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One of the most frequently asked questions we’re asked is ‘what is the best instrument for my child to learn as a beginner’. We find ourselves giving the same answer all the time, so what better way of answering this question for you lovely parents of potential musicians than by blogging about it! How very 2015!
Before we start…
Learning the piano is right at the top of the most ‘useful’ instruments to learn and is probably the most popular with first time learners. Obvious benefits include being able to read two clefs (basically, like being able to speak two languages) from the earliest grades, whilst students learning single line instruments only learn one clef and may struggle in later grades. The piano is a must if you’re serious about developing excellent musicianship in your child, but its worth knowing that progress can be much slower than in any other discipline because of the added difficulty in terms of co-ordination, dexterity and music reading, all of which is taught in the earlier stages of learning. Learning the piano can seem twice as difficult in comparison to other instruments in the beginner phase. Little pianists can take up to 3 years to feel like they can actually ‘play’, and that’s no reflection on their teaching, its just down to the fact that there is MUCH more to learn on the piano. Depending on the student, slow progress can put an early end to a potentially happy, long musical life. Additionally, pianists cant participate in school ensembles and you will need to invest in a decent piano for significant onward progress past Grade 2, which can be costly!
Perhaps piano isn’t always the correct answer so here are a few helpful tips to help you to find the best fit for your little Musician…
1. Choose an Instrument that will suit their age and physical ability
Younger students (between age 4-6) can find sitting still tricky and depending on their height and hand size/dexterity, some instruments may be to tough to handle. Consider instruments that are played in a standing posture like the recorder, violin or singing. You can buy half or even quarter sized instruments for smaller bodied students. Drum kit lessons are great for energetic little people where learning piano often requires stronger fingers, and is better suited to beginners of around age 7. Do approach instruments that require refined motor skills and co-ordination such as harp, some brass and electric guitar with caution for your first-timer. Luckily, music is music, so we recommend choosing an easier instrument to handle so that your young musician can start learning to read music before moving on to these larger, more cumbersome instruments.
2. Choose an instrument that fits with your family lifestyle
You’ll end up having an instrument in your home, where your kids will need to practice on it frequently! Perhaps that double bass isn’t such a good idea! Why not think about Instruments that break down into smaller parts like the Flute, Clarinet or Oboe.
3. Choose an instrument that you can afford
Even though pianos cost considerably more than other instruments, it is a one off cost, and you’re always able to find an instrument for good value at auction or in your local ‘bargain pages’. If your child chooses the violin, assuming that they begin on a 1/4 sized instrument, you may find yourself buying up to 4 new violins before they stop growing! There are many cheaper alternatives should you choose Brass (check out Tromba) but in general, recorders, flutes and guitars tend to be the cheaper instruments to start on. You may also want to consider carefully WHO you learn with. There are advantages to learning with a larger organisation where instrument hire is available, and *shameless plug alert*, we are ourselves an organisation that offer instrument hire as part of our learning packages. Yippeeee!
4. Choose an instrument that will be useful in your child’s later life
In the early stages of learning, being able to READ music is often more important than playing marvellously. Choose an instrument that will instil good musical literacy first, which could then also complement moving on to a ‘harder’ instrument to play. Singing is perfect for this! Not only will a student learn to internalise melody and sight sing, it complements moving on to woodwind instruments, as their understanding of how to use breath is already considerable.
5. Think about their Secondary School
Most children in the UK now have to compete for entry into better senior schools on musical grounds. If you want to set your kids apart from the thousands of pianists that will audition at the same time, we suggest aiming to study a rare instrument like the Harp, Cello, Oboe, Cornet or Baroque Recorder.
Any Questions or something to add? Just comment below! We’ll answer you straight away.
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