I was just reading about the Ben-tovin book in another post and thought it might be fun to find out how people actually ended up playing what instrument and why

For me

Piano aged 6 - desperate to copy older brother
Piano Accordion aged 7 - I saw it played, just once, at a fair and loved the sound and look of it. Purely co-incidentally when I told my piano teacher she had a child size one for me to look at tucked behind her sofa .. she let me 'have a go' and it started from there


yours??

I wanted to play the piano when we had one at home when I was 10.
It went on the bonfire (about what it was good for really) and it was 4 years before I started lessons which I never really expected to ever happen.

my parents chose for me to start piano when i was 7. i asked if i could start violin at 8, then sorted out a viola to learn myself. Bought a clarinet over the summer and my dad asked if i wanted lessons and i said yes please.

I wanted to learn the piano when I was in junior school because I discovered that my mum had learnt the piano when she was young. But we didn't have a piano and obviously they didn't give lesson places to people without a piano, so I never got lessons. After a while my mum said she really liked the clarinet so I decided I wanted to learn the clarinet and started when I was 9.

We got an electric piano when I was about 11 and I taught myself the piano and started lessons in school when I was about 12.

When I left school I got a saxophone after my teacher's recommendation. He wanted me to be able to double. I got a flute before I started uni for the same reason.

And that's it. Lucid

I wanted to learn the piano when I was about eight because my parents had friends with a 16 year-old daughter who taught me to play "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and I wanted to learn more.

I wanted to learn the oboe at about the same time (have no idea why or even where I first heard it), the only orchestral instrument my primary school offered was the violin so when there was a vacancy I started having violin lessons (after all, according to the reasonings of adults at the time both the oboe and the violin are orchestral instruments )

When I started secondary school I still wanted to learn the oboe and they had a woodwind teacher so I put my name down and I was offered ... the flute.

Some twenty years later....
my husband and I were talking about things we regretted we had never done and I told him my oboe story. A couple of weeks later he bought me an oboe as a belated birthday present and a couple of weeks after that the music school where my daughter was having cello lessons had a poster up saying "Have you always wanted to learn the oboe. Come along for a taster lesson."

When I was about 6 a friend in the next year up at school taught me to play B-A-G on recorder - after that I was desperate for a recorder myself, and then lessons when I reached the right year at school.

My dad told me that the clarinet was his favourite instrument and that got me wanting to play clarinet - I started lessons on clarinet when I was 9. From the ages of about 14-18 I played in the Borough Concert Band - they had saxophones and I always really wanted to play one, but I didn't feel able to ask my parents to pay out for an instrument and/or lessons. It was always at the back of my mind though, and when after an extended period in higher education (7 yrs!) I finally got a job there was a tax rebate in the first year. That bought my first tenor sax, and the rest is history.

Age 5 - recorder, because my big sister played it and she taught me
Age 9 - flute, because my friend had started it
Age 11 - piano, because my flute teacher said it would be a good idea
Age 16 - oboe, because my school music teacher said there were millions of flautists but no oboists.

Oboe quickly became my first instrument, because I fell in love with the sound of it. I'd probably heard it before but not really taken it in until my first oboe teacher gave me a recording in my first lesson. I really wish I'd discovered it earlier now, I might even have been one of those prodigies who gets on Young Musician of the Year aged 13! I would happily practise for hours back then; with the other instruments I had to be forced to practise.

Well, we always had a piano in the house and my big sister played so I wanted to copy her. Then the sax - just bought one to own one to start with then started having lessons.

I started the piano at about 7, as we already had one, and a neighbour a few doors away was a teacher.

I started the recorder at about the same age because we played at school.

Piano was forced on me as a child and I stopped playing at the first available opportunity... Dozen-plus years later I decided to get back into playing an instrument and piano was my first choice since I got to quite a decent standard the first time around and thought it might be easier to restart than to learn another instrument from scratch. Also I can only practise during unsociable hours and digital piano suits. So overall I did choose the piano for practical reasons, but having restarted for almost a year now, I've discovered I really enjoyed it.

