Because of my son`s extreme desire for anything musically related my husband and I would like to introduce the violin and possibly the piano within the next year. Our son is currently 20 months old(he`ll be 2 in March `04), but of course we are always looking towards the future.

Unfortunately I sing opera and play non string instruments, an know nothing of violins and where to begin with a young one. My son`s strong interest in music and the ability to keep a steady beat has me searching for a little more info on early teaching and figured we`d start with the piano and or violin. Piano I can handle for the first few years, though as for the violin, I`m clueless except how to read the music...lol

If anyone can suggest an age to begin, what type of violin and extras for a young tot, I`d really appreciate your info!

Thanks!
Brianna

I started playing the Cello at about 12 years old (6th grade) and started playing the violin at about 20 years old and I`m 21 now. The youngest I would start someone at playing a instrument is at 4 years old atleast. Oh, I live in the state of Georgia where strings teachers, teach kids in middle and high school how to play either the Violin, Viola, Cello or Bass. Having a good strings teach is a plus+++.

I recommend that you read this list of messages.

http://www.8notes.com/forum/31_25223.asp

Wonderful! Thank you so much for the info! This is perfect! We`ll start with the piano and once he`s able to read music and has the patience to really learn technique we`ll start with the violin lessons.

Since violin prices seem to increase every year, I`d love to pick one up now for when he is of age.(4 or so) Can you suggest an appropriate size and or brand.

Once again, thank you for all the info! Much appreciated!

Brianna

I`m not sure that`s such a good idea: there`s a lot of time for the set up to go wrong if its sitting around doing nothing.

liz

I have read that children can start as young as two with the suzuki method. My cousin started when she was three and she has done very well, but I think it depends on the child. I started taking piano lessons when I was four and violin when I was seven.
Here is a good article comparing the Suzuki method and the Tradition method: http://www.suzuki-violin.com/suzuki_violin_vstraditionalviolin.htm

There is more about the Suzuki method here: http://www.suzukimusicacademy.com/

Thanks Suzzie!

Those are great articles! I actually made a few calls tonight and found a fabulous instructor in Montreal (about 1hr30min from us) through an old faculty friend back at NCSA who strictly deals with children starting as young as 2! Now I don`t want to push my son into anything, but it should be interesting to sit in on one of her master classes to see the whole process and get a better feel of when it will be best for our son to begin.

Thanks again for all the articles!

Why would anyone would want to start there kids soo young anyways?????

**warning..sorry if this is so defensive**

The only reason why I would ever even consider encouraging my son`s musical sense is if he were showing signs of interest and if it was something that was fun for him. I started piano at 3 years of age and began professionally singing at the age of 5.....my choice, I loved the piano and would sit there for hours playing songs by ear first...then learning how to read sheet music once I was able to read my kiddy books. Obviously once I was playing the piano, I would hum or sing my pieces before I would play them. I later was tested and was found to have perfect pitch. (what a bittersweet blessing....ever hear that one instrument in the orchestra a quarter tone shap that just kills the whole performance? Or that awful singer who just can`t approach a pitch correctly....) I thank my parent`s tremendously for encouraging and harvesting my talent at such a young age.(though I guess it doesn`t hurt when my father is a well known musician...thanks dad for your genes!) The key thing is...they never pushed or forced me to perform. They always wanted it to be something I loved. Because of that I now sing opera professionally(we`re not talking chorus parts either) , while I`m also able to pull off playing several wind instruments and love that I have the opportunity to perform world wide.

Now I want to make things clear....I`m not the crazy parent who pushes and pushes their child into becoming a musician trying to convince themself their child is a prodigy. ....hell, my husband played for a pro football team, and well....he would rather see my son tossing a football around than pick up an instrument...lol I just want to open the doors to my son...especially since he is the one looking for more, not I.

Why should I deny him the opportunity, just because of his age? I am only searching for something to satisfy his curiosity in music, not trying to create the next child prodigy here.

Music-Genes, now that`s funny!

There are two types of musicians....those who are naturally talented and those who have a learned talent....

The last 7 generations of our family seemed to have fallen into the first....so I credit my parents for giving me the internal desire to perform...and the natural ability to captivate my audience even before I open my mouth. I guess music goes way beyond notes on a piece of paper to me....just a passion you are born with.

Can`t someone have both?

Well you have to be carfull about starting them soo young that they learn to hate it. It does happen, I ve seen it happen to a friend. They decided to do piano at 6 and she pushed to complete the grades and it has put her of playing the piano even though she is really good and enjoys music.
But I think starting a kid on instruments at an early age would work very well as long as you know they have motivation.

Sean - Actually, I don`t believe there is. There is a complete difference between someone who has a natural ability to perform well...it just comes easily to them and with proper technique and training can absolutely blow you away....while on the other hand you have someone who might have the heart, but not the natural ability to pick things up as easily and depend more soley on learning technique....they`re more dependant upon intricate training than some one who has a natural feel or talent.

Basically you can teach anyone to sing....but it really takes a certain breed to make an audience cry. I see it time and time again....you can especially see it with younger singers and instrumentalists. Yes, they might play the all the notes and it could be the performance of their lifetime....though to make a violin really sing....it not only takes technique but the heart....passion, life experiences and the natural ability they are born with to set them apart from the rest. Maybe in 10 years you`ll be able to understand all this, or maybe under different instruction you`ll be taught this....it`s one of the most important lessons you learn if you ever want to suceed professionally in this industry. Violinsts are a dime a dozen hon,


FRogg - I completely agree with you! Once it stops becoming fun and enjoyable and their passion is gone, I could never force them to continue. I was never forced and would never force that upon my child. I actually had a roomate in school who was forced to train since she was 8....I mean competitions after competitions....always practicing...always performing...she never really had a childhood...and she left school after her second year...she was so fed up and so upset with her parents for depriving her of a life, outside of the music realm.

This is what I`m totally against. I just want to see where things will go, and help give him the tools to express himself through music. If he decides to pick up his football instead of his violin....know that I`ll be cheering in the stands with a painted face and pom poms

I am 13 years old. I think your son shouldn`t start to play a complicated instrumenmt like the violin until at least age 11. Thats when I started.