what is the best age to begin an instument

I started at 40 but if I'd known how much pleasure it would give me I would have started sooner.

I think it's best to start young. I started violin when I was 7 or 8 and I'm glad i started at that age.

When you show an interest and are old enough to listen to instructions.

I started playing the piano when I was 5, my childminder had a piano and used to teach some of the older children, and I always wanted to play on the piano, so on my 5th birthday, she sat me down and gave me my first lesson, and I honestly don't regret it.

as soon as you can read the stuff in the exam paper, i suppose...

I started learning the piano when I was 8 or 9 and the sax when I was 11. I wish I'd started earlier though

When you are ready for it. It's not necessarily when you're a child. I'm in my 30s and have never had such pleasure from learning an instrument.

I saw this boy at an informal concert who started the violin at 4!! I'm not kidding. But he was amazing, his technique was far better than mine!!

i think it depends on the instrument. some you actually cannot play until you're a certain height/arms a certain length/can support a certain weight etc. For others such as violin, as sbhoa says, when you show an interest and can listen to instructions. My little cousin is nearly 8 and is Grade 5 violin, he started at 3, but he's really special- we knew he had perfect pitch from when he was 2 and could sing back anything you played to him absolutely in tune. some people have all the luck!

Seven.

I'm 15 and I started piano when i was 12 and violin when i was 13, much against some people's "better judgement"!! but I'm now grade 8 piano and grade 4 violin, so they can hardly say anything, much to their annoyance!! LOL I wish i started earlier though! I think that its never too late but the earlier you start the better!!

I think for wind, piano, percussion and strings starting young is great, but for brass you have to be strong enough to hold the instrument, and have strong enough chops.

Most tuba players I know didnt start on tuba, purely because they werent physically strong enough to hold the instrument. The same goes for viola surely.

I think for wind instruments you should have got your adult front top two teeth. Otherwise you would find it quite difficult when your teeth are a different size and/or none at all!

QUOTE (hgirl @ Jun 1 2004, 06:22 PM)

My little cousin is nearly 8 and is Grade 5 violin, he started at 3, but he's really special- we knew he had perfect pitch from when he was 2 and could sing back anything you played to him absolutely in tune.

Wow, your cousin really is something special.

It doesn't really matter what age you start, my Nan has started learning in her 70s! But if you want to succeed in music as a job it is probably wise to start younger, also the younger you start the more enjoyment you will be able to have and the faster you will progress. However, you shouldn't start when you aren't big enough to hold the instrument; for instance many people start the flute when they are too small and then end up with very bad posture when playing which they find hard to correct later.

i started playing piano as soon as my hands were big enough (i wanted to start when I was three but they said my hands were too little), but it differs for everyone.

I suppose i9t also depends on when the child is old enough to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy and work at it. Otherwise there is no point.

it depends really....

ppl who start around 15 for example, learn faster...

Im not talking about child prodigies but starting at a young age is good as well.
but we must remember that not everyone starts at a young age like me...

i only really got into music when i was 15...

and now i really want to study music...

*feels embarressed to want to have a music career at an older age*

I started at three, but my mum had to force me to go for a little period of time when I was about 7... so starting isn't all that indicative...

Musicman: I had the same problem and still do...