The harp, I've always been fascinated by, recently discovered there's a teacher nearby and thought why not

Piano: Ive wanted to play piano for as long as I can remember, apparently showed I clearly liked the sound even as a baby. At about age 5 or so I was on holidays somewhere and there was a piano where we were staying, I think I vaguely remember sneaking over to it when there were no adults around and trying to play it..trying to pick out a few melodies I heard, and eventually attempting to add some left hand in(lol, one or two notes, very drone like and dissonant if I remember)...but eventually the owners of the place I was staying found me out and I was locked out of the piano room.. then we went home. I had a few months of lessons at age 7, after I had gotten a little three octave keyboard for my birthday..no clear idea how far I got before giving up that time but I think it was somewhere around the start of book two of john thompsons modern course for piano. That piano teacher gave up within months of me starting and my parents couldnt find another piano teacher, so I joined a choir instead. At age 13, after my school commenting that I was too quiet and needed to take up some 'extra curricular activities' or something to 'come out of myself' I used that as an excuse to restart piano lessons... and I started again, from scratch..but this time I did absolutely nothing and almost ended up being kicked out of lessons totally before starting to take it seriously at about age 15.

Soo.... I have about four possible answers for anyone who asks how long ive been playing , and a kinda complicated story of how I came to play piano in the first place

Other instruments: I also played violin for about a month at 18, mandolin for a month at 17, recorder for a month at 16.....because they were just lying around the house.

i wanted to play the piano at 7 because attracted with my brother lessons

Piano: Age 5. Inspired by some amazing people playing and asked mum to get me a tutor for some lessons.

Singing: Around 13 ish 14, when I moved to my new school. Always want it as a second study.

Organ: Lower 6th (Year 12 that is). Inspired by the complicated way of playing: Hands and feet.

I don't know how I got to play the recorder...I don't remember not being able to play. I had group lessons of a sort at primary school. My brother was older than me and probably had to play at primary school and definitely had to play at secondary school. So there would have been a recorder in the house from at the very latest by the time I was four. But I don't remember picking it up the first time and playing it.
Rediscovery was when my mother moved house a little over two years ago. She was clearing the loft and told me the things I had in there and did I want them or not. I told her no on the recorder front (two descants, a treble and a tenor), then phoned up 24hours later and said 'tell me you haven't chucked the recorders yet'. That got them back to me and started off the recorder revival...

Second to last year of primary school, we had a cellist come in to the school and talk about the cello. I was taken with it and started lessons when I went to secondary school, though only five terms of lessons before there was no peri available.

Well I played the recorder at school, and the xylophone, but not to any decent standard I'd always wanted to learn the piano but my parents would never buy one (lack of space). When I went to seconday school people started learning instruments for their GCSEs and stuff, and despite still wanting to play the piano I also started to really like the flute. My mum didn't seem that interested in it though So....

Age 21 - Flute. Just because I've wanted to play it for about 7 years

Age 23 - Viola. Because I tried it at a beginners' day and it was great fun

I'll definitely take up piano one day, when I have space for a piano

Age 9 - Recorder because it was offered at school. I couldn't have lessons because we couldn't afford a recorder but I borrowed one from my friend (and her book) and taught myself at playtimes. The teacher lost interest after a few weeks so, come the end-of-year concert I was given the job of teaching some tunes to other members of the class... Played until I changed school at age 14.

Age 11 - my new school offered free instrumental lessons and I got chosen because I could play the recorder(!) My mother said she like the sound of the Clarinet so I chose that. I hated it (have decided that this is because I didn't like the reed) and didn't practise so, after a year, I was invited to give up!

Age 12 - having been kicked out of clarinet lessons, I desperately wanted to learn an instrument so I was offered violin or cello. Since I lived 15 miles from school and travelled on a packed school bus, it had to be Violin. Mother hated it so I wasn't allowed to practise at home but I stuck with it anyway...

Age 13 - school got a Guitar teacher and wanted to recruit some pupils. Mother had an old guitar (had an old boyfriend who used to play) so I was offered a place in a group of four. The others gave up after a year but I carried on until my last year at school when they brought in charges for the lessons - had to stop violin lessons for the same reason.

Age 16 - having decided I wanted to study music, I realised I needed to be able to play Piano. We didn't have one but I knew of an old lady who lived nearby (very cheap) who agreed to teach me. She went into a home after six months (???!) so I found another old lady (equally cheap) four days before my grade 2 exam and stayed with her until I left school. For the last six months I even had a piano!

Age 17 - a chance meeting with someone at an orchestral course who mentioned doing recorder exams led me to dig out my old, cracked bakalite descant and start playing again. I did this as first study at university...

Age 43 - having been persuaded to join these forums, I got sucked into the idea of learning a new instrument. I chose Viola because I thought there was a shortage(!) - and because I hadn't played violin for at least fifteen years. Still going...

