who would be interested in something accessible like the recorder. Maybe worth asking again what the reasons for the restrictions are.

[The Nappy Lady]

Hmmm, I think it's good if they learn an instrument you can play, or learn with them. My hubby is learning guitar at home so he & O play together now & it's really working well. We are also on day 85 of the 100 consecutive days of practice that school is running - so she will hopefully earn her medal soon. What this has really shown us is how important daily practice is - both in terms of her improvement but also the mindset - music practice is like tooth brushing, just something you do every day no matter what.

I really couldn't commit to going to Suzuki violin lessons with her with a newborn (then toddler - even worse) that is partly what put me off - that & the potential screeching!

Loving guitar though & see it as something that can be fun in the future for her & friends.

Re recorder - I'm glad she is learning to read music.

I think the key is to find 4 or more children to share a lesson - this is what Margaret dies to make it affordable. Def worth speaking to her if you are really keen to start before Year 3 - when they all get the option to learn. O is year 2 & has just started her lessons.

Good luck - I know it's hard as there is almost too much choice.

[nunheadmum]

Mmm....I can see what you mean about the benefits of having two folk in the house on the same instrument. But even with her little ELC saxophone, I find myself having to sit on my hands as she picks out a tune, trying not to tell her which notes to use. I kind of think with the violin, I wouldn't know where to start. But the thought of the off-tune screeching does put me off, big-time!

I agree with what others say that any instrument like the flute or clarinet is best kept for later. If nothing else, their hands may struggle to reach the keys with some instruments and they do need a bit of puff and breath control which is harder to learn. As someone who learned on recorder, I think it's a brilliant instrument at a young age and teaches all the basics in an easy way which can transfer really quickly then to a bigger instrument later on. Keep them exposed to other instruments as they learn and let them try out different ones later on before deciding which to choose (if you have the luxury of choice and aren't constrained by the teaching / instruments available).

[mumra]

The suzuki method is designed for young children - lots of play based activities are incorporated into the teaching and they build up the skills very gradually. It's all about enjoyment and engagement from a young age and you do see children as young as 3 giving it a go. The teacher has to go with them to a certain extent- appreciating the age and the limitations that it brings and they spend as much time playing as learning to hold a bow (often whilst balancing a hula hoop or a feather on their shoulder and playing follow my leader!) and other key skills so that it is not too much too soon. There are certainly no scales etc to learn but instead a billion variations of one song (namely twinkle twinkle little star at first) so they are building on success. Another key element of the method is group lessons and getting them to show off to each other from a young age so as to build confidence. All of this takes time and I would not expect to see the results overnight, but it really does help technique and an 'ear' for music at an early age. And, just to add I would not have believed it myself if it had not been brilliantly motivational for my very (at the time) shy 4 year old who is now loving playing at 6 years old. More and more schools do seem to be recognising the benefit from the method (St Johns are offering it to pupils from September) but Ivydale certainly were pioneers (and host the Dulwich Suzuki Group -maybe why they offer it with gusto?) as they have the most amazing head of music there - Margaret Omoniyi who knows everything there is to know about how children learn music. Happy to be pm'd - supergolden88 if you would like more info and good luck with your decision.

[Kes]

If the child is a bit flighty as you say the violin may not be the best bet - I was that child - and it seemed to take so long to set up the music stand, tighten the bow and put resin on it, sort out the shoulder rest etc etc. that I almost never bothered to practice, my parents didn't push the practice, probably because when I did it must have sounded dreadful! I'm pretty sure it was Suzuki method. I learned piano a few years later, much better at that just sit down and play no faffing about first!

[jollybaby]

This thread has made me smile . . . I too used to play the violin. I kept it up for about 7 years - heavens knows why I was useless and I'm not sure I even enjoyed it. I used to be really embarrassed about carrying my violin case home on the bus.... . So I 'd keep 'forgetting' to bring it home and then never do any practice!

SG am sure your daughter won't be like me . . . But be prepared for sone screechy twinkle twinkles.

[Otta]

My daughter is only 2, but I'm hoping she'll show interest in guitar when she's older. I like the idea of giving her my Les Paul and a top hat when she joins her first band!

[supergolden88]

With a Les Paul involved it would be a crime if she didn't join a band!

[Otta]

I would be wary of any teacher that suggests flute or clarinet so young

I didn't know this, interesting.

I was a brass player, starting on the cornet in what would now be year 5, so I guess I was 9ish. Then moved to trumpet a year later, and carried that on through secondary / uni. Back when I was in school, I think the earliest anyone would be given the chance to play a brass or woodwind instrument (besides the recorder), would be year 4.

That was rather a long time ago though.

Would voice lessons be a possibility? Saves forking out on an expensive instrument too!

[Otta]

With a Les Paul involved it would be a crime if she didn't join a band!

Exactly right! She was wearing a black vest with the Guns n' roses logo, & "sweet child o' mine" on the front, when she was about 6 months old >:D<

[katgod]

My parents wasted, in my view, a lot of money on suzuki violin lessons for me. 2 or 3 years, no great talent, and, annoyingly, not even the ability to read music at the end of it. and the 'showing off' part , as referred to in a previous post above, can be very counter productive, it was for me anyway I just wanted to sit down at the first opportunity at the concerts.