Learning a noisy musical instruments

[VinSumRox]

I recommend bagpipes.

 

[icowden]

He is only 16 months old at present. I am not sure if he will be musical or someone who can apply himself. What you say sounds like sense.

Bit early yet then :-)

Best age to start (unless you have a Mozart) is around 5. If they enjoy music you'll be able to tell a bit earlier. The number one thing to get a child interested in music is free access to instruments and music. Simple as.

From about the age of two I always went to play my uncles piano when I visited them. My grandma therefore decided we needed a piano and lessons when I was 5.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I recommend bagpipes.

I was offered a set not so long ago. I mentioned it to my neighbour and was told that she'd kill me personally if I started to learn! 🤣

I am trying to get back into playing the clarinet again (I did it at school) and I bought a (cheap) violin to try and learn, so that's plenty anyway!

 

[icowden]

I was offered a set not so long ago. I mentioned it to my neighbour and was told that she'd kill me personally if I started to learn! 🤣

Again - you can get mutes, a practice chanter etc. You can even get an electric chanter with headphones :-_

I am trying to get back into playing the clarinet again (I did it at school) and I bought a (cheap) violin to try and learn, so that's plenty anyway!

Indeed. Depending on what you want to achieve, an electric violin is much more forgiving and easier to play (in terms of tone) than an acoustic.

 

[Bazzer]

When our eldest daughter was learning the piano at home and school, we bought her an electric one with weighted keys. It solved the weight issue of an accoustic piano, as well as allowing her to practice with or without headphones. It wasn't cheap though.
There is a local bagpipe player who periodically hires during the weekend part of our village hall for his practicing.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Easy peasy - trombone and trumpet have a special gizmo called Silent Brass made by Yamaha... it's the canine's cojones. It's a mute that kills the sound escaping pretty much stone dead, but you can hear yourself sounding vaguely normal via a box of tricks. You can even take a feed out and record, but the people in the next room won't have any idea you're playing.

Sorry, it's me in the video, but... I have the thinnest walls, and the grumpiest neighbour with the most sensitive hearing, and she doesn't even know when I'm doing this...

Is that her kitchen you’ve sneaked into ? 🙃

 

[briantrumpet]

I'd never start anyone on a brass instrument before about 8yo and when the adult teeth have emerged. Before then, you can do a lot worse than a recorder, if they like a wind instrument... they can learn about tonguing and finger co-ordination, as well as reading music.

Paradoxically, though brass instruments look easy because they either have a slidey thing or just three valves, the embouchure requires the face muscles to be very very finely controlled, and TBH before about 8, a child's face muscles aren't really up to the job. Best to start when they are.

 

[secretsqirrel]

I'd never start anyone on a brass instrument before about 8yo and when the adult teeth have emerged. Before then, you can do a lot worse than a recorder, if they like a wind instrument... they can learn about tonguing and finger co-ordination, as well as reading music.

Paradoxically, though brass instruments look easy because they either have a slidey thing or just three valves, the embouchure requires the face muscles to be very very finely controlled, and TBH before about 8, a child's face muscles aren't really up to the job. Best to start when they are.

Definitely plus one for the (much maligned) recorder. It is the gateway to learning and understanding music.

It is also a very beautiful instrument in its own right, and has a repertoire covering centuries. Sarah Jeffery has a #Team Recorder channel on Youtube, which informative and highly entertaining, worth a look.

 

[briantrumpet]

Definitely plus one for the (much maligned) recorder. It is the gateway to learning and understanding music.

It is also a very beautiful instrument in its own right, and has a repertoire covering centuries. Sarah Jeffery has a #Team Recorder channel on Youtube, which informative and highly entertaining, worth a look.

You can also beatbox on it, if you want.

 

[MontyVeda]

piano lessons are possibly the best way to lay down the theory for a young learner. Unlike a guitar, the notes on a keyboard are in a logical order and things like flattening the third to go from a major to minor chord is a no brainer, same with adding a seventh. One of my friends took up bass aged 19 and he's an excellent player. He'd had piano lessons as a kid but claims he can't really play keyboards, but he did understand the theory so picking up a bass he just had to learn the technique (his words). Getting the fundamentals of how music works down when they're young means they'll be set up to learn whatever instrument they develop a passion for.

 

[Drago]

I moved to a detached house because my neighbours weren't as big a fan or the bass and Motorhead as I was.

So get him a bass, a Tascam GB10 and some headphones, and enjoy the quiet.

 

[secretsqirrel]

Nobody complained about my sax practice.
I guess I’m too scary.

 

[icowden]

Nobody complained about my sax practice.
I guess I’m too scary.

Maybe you just have sax appeal?

 

[Psamathe]

I am keen for my son to learn a musical instrument when he gets a bit older. His gran would like him to play the cello, but I was thinking more trombone, or maybe the piano. When I was a boy I was in the Air Training Corps band, playing the trumpet, but I was rubbish at it. I found it hard to practise, because the neighbours complained. Anybody have any tips?

Piano noise is not an issue. Learn keyboard and practice with headphones. Keyboards can be very low vost depending on number of octaves. Full 88 keys are more expensive. I've not seen many 72 key ones but 66 keys fine for beginners and lower cost. Spend mote to het weighted keys that redpond more like true piano.

I spent a fair amount on my 88 key one and switch without thinking between my teacher's grand piano and my electronic one on headphones (very rate for me to play through dpeakers but you get a bolume control.

Ian

 

[Psamathe]

Also, when choosing an instrument check what teachers are available anf if ghey have space for more students. When I started (piano) virtually all local teachers were full but I managed to find one 10 miles away and she was good (her teaching style suited my approach or "things clucked").

But no point in chosing to learn the <cyz> when only teacher is 100 moles away and vosts £50 a lesson.

Ian