What is a good age to start a child on an instrument.?

Question:She is 6 and loves music. I was thinking piano or violin.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: She is 6 and loves music. I was thinking piano or violin.

Well, of course most people might say piano just because it teaches you both clefs and you just have to press a key to make a sound....

BUT

I say violin!

I started violin when I was 4 through the Suzuki program and then 2 years later learned piano. Suzuki method teaches young students to play by rote first (meaning copying) and reading notes second. They incorporate games to make what others deem as "difficult" very easy for little ones to do! You'd be surprised how easily a young child can manuever the bow despite the opinions on this page. They are big in immersing little ones in music as if it were a second language. I can't say enough how successful this is when it's done right w/good parental support. Your child will have a huge advantage over others later on if she starts violin now.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: I should also point out that, yes, I wanted to quit after a few years, but my parents didn't let me--look where I am now--career in music--plus had most of my college tuition paid for with music scholarships. When they feel success on it (which it through fun practice), they will want to play and the opposite is true--just keep encouraging and staying firm--I think--until high school--then they can decide for themselves.

E-mail me if you have any more questions!

maybe 5 and older,piano would be the better choice

I think 6 or 7 is the perfect age. The piano would be a great instrument to get her started on...eventually she can incorporate singing.

I'm turning you in you pervert

I totally agree with the first answerer. Piano will give the child a very good understanding of the construction of music as well as the ability to perform it.

It is never to Early to start a child on an instrument as long as it is not to big for him. Playing instruments help children in school to.

6 is a perfect age for piano, and unless she REALLY has a strong preference for another instrument, it is the place to start. Expose her to other instruments and after a year or two, if she wants to play something else,she'll have a good musical foundation.
Oh, give her a chance to play a harp!! ; )
ImaHarper

5start a child on an instrument

Oh gosh, 4 years old is a good age to start on Piano for sure. With your little girl being 6 years old, Piano would be a great way to start. Piano will teach her how to read notes, and how to do the scales up and down, teach her timing, and beat etc. Once she has that down, I believe Violin will be a bit easier for her to learn. Both my niece's learned Clarinet, and Violin when they were in 6th, 7th grade and they learned from scratch. They were pretty good. But they never kept up on it. I truly believe it's best to start children when they are young, like your daughter. Since she loves music, she will love to learn how she can make beautiful music as well as listen to it. :-) I play piano. By ear that is, and by whomever teaches me their songs. I begged and begged my parents to give me lessons. They couldn't afford it. I still play, but I'm stuck playing the same songs. I do know how to read notes some because my Granny taught me and I put myself through piano lessons for a couple of months, then had to quit because it is expensive. But I'm limited on what I can play with reading notes because I never got the chance to advance in it.
I think it's great that you are looking into giving your daughter piano or violin lessons. Either one, she will do fabulous at! If you can afford it, give her lessons in both. :-)
Best wishes!

5 or 6 years old. When she starts learning ABC, it's a good time for her to starts so she can learn theory and read the pieces as well.

There is not really a standard age to start to learn an instrument. It depends on the instrument and on the child. For example for a five or six year old to start on the double bass or a trombone or something that one also needs physical power for, would be a very bad idea.
I think that would be a good age to start on the piano. Also on the violin, but you must realise that the beginning on a bowed string instrument is much more difficult than on the piano. Maybe start with piano and add the violin or switch over to violin later, if she wants that? Of course it depends also on what the child wants to learn to play.

Start on piano. When the child gets a little bit older stop the piano (unless the child absolutely loves it) and switch to another instrument (most likely one in band for school). By already loving music and knowing how to read it your child will really have a leg up!

My mom started teaching me violin when I was around 4 years old. I don't play the violin now, but that early exposure to music has helped me now that I am older. I play the French horn now, but playing the piano and violin when I was young made reading music so much easier when I got older and joined my school's band. You are never to young to start learning about music, it will just help you when you grow up and want to learn more about it. Good luck!!

I think that you should start them on piano as soon as you can. If they hate it, let them drop out: they are never going to like it if you force them. When they are old enough to decide for themselves what instrument they want let them, it will make them all the more passionate about it if they choose themselves. By starting out with piano, they will already be able to read music.