Nord User Forum

So we've all heard that teaching your kids how to play the piano or some music instrument will help them become successful in marketing, business, math etc. However, is there any real data behind this. I've been coming across tons of new articles that outright say it doesn't matter. As all kids are not into music. They may have other things they are interested in. Not all kids are same. Would you teach (I almost want to use the word force) to play the piano at an early age?

All kids should have/get the opportunity to play an instrument, whatever instrument that is. You could (slightly) direct them to a piano, but if they really don't want to play piano, it wil not work.
I wish my parents put me on pianolessons. I can say that now, but I'm not sure if it would have worked for me.

I've bought my daughter (6 years old) a cheap Casio piano that she can play with (since I only allow her to play my Nord Stage together with me)
I also have a cheap guitar in the house - hoping that easy access could trigger some interest. But I guess children need to see other children perform to catch an interest in playing.

I played classic piano a couple of years around the age of 8, but I lost interest - If I was 8 today - and someone had shown me how to play piano from guitar chords in Ultimate Guitar app where all new pop-songs are easy accessible, and possibilities to transpose to an easy key - I would newer stopped playing for 30 years.. (I took it up again turning 40)

I was blessed than my mother was close to be a Classical concert piano player....Her Dad didn't want her to leave the family house to go to the Concervatory of Paris....But she paid for Piano lessons for all of us, 4 kids, for years, but I'm the only one who catched up pretty fast and who was even asking more at the age of 15 (I started at the age of 6...). When I finished my business school, I Immediately took again sone jazz lessons and arrangements/improvisation...
So, if you have the cash for it, just do it, it could take years for kids to realized that it's awonderfull opportunity and that it's part of your education....
Ok, at that time I was not spending 3.5 hours (statistics average for how muck kids spend every day on their cell...) on my cell but rather one hour per day practicing....And when I was not that much into it some days she was always with me insisting that it was like doing homework....But way funnier so....
Besides all the studies, it's all joy to know how to play an instrument so, don't bothe with studies, if you can afford that, go ahead...

I would not force a child to learn an instrument. I think making music is only 1 piece in a puzzle of having interested, smart or “clever” children. My children ask as they were 5, 6 years old to learn guitar. And they have to ask more than one times before we start paying them lessons. We buy them good sounding classic guitars. And they are still playing guitar after 6 years or so.

One of our children tries out piano as he was about 8 but he doesn’t like to play it. 3 years later he asked again he likes to play an instrument so we checked out different instruments. On the end he likes to play accordion (with knobs). And now, after 3 years he plays in an ensemble.

I think music helps that the brain gets not lacy. It helps for coordinate the hands (left right side). You have to read the notes and transfer it to the hands. So it’s a kind of brain training.

Music is language. You don't force your kids to learn to speak you simple immerse them in it.

In the same way every child should have some music instruction and the earlier the better.

exposure to music helps to expand brain function, in much the same way as learning multiple languages does.

Teach them to play checkers and chess early too, as it enhances the ability to think forward (planning for future events).

cgrafx wrote:Music is language. You don't force your kids to learn to speak you simple immerse them in it.

Great responses guys. I don't care what path my kid takes, if they enjoy music, then I will fully encourage them. Whether it re-wires their brain to become Mozart or Steve Jobs. As long as they are happy, vibrant and live full lives, that's all I care about. Cheers!

cgrafx wrote:Music is language. You don't force your kids to learn to speak you simple immerse them in it.

Perfect.

Even if you cannot force someone into playing music, I think I must give my kids the opportunity to do so.
And by listening to music all the time, singing with them, letting them playing on the piano, drumming on plastic boxes with wooden spoons etc... you immerse them with music so they don't even realise that. It becomes a natural part of their live. They know it exists.
Whether they want to go on with learning is up to them (and certainly not mandatory). But at least they get the chance, which is my role.

I taught piano to one of my sons when he was young, and it kind of backfired on me. He's in his final year as a music major (french horn) at the Manhattan School of Music.

We started his older brother on guitar lessons when he was young. He failed horribly at music, and went on to become an engineer.

No point here. Just my experience.

For what it's worth, he is an incredible horn player. The best sight reader I've ever met. For those who don't know about the horn, a lot of the traditional music is not written in the same key as the horn, so you have to transpose as you read. I'm just amazed at how he does it.