W (sorry this is bit long.. )

Recorder aged 6: A father daughter project, we spent time together with him re-learning and me learning whilst little brother had Mum time. I quickly overtook him as I got home from school hours before he was home from work so I continued without him......I'm still waiting for the recorder lessons my Mum promised as a bribe for giving up ballet lessons (transport and I suspect cost were an issue).

Clarinet aged 10: wanted to play either horn or flute but due to lack of instruments/teachers couldn't. Head of music had noticed I'd been happily swapping from descant to treble and playing up octave on treble and suggested clarinet would be a good idea. (I also had an extreme overbite that would have made either flute or horn very difficult)

Flute aged 23: Well it had to happen sometime.......my music teacher was right though, clarinet was a better choice for me!

Sax aged 24: This was a logical extension of the list really!

I did also dabble with guitar from age 9 to 12 but was never a natural and my fingers are too small. I've had a little dabble with piano but the less said there the better. If I ever find myself with some free time I'll invest in some lessons and try to improve it but at the moment there aren't enough hours in the day.

I'm sure there's been a similar thread before, but in case anyone's missed it, or I'm imagining it, here's mine:

Started recorder at primary school because it was the done thing. Key achievements include being thrown out of recorder group one week for playing London's Burning when asked to stop repeatedly In spite of this, I carried on playing recorder through primary school and into secondary, adding a treble recorder to the collecction whilst at secondary school (at recorder group one day, there was a need for a treble, so I was handed an instrument, a copy of School Recorder Book 2 and told to see what I could do ) I really must get myself organised to do some more proper recorder playing again soon.

Having been bitten by the music bug, I wanted more! Parents vetoed piano ("too big and expensive an instrument") and violin ("beginner violinists make a horrible sound" - little did they know that beginners on ALL instruments make a horrible sound ), and the guitar peri at school was full. I can't quite remember why I settled on the clarinet, but when I pounced onto my Dad's lap aged 8 and announced I wanted to learn the clarinet, they agreed, and so lessons started at school. My first clarinet was my 9th birthday present (gift-wrapped in brown and white wallpaper) and I still have it (the clarinet, that is, not the wallpaper ).

Fast forward to age 14. Parents had by now realised that music was more than just a passing fad (helped by the fact that we had whole class piano lessons in my first year at secondary school, where I raced way ahead of the rest of the class to the extent that music teacher said to my parents "Deborah really ought to have piano lessons") so agreed that I could learn piano Various electronic pianos then appeared, including a Clavinova as an 18th birthday present, and I bought myself a real piano last year

With apologies to the singers around here, singing in choirs has been a substitute for playing in orchestras. I first dabbled in singing at university, and now sing in my church choir and local choral society, occasionally unleashing a top B on an unsuspecting public.

One of my tribe of nieces started learning the cello back in September, and I have taught myself all of the open string tunes in Cello Time Joggers. Maybe one day I'll learn cello properly.

Started on violin, aged 7, on the free group lessons subsidised by the government of the time (mid-1980s) and a loaned fiddle. Only 2 places were available for violin and 3 for cello in my school year. I was auditioned/interviewed for both and was offered violin. Lucky really - my parents could never have afforded private tuition at that time (we were on milk tokens and free school dinners). They are not desperately musical themselves and I believe it was only through having already shown that I was interested in and committed to music that several years later, once they had the money, they were prepared to spend it on my lessons. Changed to viola in my mid-teens and I've never looked back.

BRING BACK FREE INSTRUMENTAL TUITION IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS!! And not just for the kids who live on council estates - for anybody who wants to learn and shows an aptitude for it. My life would have been so much the poorer had it not been for those lessons. I could weep when I think that children today are deprived of this opportunity for so much fun and happiness.

I picked up my sister's old descant at about age 3/4 and started to play around with it. I would mainly play by ear as I was getting older and I refused to go to my infants school group as it was a case of teacher pointing at GIANT music book note by note and said group playing demonstrated note, teacher looking like army corporal with a cane! Painful. This was about age 6. In year 2 (age 7?) I was asked if I would like to go over to the primary school across the road and start the group a year early. YES! That was awesome, playing with people who could actually play, still not wonderfully but hey if they'd learned in infants school they weren't going to be amazing. Stayed in the group, moved to treble during year 3 I think. We competed in the Eisteddfod competitions, did pretty well. I started lessons age 9/10, can't remember now! My dad knew someone in a recorder group (they play rennaisance, Baroque, to modern jazz and classic arrangements with recorders and crumhorns) and we got in touch with the leader who offered lessons. Said group were also friendly with Piers Adams ( ) and I had been going to see said group and said beautiful virtuoso since being very little. Needless to say he was my inspiration from the start! So I went straight into grade 4 and have never looked back. Got distinctions from grade 4 to 8 and passed my ATCL before leaving school. I am so proud of the recorder and have loved playing it in school concerts, charity concerts, everywhere... I have since performed with Piers twice ( ) which was amazing, had to keep self very calm and seem not overwhelmed when my insides were turning over but he is so lovely and normal it was a relief!

