How young can you start Violin lessons?

[Blackandblue]

Is 4 years old too young?

How do you determine whether they will have any proficiency before coughing up for instruments?

 

[alecstilleyedye]

just to warn you, a badly played violin is torture.

 

[wafflycat]

Reiterating the warning... violin beginners do not make music, they make the sound of a stangulated banshee.

That apart - check with local autority as regards music schemes on loan of instrument to children. Kids start with scaled down versions of full-size instrument. You can buy a beginner's vilin for under £100 but I have a feeling these are the equivalent of buying a bicycle from a supermarket...

 

[Blackandblue]

Thanks - already enjoying early stage drumming. Not sure which would be worse.

 

[Mr Pig]

a badly played violin is torture.

Seconded, don't do it!

A guitar can make fairly pleasant noises after a relatively short time of learning but violins are totally different. Ten years of violin goes something like, appalling, appalling, appalling, appalling, appalling, perfect! You will have to listen to years of some of the most aggravating sounds imaginable. One of my neighbors has been playing the violin for years, I'm not sure how long but it's more than ten, and it still makes your teeth hurt.

 

[Mr Pig]

already enjoying early stage drumming. Not sure which would be worse.

Violin. A lot worse.

 

[johnnyh]

as someone who inflicted violin torture on his parents many moons ago, there is no way I would head down that road with my kids

 

[Noodley]

I would encourage any child of mine to wait until they have left home before starting violin lessons.

 

[Blackandblue]

Blimey. That's not looking very encouraging for the poor mite. For some reason my son has it in his head that he wants to learn the violin and that is all he has been asking for for Christmas. Considering his musical tastes range from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Razorlight to Coldplay to AC/DC I am struggling to understand where he has got this fascination from. But I'm reluctant to suppress his enthusiasm. Perhaps I shall try and "redirect" his enthusiasm.

 

[wafflycat]

as someone who inflicted violin torture on his parents many moons ago, there is no way I would head down that road with my kids

Ah yes... I too was one of those offspring.

 

[Mr Pig]

Perhaps I shall try and "redirect" his enthusiasm.

Let's face it, the violin doesn't sound 'that' good when it's played correctly. It's a bit like vinegar, ok in small doses when it's served with something else but you would not want a lot of it on its own!

 

[wafflycat]

Blimey. That's not looking very encouraging for the poor mite. For some reason my son has it in his head that he wants to learn the violin and that is all he has been asking for for Christmas. Considering his musical tastes range from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Razorlight to Coldplay to AC/DC I am struggling to understand where he has got this fascination from. But I'm reluctant to suppress his enthusiasm. Perhaps I shall try and "redirect" his enthusiasm.

Piano? You can get an electronic one these days - takes up far less space than a grand piano in the corner of the drawing room...

Guitar? Again - electric ones easy to tune (with small bit of kit) and headphones can be plugged in so the player hears the noise, err.. music, but those around are in blissful ignorance

Recorder? Good starter and cheap compared to many instruments

 

[summerdays]

I learnt the violin and could play all those awful sounds as a kid too... so when mine wanted to learn the violin we went for a taster session at their school and managed to steer them in the direction of a cello (though it did take up more space), and due to it being an underplayed instrument they even lent us the cello's. They can start learning the violin from Reception at my kids' school but then its a very pro-music school with a very enthusiastic teacher.

 

[vernon]

Ah yes... I too was one of those offspring.

Me too but I recovered and I now play the bag pipes.....

The original poster should count his blessings that his offspring is unaware of the full spectrum of pain inducing musical instruments

 

[ChrisKH]

My eight year old plays (I use that word loosely) the piano and violin. He is giving up the violin after Xmas, if you get my meaning.

School Nazis want him to continue but he is further ahead with his piano playing and it's easier on the ear. Anyone else got personal experience in playing two instruments? Are there any advantages to continuing?