4 year old = violin

[macmama]

I also recommend the Suzuki method, and a certified Suzuki teacher. It's a wonderful method that utilizes children's natural inclination to learn by rote and through the "mother-tongue" method.

I know a few people who now as adults "regret" learning through Suzuki, because they perceive their sight-reading chops to not be up to snuff with those of their peers, but these are people playing in major symphonies and are successful professional freelancers, so take it with a giant grain of salt. It's a great method for a young child, IMO.

 

[floriflee]

I also recommend the Suzuki method, and a certified Suzuki teacher. It's a wonderful method that utilizes children's natural inclination to learn by rote and through the "mother-tongue" method.

I know a few people who now as adults "regret" learning through Suzuki, because they perceive their sight-reading chops to not be up to snuff with those of their peers, but these are people playing in major symphonies and are successful professional freelancers, so take it with a giant grain of salt. It's a great method for a young child, IMO.

I learned piano using the Suzuki method when I was five, and can still play a few things by ear or by rote memorization (I took lessons for about two years). I have to say I can attest that my sight-reading skills are not the greatest--probably better than most since I went on to play flute and learned to read that music the old fashioned way.

 

[aristobrat]

I learned piano using the Suzuki method when I was five, and can still play a few things by ear or by rote memorization (I took lessons for about two years). I have to say I can attest that my sight-reading skills are not the greatest--probably better than most since I went on to play flute and learned to read that music the old fashioned way.

My partner composes classical music and plays the viola, so I sent him the link to this thread.

His comment (below) sounded similar to your experience.

"I hope they don't use Suzuki for too long. It can be a crutch since it teaches my rote, and children sometimes use that as a crutch and never learn to read music properly..."

 

[Lau]

My brother started playing piano when he was about 5, I think, and had shown interest in both listening and playing it before that on a beaten up old piano in our house. He's carried on with it all the way through (he's now 24) and has huge natural talent for it, and loved it all the way through, although did need a bit of prodding to practice some of the more "boring" bits like scales. I don't think 4's too young to start if it's done fairly casually and with not too much pressure on. It'll probably be pretty obvious if she likes it or not, which brings me to this:

All kids have perfect pitch at that age. They lose it more and more when it is not trained. So don't feel too special about it.

I have absolutely no concept of pitch or rhythm. I learnt the clarinet for a few years and didn't enjoy it, and had no talent for anything musical at all. I briefly flirted with guitar when I was a teenager, and could just about copy songs I knew, but still couldn't get the hang of it. I was born tone deaf, literally. So, yeah, that's not true at all.

 

[mariahlullaby]

Find a teacher who does the Suzuki method. This is aimed at very young children and teaches them music the same way they learn speech. My parents started me on Suzuki violin at age 3 (I don't play the violin anymore but have always stuck with music).

This is how I learned when I started playing at age 4 (on and off since then)> I was in a group orchestra in kindergarten; they emphasized parent involvement, and if I remember correctly, parents came to every lesson (group lesson).

I say go for the Suzuki message and let her at least try it out!

 

[Maxiseller]

I've got to disagree with the suzuki and kodaly (which is in ways similar) recommendations.

I was taught in a similar way, and found that my massive lack of theory when I was approaching grade 6+ (including an inability to sight read as I had learnt by ear) was a massive problem.

I think it's ok if you're not serious about playing, but if you're serious about your music (and if you want your daughter to have lessons with the possibility that she could become serious) then you need to have a classical grounding.

Anyway, this is the way I teach my pupils, and although it involves a little harder work at the beginning, it certainly helps their general progress. Don't forget that explaining things like keys, intervals and other diatonic-related issues are very difficult with the suzuki method which outlines only pitch relations and very little theory again. This can lead to bigger problems the further advanced you are.

In fact, I recently had a grade five pupil come to me after being taught exclusively in suzuki method and had zero knowledge of: Note length, Pitch names, sight reading left hand or right hand (this was piano) or even sign-age on scores. This was somebody who clearly knew how to play piano, but did so by ear alone.

So, my experiences with other methods have not been good; and with the classical method, I constantly get excellent exam results with young pupils (although my youngest is five). It works - but you have to put in a little hard work and make it fun!

 

[lord patton]

I'm a private music instructor (guitar, bass, and piano—not violin).

It is essential that the student have a sensory experience before being expected to understand symbols. They must play notes, then learn what to call them, and later learn how to read and write them on the staff.

From some of the comments above, I see many feel Suzuki never gets to the reading and writing part. I'll believe them, as I've never experienced Suzuki. But in the beginning stages, and at least in part, this is a good way.

Just as it's possible to ignore the reading, writing, and theory of music, it's also possible to ignore the aural skills route.

So get a private teacher who is good with kids, and sign the kid up for Suzuki as well. If funds allow, this would be a great combination. (they won't get in the way of each other).