Anyway enough about that. My sister played the flute all through school and in church and I thought she and it were amazing so I started the flute aged 10. That was the age we were allowed to progress from recorder. I think they wanted us to be big enough, strong enough and have a good understanding of music before moving onto a more complex instrument. I took grade 4 in year 8 then just had lessons for fun up to grade 7/8 standard through years 10 and 11 as was doing grade 8 recorder at that time. Continued going to orchestra and developed my playing through years 12 and 13 without lessons as the teacher changed. Took my flute to uni and started practicing more full time again and worked for grade 7 this summer which I passed with distinction, slightly amazed as still no teacher! So am now more confident to try grade 8. I've had a flute pupil for nearly 2 years now, she is progressing well. I've only really begun to appreciate the flute as the gorgeous instrument it is over the past few years and simply love playing it

Apologies for the long post!

Age 6 - recorder, own choice. I'd taught myself to read music and at the time I was happy to play a small and light instrument. (At the time my parents thought their 6 year old daughters request was for a 'cassette recorder', it took some while and much frustration on my part to make them understand what it was I wanted. It was actually my grandmother who finally bought me my first recorder).

Age 8 - clarinet. Partly my father's choice. He was a jazz fan and particularly like Benny Goodman, so I think he saw me as an outlet for this. While I enjoyed it at the time, the clarinet just wasn't 'me' in the long term.

Age 10 - violin, my own choice and took to it like a duck to water. It felt so natural and intonation was never an issue for me either, the violin and I just seemed to have been made for each other and we've been together ever since

Age 19 - cello, a natural follow on to the violin and never gave me the technique issues that so many people feel are at odds with playing the violin as well.

Age 22 - oboe, own choice. Loved the sound of the double-reeds since I was a child and would have rather played oboe than the clarinet. Made fast progress on the instrument too.

Have dabbled in other instruments as well, but the above were the only ones I could honestly say I played seriously or with the intention of progress. Bassoon is probably the most likely candidate for any future long term musical project.

Violin and piano (age 6/7)- cause my brother played both. I do need to be goodish on the piano but I nealy never practici the violin.

Oboe(age 13) - because i wanted to play a woodwind instrument and the oboe has a gorgeous sound and nice repertoire. I wish I started earlier but then maybe not. It is definatly 'my' intrument.

Nice idea for a thread.


Violin: I'd just turned 5, and was in Year 1 - my teachers suggested I start learning to give me a fresh challenge, as the schoolwork wasn't stretching me.

Piano: Aged 9 - wanted to try a different instrument, and liked the idea of being able to wander up to a random piano wherever there was one and play something on it.

Guitar: Aged 13 - my grandad boought a guitar so he could wander round the house randomly strumming it - he had no idea how to play it. I sort of inherited it, and wanted to actually put it to use.

Rebec: Aged 16 - I love early music, and this looked like great fun, and a bit of a challenge.

Strumstick: Got one the other year, just for fun! It's really easy to learn.

Piano: aged 5- because whenever I was at my cousin's house I hogged her keyboard and made up melodies on it! My auntie told my mum that she thought piano lessons would be good for me and I happily agreed because I loved her keyboard so much !

Clarinet: aged 11- I just LOVED the sound of it! There was a time when I swithered and almost took up sax but I was swayed by my piano teacher who thought that clarinet was the better choice!

Interestingly, the instruments I have thought 'oo, wouldn't it be nice to play such and such...' have been the ones i've given up over the years (flute, violin (although i may be taking that up again), guitar spring immediately to mind).

I remember being vaguely interested in the piano when I was little, but never really wanted to play it as such. My parents bought a piano when I was 8, asked whether I would like to learn to play it and i thought I may as well give it a go. For the first few years I wasn't hugely interested in it, but at some point around grade 4, something clicked.

