11 Plus Exams Forum

My DS loves to play musical instruments. He is learning the guitar and the piano and he loves it. He does get on my nerves sometimes at home with his practice but I try to keep calm . I do like instruments but I am getting old I think . Now he wants to learn more instruments he has the flute in mind at the moment and wants to learn some others to know how it is. I told him if he starts learning these in school he will not be able to learn anything else properly because they don't have a separate lesson time for music. I am thinking may be he can include the flute in his secondary.
I feel that 2 instruments is enough for a child so that he can learn it properly or even master one of it, and he will have enough time for other things. Has anyone gone through this? Does anyone's DS learn more than 2 instruments? Am I right about this or wrong?
I learnt 2 as well and another one (self taught) after my O/L and that's it. I think he has got my passion, but this I don't know what to think. What do I tell him? Would learning more than 2 instruments hinder his learning in the secondary school? Because there is no point of learning if he does not have the time to practice his instrument with his homework and sports is there?

My DD currently does piano but also wants to start flute so she can join the orchestra. I said she needed to have passed grade 2 piano before starting something new as by then she would be in a good practice routine. This will pretty much coincide with the start of yr 6. Since her 11+ exam will now be on 1st October she can just start gently for that first month and then crack on after the exam.
The thing I haven't worked out yet is where she will do the new lessons. She does piano and extra curricular speech and drama at school but has to miss out on art or PE for these lessons. I don't think there's scope to fit anything else in during the school day which means finding an external teacher.

The two instruments he is learning are restricted in the groups he could join. Piano is mainly a 'solo' instrument and, although there are guitar groups these tend to be limited.

The flute is pleasant to listen to and can be played in lots of groups - wind bands, orchestra, flute choir, jazz groups ...

It is also very easy to transport - let him try it and see how he gets on.

Can you tell I've attended lots of concerts over the years both as a teacher and parent?

I have an irritating musical child also, and we have it on good authority that one should pursue no more than 2 instruments until one has reached grade 5( in both, either, who knows) , then as many as you like after that.

Edited because I note your child is younger, but we didn't start a second instrument till grade 2 ish piano level

Firstly, I would always suggest not having a peripatetic music teacher during school lessons. The obvious reason is that the child is removed from academic lessons but the parent, generally, has little or no contact with the peri. Some peri's are excellent but on the whole they tend to be the teachers who are not busy and a parent doesn't research the teacher - they get whatever teacher the school happens to have on its books at the time.

My son played three instruments at one point: piano, bassoon and double bass. This was easy to manage pre-grade 5 because the syllabus and pieces are short. However, once DS reached grade 6 on bassoon the practice required was too lengthy to fit in the double bass so it has been dropped. If your child is not a huge fan of the guitar then I would drop it, for now, for a wind instrument. He will make quite fast progress initially because of his piano knowledge and his musicianship will improve because he will be participating in orchestras. I'd suggest flute, clarinet or oboe because of its transportability but not everyone can produce a sound on the latter two.

DS won't learn anymore instruments until he has passed grade 8 bassoon. It is quite common for a child to get to grade 8 on another wind instrument within a year if they are already grade 8 on another wind instrument.

As Guest55 said it would be great for your DS to take up an instrument that can be played in his school band or orchestra. It is very enjoyable for them and they get so much out of it. How wonderful that he is so keen.

My DD ( a clarinet player) has recently decided she wants to play the flute. Knowing the blowing technique is unusual we decided to buy her a fife to try at home first. It is basicly a recorder that you play like a flute, and only costs about £5 so if they don't get on with it there's no great loss. She is currently having great fun with it.

Good idea

I agree with LFH. DS played the piano for a couple of years at primary school and then started the cornet too. Sadly, he's now dropped (hopefully temporarily? ) the piano.

I think 2 instruments are more than enough to practice on top of homework but I can see that the argument for an instrument that you could play in an ensemble of some kind is a good one.

My eldest DD plays the piano and wants to take up a second instrument. She wants singing lessons. I have tried to encourage the flute instead but she is adament about the singing. She does have a beautiful voice and is in the school choir, but does the voice have any credibility as an instrument for, say, GCSE Music? (She's only in Year 7 at the moment.)