Over the last few weeks we’ve been looking at some easy songs to begin learning for the guitar and the piano, and we’ve also taken a brief look at the differences between buying and renting your instrument. Now, some of you out there may feel like we’ve been putting the cart before the horse a little. Before anyone can begin to learn to play music, they must first decide on which instrument they want to play. For adults this can be a difficult decision, but at least they can think about the options critically, keeping in mind their own strengths, weaknesses, and interests. With a child, the difficulty can be even larger. Kids often change their minds from one moment to the next, not to mention the issues a small, or even growing body can have with some instruments. So with that in mind, this week is specifically for the parents out there. Let’s talk about how you can help your child pick an instrument.

First and foremost, it’s a lot easier to help a child learn to play if they already have a pre-existing interest in music. If you play an instrument, this is an area you can help with quite early in your child’s life. Play for them, answer their questions about playing, about music, about your experiences learning, think about letting them experiment with your instrument (obviously within reason, some are extremely expensive, some fragile, others both). Talk to them about the fun you had learning to play, and the friends you may have made along the way. Nothing gets a child’s interest going quite like a true story. During this early phase, be sure to take note of anything they start to show interest in. Another important step at this early stage is introducing them to new and differnt music. The more variety the better. This sort of fun can begin at an extremely early age, fostering an interest in music that will continue throughout their lifetime. This introduction can really be anything, from CDs at bed time, to concerts in the park as they get older, to simply having music playing in the background of daily activities.

A big issue some parents have when beginning the process of getting their children into music lessons is that they don’t actually talk to their children about it. For some the idea is that playing an instrument is a character building activity, or would look good on a school transcript, but whatever the reason is that you want your child to learn to play music, it is always best to talk with them about it first. Forcing them to go to lessons, or even just signing them up with a word first is not a good way to cultivate any interest, and is not conducive to a good learning environment. Ideally, if you had success introducing your children to different kinds of music, the best first step is to talk with them about what they have heard, and if anything in particular interests them. They may already have something in mind, they may want to play what you play, or you may get the most common response of them all: “I don’t know.” If you get anything other than a negative attitude, it’s probably alright to proceed.

Now comes the hard part: actually deciding on an appropriate instrument. There are many things to consider right away. The first is your child’s physical characteristics. Some instruments just aren’t very easy for small children to play. A great example is the bassoon. At nearly six feet tall when fully assembled, the spaces between the keys are far too wide for small hands and fingers. Even the shape of your child’s mouth can create some issues when first beginning. Small lips are usually better suited for things like the trumpet, but might struggle when playing something like a tuba. Children who might need braces later in life might want to avoid the trombone for a while, as even front teeth can be essential. On the other hand, some instruments come in a variety of sizes, to grow with the student, like violins and guitars. But it is also important to listen to what your child wants. Just because they have big lips doesn’t mean they wont be able to learn to play the trumpet if they have the drive and determination. Just look at Miles Davis!

Something else to consider is your child’s attitudes, specifically if they are an introvert or an extrovert. If your son or daughter has to be the center of attention, maybe try the flute. The flute section is usually at the front of the band, and always has a nice view of the audience. Extroverts might also be very happy with something like the saxophone or trumpet. Regardless of the genre, these instruments are almost always playing the lead, the higher melodic parts. But if you’re child is more introverted, then perhaps the piano is more suitable for them. The piano is predominantly a solo instrument, with even lessons being more one-on-one than the rest of the band.

Another route to consider is starting with an instrument that can translate into other, similar but perhaps more challenging instruments in the future. A great example of this is the clarinet. It is a little bigger and heavier than a flute, but it is pretty easy to produce a sound and work the keys, which are close together and ideal for small hands. From this beautiful instrument many students go on to switch over to the bass clarinet (which is even larger and produces a deeper tone), the oboe, the bassoon, and sometimes things like the saxophone.

Ultimately, the best thing you can do to help your child pick an instrument is to let them play what they want to play. Way before you begin to consider body size, lip shape, personality, or whatever, let your child be your guide. If you do all the decision making for them, and they end up with an instrument they have little interest in playing, they just are not going to be very successful in learning. Physical characteristics change as kids grow, and those that don’t can be overcome with practice. Social attitudes change with age, and the child who starts as an extrovert may not finish that way. It is important to support their interest, and that sometimes means letting them make some of the decisions. Of course, this doesn’t mean giving them free range either. One of the biggest potential problems when choosing an instrument is the “cool” factor. Kids want to play the instruments that they perceive as the “coolest.” For some kids, this will work out great, but for others, it may just spell a recipe for disaster when combined with all the other factors we’ve discussed.

There are so many different kinds of instruments out there that anyone can find something they want to learn. Helping your child through the mess of decisions to make, leading to what will hopefully be a lifelong musical relationship is difficult and full of pitfalls, but in the end it is well worth it. Just remember to always be supportive even when the sounds they are making can’t really be called music just yet. With time and support, anyone can become a musician.