Recorder has a much more random story behind it. One day last summer (20th August to be precise ), I was thinking about different harmonics or something like that, and whether it was possible to get certain notes out of wind instruments without fingering them properly. Don't ask me why i was thinking about that... So when I got home, I went and dug out my old recorder to try it out. It just grew from there really. I never meant to take up recorder, it just sort of happened by accident, but I guess that not being able to put down something you don't mean to play is better than choosing to play something you think you'll like...

I find it so hard to believe that such a simple thing can lead to so much!

Good thread!!

Well I started the guitar aged 7 because my parents asked me and my best friend if I wanted to learn an instrument. Loads of people said I should learn the piano because of my 'pianist fingers', but I thought the piano was boring and for 'posh, old people' hahaha!! So I wanted to be 'cool' and learn the guitar! That didn't get very far. I learnt it for 4 years and never reached grade 1. I was never passionate about it and hated practising. So I gave up, not having learnt anything really!

Then, in year 9, we got a new music teacher. She was absolutely fantastic and pretty much immediately got me hooked on music. I'd always loved singing, but would refuse to sing in front of anyone - even my best friend. Getting into music made me (and my friend, who was similarly hooked!) want to sing in the school concert. So, we chose a song and gave the notes to our teacher, thinking she'd need ages to learn them. Then she just sat down at the piano and immediately played everything perfectly. We were absolutely gobsmacked, and I knew from that moment I wanted to be able to do that.

So, I got my dad to get my old kiddy keyboard (quarter size!) down from the loft, and I began to learn little pieces. I then asked for a keyboard for Christmas, and went into music every lunchtime to go on the piano. My music teachers helped me with some songs and learning the notes!! Then I got piano lessons after 6 months of teaching myself, and am extremely passionate about the piano!

Now music dominates the lives of my friend and I - and I want to be a music teacher...one of the reasons being that I want to be able to inspire and help people like my teacher did.

Laura

Warning – this does go on a bit. I just couldn’t help it. Read it in instalments eh?

My first instrument aged (well pretty young) was a ukulele. I got as far as strumming a few tunes but got fed up of “get your uke out” whenever anyone dropped by (so clearly not a natural performer then).

My dad was a very good piano accordionist (played in the regimental dance band and classical arrangements in competitions). I really enjoyed listening to him play but didn’t feel drawn to the accordion (not cool I suppose), so missed out of some first class tuition from an early age. In hindsight that was a big mistake as many years on I now play melodeon (button accordion) for morris dancing.

I was in my teens before I took any interest in actually playing anything (music had been quietly dropped in grammar school to make way for various techie subjects, though I was always an avid listener). The drum kit was never going to materialise (this would be during my Who, Led Zep, Floyd years) and eventually I did what any self respecting adolescent would do – got a guitar. I learned the required 3 chords and more or less ground to a halt.

In my twenties I began to get interested in classical music and this really took off when I moved to Manchester. There was the Halle, Beeb (free lunchtime and evening concerts), the RNCM and Uni, plus really excellent record library (sadly now defunct) and the Henry Watson music library. I spent many an evening with a record, a score and a bottle of red. Another sadly lost gem was the adult education college where I decided to go and learn a bit about what made music tick, by taking O level music. Towards the end of the year a little voice was telling me I really should have a proper go at learning to play something. I had been introduced to a Halle viola player who I sometimes met for a chat and a drink pre or post concert and that opened my ears to that particular instrument. The only other thing I fancied was oboe, which as we all know is hugely expensive and almost impossible.

So viola it was – for about 4 years. I enjoyed it but made the fatal mistake of allowing work to take over (“I’ll just give it a break for a couple of months……”). By now I was also getting hectored by a good friend of mine to join a little choir he was in. Usually around a dozen people would get together to have a bash through part songs, madrigals, et al. The fact I didn’t actually sing appeared not to be an issue (lack of tenors over-rides all other considerations I soon discovered), so I was in. I sat around doing a variety of fish impressions for quite a while but eventually got the hang of it and enjoyed it enormously, even if it did frustrate me at times. But artistic differences (dahling) caused irreparable damage and the group split up. I had sung some pretty amazing stuff though (Durufle motets stand out) and also sang in some larger amateur productions (how about Mahler’s 8th?) . Plus I met Mrs. Pushpull through it. Ahh.

Now a long hiatus ensued. Another dabble with guitar (classical this time but I think I’m a frustrated bluesman ) and then the aforementioned melodeon which I play for a morris side (a different one to that which I actually dance in).

