Do you play an instrument and how old when you when you started?

[Magic Birdie]

Just a random poll out of curiosity. I started piano when I was 7-8, though I didn't take lessons for a year. (Ooh, I haven't gone on BYC for a while and almost forgot I'm not allowed to post my age). Let's just say that it means I've been playing for a couple years, not too much. I sometimes feel bad about not being able to play as well as the people who started when they were four. (I kind of get the feeling that I can't do very much that I know isn't true quite often)

 

[FarmerMama7]

If you have the opportunity to be in your school's band or orchestra, DO IT! I took piano lessons when I was 5-7, and started playing the violin in 6th grade. I wasn't as good as the kids who had started playing at age 4, but it was so much fun! We got to do fun things like traveling to perform and compete (we got to spend a week in Hawaii for a competition, where we got gold for our performance) and because there's only one orchestra in each school, you'll get to be with the same people until you graduate. I wasn't into sports, so it was nice to have a 'team' to be on, and in 10th grade I met a cute cellist whom I ended up marrying

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Played around with the harmonica as a kid then picked up the trumpet for middle school band. Have not touched a trumpet in 15 years or so now but I have harmonicas all over the place. Its called playing for a reason. Play an have fun, good will come once you stop caring an just have fun.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I highly recommend that everyone takes music lessons of some sort. Doesn't matter what instrument or how long you take lessons providing you do it long enough to learn how to read music and understand the language of music.

I took piano from age 6 to about 12 but can't play squat! I was a lousy student with a lazy left hand BUT I learned how to read music and I really enjoyed choir. So, I sang all through high school and then in church and later in community choirs and then in several musical performances with a community theater group. It ultimately led me to the job I've had for the past 3 years at a performing arts venue.

I made sure my children all had either music lessons or sang in choir. Two of them sang with a choir up and down the Atlantic seaboard during the summers. One excelled at cello and performed in a competition at the Kennedy Center in DC. His orchestra won, too!

If you get a chance to learn an instrument or sing in a choir - DO IT!! While it may only be a pleasant hobby now, you never know where it might lead. In my case, it ended up leading me to a mid-life career change!

 

[MeatKing]

I never took any sort've music lesson's and can not read music. But I just started my dd 7, at Piano lesson's, she's had 2 so far. And dd 4 will be starting, in Sept.
I feel bad or not smart.. lol , as dd is explaining things to me.. But she enjoys it. This music teacher comes to the school, and pulls them put've class once per week. When her class teacher says it's ok. (Thank-fully, both my girls are in the top of their class, so I don't mind them missing the 30 min.) We had been on this waiting list for over a year...

Someone told me, they should learn piano first, then, after that if they want they can switch to gutiare, vilon, or fiddle. Is this true?


Oh I I long for them to play the fiddle, grew up with a big family of uncles, whom played instruments. always loved the fiddle.

I hope they keep it up, they say it's good for brain devolpment?

 

[Lothiriel]

I started on recorder when I was probably 5 or so, then moved to piano around 8, back to recorder at 10, and then guitar at 14. I've stayed there, although I'm planning to try cello soon.