What age to start violin?

[dimmu]

DD is five and has been saying for a while that she'd like to learn how to play violin.

I'm not a pushy parent but at the same time it would be nice to support her if she shows interest in something.

Is it worth giving it a go now or wait a couple of years to see if the interest is still there? Ideally I'd like it to be something she wants to do and enjoys, I wouldn't force her to do anything she doesn't want and I'm worried if she starts too early it will put her off.

 

[lau86]

I think I started about 5 or 6 I can't quite remember but I did my grade one at 7 so I'd been playing a while then. I think it's a good age to start if she's interested

 

[dimmu]

lau86, thank you for your response. Nice to hear the opinion of someone who actually played themselves as a kid. I have never learned to play any kind of instrument so a bit clueless when it comes to these things. But of course I'm not gonna let that stop DD if it's something she wants to do.
Think I'm gonna loook into it, and hopefully she could have some sort of trial lesson to see if it is something that she really wants to do.

 

[Quartz]

I have started DD out on a recorder (its a cheap and easy way to master the basics) she has been learning it for a year and will do so for another year I think before moving onto a violin.

It was partly cost really to check out that she was keen and interested, and also to get her to the stage where a medium sized Junior violin would make sense, She will move on knowing her treble and bass clefs and having a strong theory foundation.

She has also just started the piano (partly as we have one) and she is enjoying that too

 

[emyandpotato]

I started violin lessons at the beginning of Year 2. The teacher said at the time it's the youngest he'd take. I'd say that's a good age as I was able to pick it up quickly and was disciplined enough to practice. Was in the Manchester Youth Orchestra within two years. Any younger and I think they may struggle. My two best friends also learnt but one who had an August birthday so was 6 months younger than me struggled and was just that tiny bit too young I think.

 

[lau86]

I started violin lessons at the beginning of Year 2. The teacher said at the time it's the youngest he'd take. I'd say that's a good age as I was able to pick it up quickly and was disciplined enough to practice. Was in the Manchester Youth Orchestra within two years. Any younger and I think they may struggle. My two best friends also learnt but one who had an August birthday so was 6 months younger than me struggled and was just that tiny bit too young I think.

One of my earliest memories is playing it horribly for my family!! My first one was one of those terrible chinese ones aswell. It sounded like strangled cats!

 

[dimmu]

Thanks everyone! I think I will leave it until next year and see if she still keeps talking about it. Might her a proper recorder though , she only has toy ones at the moment that you can't really play with.

 

[AP]

I started with a recorder at 6 and moved to a cello at 7 x

 

[Moomette]

One of DD1s friends has been playing the violin for alnost a year now and started around her 4th birthday. Her parents are professional musicians though, so don't know if that would make a difference.

 

[Rags]

DS asked me at the beginning of this year if he could learn violin - a few months before his 5th birthday. I held off for a wee while but he asked again and I decided to go for it while he was interested. He had his first lesson the week before he finished nursery for the summer and has had 5 or 6 since (my work doesn't allow for me to book regular weekly lessons). He is enjoying it and spent the first few lessons working on reading music and rhythm because his arm was to short to reach the strings to learn other notes. He can now reach where he needs to and is starting to do more.
I am lucky enough to work with quite a few musicians and have taken advice from them which included giving him lessons but also not pushing him constantly, letting him stop for a while if he wants and then come back to it a month or so later. I have also been able to borrow a violin that is the correct size and I know that I can also borrow the next size up when the time comes so I'm not having the expense of buying an instrument that will only last him for a year or so.
His lessons aren't long, normally about 20 minutes at a time (which a piano teacher friend has told me is the usual at his age). Although I encourage practice I don't force it. Since starting school he has told me that he is finding it difficult to do his home work, practice his violin, play with friends and have a shot on his tablet all before bed! So at the moment I am sticking with 1 violin lesson during the week and practice at the weekend and week day evenings are for homework and playing.

 

[dimmu]

Thanks for the responses.

Rags I like the sound of your approach. I think I will leave it for a few months, DD only started reception a month ago and is still getting used to the new routine. I will probably look into the violin sometime next year if she still seems keen, and if she can fit it around school and homework. I'll probably book a taster lesson for sometime next year if I can find somewhere that can provide a violin as well, would be reluctant to buy one in case she doesn't like it after all.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Rags]

Ds had a lesson today and yesterday to get him to practice while his big cousin was in I suggested he teach her what he has learned so far and let her try. He was delighted to do this and really chuffed that she understood enough to have a go. His school have also asked parents to help our children set an achievable goal to work on at home which they can then add to their profile at school, he's decided that rather than keep his room tidy or learn to tie his laces he'll aim to practice his violin 3 times a week for 10 minutes.

 

[dimmu]

That's brilliant! So nice that he really wants to do that himself.

My hubby decides to join the parents' choir at school and a couple of the parents attending were professional musicians. Hopefully they might be able to give advice on where to get started or whom to contact for lessons. I'm really clueless myself having never played anything and DH's musical experience is limited to heavy metal and blues bands!

 

[Rags]

That's brilliant about your husband - it is hard enough when you have no musical background, any advice from musicians is welcome. After some advice from a conductor friend I've spent ages trying to find a group of young learners that my son can join, my friend says it's much easier if they are learning with others. It turns out that there are loads of people/places holding group lessons for 1 - 5 year olds (pre-schoolers) and for age 8 up but absolutely nothing for the 5 - 8's, really truly nothing!!!! I'm toying with the idea of speaking to someone about trying to set up a small group of even 4 or 5 youngsters and might ask around to see if there is a teacher willing to take it on if I find the participant.