The Rolling "Your Children and their Music Lessons" thread

(that's from today's BBC Magazine page)

A&A have just started on their piano/guitar lessons, about half a terms worth so far, and are both still keen. There is/are some violin/cello lessons also, but that's a temporary thing for a 'school orchestra' assembly, presumably happening fairly soon.

Why are violin lessons so popular?

... murder to play well and murder to listen to when not played well

I know, I did Violin for a while, only good for tube busking and sessions with the Wonder stuff.

(not me, I mean.. whoever.)

The recorder has NO redeeming features as an instrument.

Of course it hasn't but I suppose it's easy to learn and eay to learn the basics of music on - unlike the violin

We had to share recorders at school and some were like fucking smelly chew toys. Kids are disgusting.

Recorders = cheap

Comprehensive schools = cheap

My parents = cheap

Both my girls have had violin lessons since they were 5, but neither of them particularly enjoy it any more and will probably give it up at the end of this school year. To be honest, they both started it because Mr C J was keen for them to play (he was a grade 9 violinist before the accident which prevented him playing any more, and they just wanted to please him). I'd rather they did piano, because at least that would be harder to inadvertently leave on a bus.

My mom picked the violin because she had overheard my grandfather saying he wanted his daughter to play it. So she saved up money, bought a violin and enrolled in a class. I think she ended up playing with the Belgian Youth Orchestra. She was quite good. Good at playing from memory but was a selfproclaimed "failure at reading while playing." Yeah right, in the Belgian Youth Orchestra and crap at reading, I doubt it.

I never played music. I'm completely tone deaf. :-(

I am however seriously contemplating sending one or two of my kids to music class. That said, I am allergic to 15 year old music academy kids. :-)

My middle school gave all designated "gifted" children violin lessons, so there was me stood with some cheap hunk of shit "practice" violin for three weeks bored to tears.

I never played music. I'm completely tone deaf. :-(

So that's why you like NO WAVE! :)

I've always been very keen for the kids to play.

My son (14) has electric guitar and piano lessons at school. He's approx grade 4 standard on the piano and a decent lead and rhythm guitarist. He also plays percussion in the school orchestra and a London youth orchestra - this seems to involve standing around at the back waiting for the appropriate moment to smash the cymbals or a gong. He's in a rock band, and they're playing in front of 300 people tomorrow night. He goes to a school the specialises in performing arts and practically everyone plays in about 3 different bands/ensembles/orchestras and lots of boys play and sing all over the world on various choir/orchestra/jazz tours. Their school was the original choice for series 1 of Rock School on the telly (remember that?), but their musical director turned it down. So I never got to meet Gene Simmons :(

My daughter (12) sings well and has played piano for around 4 years. She's doing some weird scheme where they don't have grades, but the whole emphasis is on performance rather than passing exams. She's pretty good and has already played at the Royal Academy of Music. She is thinking of taking up bass guitar.

The excitement is still new for Amber and Alice (there, thread is off and running, can mention them now), Amber is on "Electric Keyboard" as they coudn't get enough for a piano class (!). She's getting all into 'inversions' and does enjoy it. It's fairly easy for her to practice, as my electric keyboard is (now) a permanent fixture in the living room, and it's just an electric switch and on.

Alice, (acoustic guitar) is as studious, and her practicing involves getting a chair, unzipping guitar, fetching the music stand, setting up the footstool, and sorting out all. (I admit I tune the guitar for her).

unzipping guitar

?

from the backpack style cover.

"Ohh, don't let it get away
I'm gonna zip up my guitar
'n then when I've gone too far
I'm gonna zip down my guitar"

(Capt. Beefheart, "Sun Zoom Spark")

Where is Stewart Osborne these days anyway?

He's probably joined the Damned by now. Are they still going?

"So that's why you like NO WAVE! :)"

hahaha must be! :-)

Stewart's still around, ILM exclusively.