And above all, play with her. Hell, you can play a blues progression on the piano, and she can improvise a single note rhythm on top of that. Put on a drum track, and you'll be grooving together. That's fun, and that's where it's at. Rhythm is king.

 

[beatsme]

just a suggestion

perhaps you could start your little one on a synthesizer, yea? A decent 32-key synth would give her a chance to make the sounds without having to struggle with fingering and bowing, which at her age would be (I imagine) pretty challenging.

I say this because the nature of stringed instruments is that cheap ones generally are much harder to play than good ones, and it can be terribly frustrating, especially for a child, to fight with a mediocre instrument.

also, a synth would let her play around with other sounds, like horns or woodwinds or what have you. Sounds like she has an affinity for music, so the variety a synth provides could help spark her burgeoning interest.

just a thought...
and props to you for encouraging your child to be creative

 

[emw]

I started playing violin when I was six (and later added the viola), but I'm sure that 4 is doable for certain individuals, especially if they show such tremendous interest. Unfortunately, I only stuck with it until I got into High School and then discontinued playing - something I regret almost as much as not learning piano.

It's odd, my wife and I were just talking about this sort of thing since we'd like to get our 6-year-old started on the piano. I very distinctly remember the day I decided I wanted to play the violin - I was on the playground at school talking to one of my friends, when we both decided we wanted to play the violin.

 

[annk]

perhaps you could start your little one on a synthesizer, yea? A decent 32-key synth would give her a chance to make the sounds without having to struggle with fingering and bowing, which at her age would be (I imagine) pretty challenging.

I say this because the nature of stringed instruments is that cheap ones generally are much harder to play than good ones, and it can be terribly frustrating, especially for a child, to fight with a mediocre instrument.

also, a synth would let her play around with other sounds, like horns or woodwinds or what have you. Sounds like she has an affinity for music, so the variety a synth provides could help spark her burgeoning interest.

just a thought...
and props to you for encouraging your child to be creative

This is an interesting idea, and some people feel that keyboard skills are good to have before you start out on any instrument, but I'd be a bit worried about not going with the child's own initiative. She's obviously motivated for violin, it might be a disappointment to her to have to do something else.

I've been asking around among the string colleagues I used to have when I still was a professional orchestra musician, and the general consensus seems to be a mix of all the opinions on Suzuki: Yes, Suzuki can be great for small children, and it makes it easy for non-musician parents to understand and motivate; Yes, Suzuki waits a while to introduce music reading, and that can be a disadvantage in some ways; Yes, starting out with playing by ear has it advantages...blah blah blah.

In other words, the feedback I got was that all these things (and more) are true. A couple people pointed out to me that there are teachers who basically teach in a traditional way, but who incorporate some elements of Suzuki, and that that can be a good way to get the best of both worlds.

But everyone, even the ones who were very for or against Suzuki, agreed that it depends on the child and parents as to what sort of set-up works best. One pointed out that if a child really wants to play and has aptitude for it, s/he will flourish regardless.

 

[Butler Trumpet]

Here's what I think....

Get a teacher. This is essential. If you live in a town where there is a university, call the school of music (or fine arts as it is sometimes called) and they will take care of everything for you. If you do not have access to a university in your town, then you're gonna have to drive to someplace that does or find someone in your town that can play and teach a beginner. Also, you need to check if the high schools in your area have an orchestral, or string program.

With what people are saying about Suzuki, it has its pros and cons. Its great because a young child (and 4 is not the youngest kids start with Suzuki) can come out of class pretty early and play a tune without the troubles of learning to read music. However, later in live it does become a problem for kids that dont want to learn to read music now that they can already play some things by ear. If they stick with Suzuki, and get over the hurdle of reading music, then they can be great. Many violinists in professional orchestras today started out on Suzuki... so it can be done as long as you stick with it.

My accreditation: I have a Bachelors in Music (trumpet performance) from Butler University and the Jordan College of Fine Arts, and in 3 months I will have a Masters in Music from the University of Louisville. I play Auxiliary trumpet with the Louisville Orchestra, have toured europe twice, and am going again this summer to Germany and Ireland with my Brass Quintet.

 

[twistedlegato]

I started to play piano when i was 10......it has been 3 years now.

I started out with an American teacher all nice and easy, i played good but with very bad quality.

I then switched piano teachers from an easy American teacher (No offence to Americas! ) to an absolutly crazy Russian teacher who has been play piano for about 50 years. She pushes me to to the impossible for what a person has only play 3 years. I do very hard pices for my age, and time i have been playing, most people that know music think that my detail is amazing, and that i sound like i have been playing since I was like 6.

If i could of started earlyer i would have. Piano is one of my passions. Though she is 4 years old and might lose interest or might find it very difficult (vilolen is EXTREMELY hard to master) and just give it up. I say wait until she is 5 then get her into it, make it her BIRTHDAY PRESENT (a violen and lessons).