But one day, Mrs. Pushpull was tootling away on a recorder and that looked like fun. We downloaded Bransles, Pavanes, etc from t’internet and set to. Eventually we decided to do it properly and discovered a local beginners group run by a local SRP officer which we have been going to now for, gosh, a while and have amassed the usual ridiculously over the top collection of recorders (both Mrs. Pushpull and I reckon that if an instrument is worth having, you may as well have at least 3 – though many more in the case of recorders as they’re, well, so compact).

So then last year, thoughts began to stray to that “hugely expensive and almost impossible” oboe I had previously contemplated over 20 years earlier. I went to a student concert at the RNCM where one of the recitals was given by an oboist and that was it, the trap was sprung. Earlier this year I started and was delighted to be taken on by that same recitalist. Several months down the line I think I’m a hopeless addict. For once it’s actually a rarity to take a day off from practice. Of course by putting my head above the parapet here on the forums, I’m already being bombarded by offers of duets, ensembles and forum events. It’s great to see such a vibrant and knowledgeable community, without which I probably wouldn’t have my current enthusiasm.

So three cheers to learning to play instruments and another three for the ABRSM Forums.

age 7 - started recorder through school because wanted to do something with music (both my parents play and at that point my dad was going out at least one night a week to a band) as we already had a piano i wanted to start that aswell so started that near my 8th birthday

carried on with them through primary

age 11 - recorder was no more and started the flute ( i had always liked the sound of this instrument my brother had just started the trombone as well - so i think my parents thought it would be fair)

age 11.5 - i gave up paino to start dance . my hand eye co-ordintition was really bad and in those 4 years i had done grade 1 and working for grade 2

now aged 17 - still on flute had about 15 teachers including subs as learning through school and awaiing results for grade 6 im so glad i took the flute up. also my piano skills have got better as bin playig around for fun on it still wondering wether i should get grade books and teach my self.

my first instrument (voice) is probably the only one that chose me. i wasn't even fully aware of it, it just happened, and there was no escape

all other instruments:

recorder primary 1 at school. done alright with it, it helped me learning to read music, but i never really was enthusiastic about it. still kept going for years and still have my baroque descant. never play it though

violin is the only other instrument i had/have a real connection to. i played it quite well until i was 19/20, but then it simply had to step back for voice. i was probably somewhere on diploma-level back then, but if i get one of my three (one acoustic, one semi-acoustic and one electric) violins out these days, it leaves me mostly frustrated. i simply don't have enough time, and if it is between voice and violin practice, voice still wins 9 times out of 10

guitar was mainly a phase in my teens and self-taught. my guitar is still in germany, and i don't really miss it.

piano always was and always will be a necessity. i have to admit i don't like it much and don't have much talent for it, but i acknowledge it makes sense for professional musicians to have basic skills.

Daughter took up bassoon at ~15 because the school offered a term's free lessons. (Paddington would have spotted a mile off that that was not the bargain it seemed, but let's not quibble. He's rich, I struggle to buy the odd jar of marmalade, but we're both happy)

She took up piano again at <17 (after dropping it as a failure at 12) because she worked out she needed it for studying music at university.

Violin goes so far back I can't really remember... I didn't think there were many options at <7; we didn't have a piano at the time or anywhere to put one and elder sister was barracking for cello lessons and I was resisting because I knew she wouldn't practise (gave in a year later and proved myself right), so I couldn't really let little sis start cello - violin was sort of by default. It's still 1st instrument, despite the persuasive bassoon.

Can you see a total absence of planning on mother's part?

Don't despair - I can still appreciate good piano music, I just don't feel the need to play it myself, neither do I have the talent

How much do you like singing -yourself obviously- and do you feel the need to train your voice professionally because it is "your" instrument?

I love to listen to good singing (any style so long as it is good). And I love to sing myself ... but not even my dog would admit to liking to hear me sing! I hit more or less the right notes, at more or less the right time, but those are about the only good things you can say about it.

But I don't have time to work, become a real pianist, AND train my voice.

Incidentally Robodoc sings beautifully. He has a rich, warm, naturally relaxed voice that is a delight to listen to. He is just too accomplished.

Embarrassed by praise, especially as I am nowhere near as good a chess player or pianist as Mad Tom, nor am I as good at a good many other things!

Sad now that we don't have soundfiles attached to hear you both

I am passing on the Chess however - that's the part of my brain that's probably underdeveloped, hence the inability to get a decent sound from my piano as well

Piano and recorder were forced on me at age 6 and 7 respectively. I'd previously had a go at the violin when I was 5, presumably by the Suzuki method (I dimly remember group lessons and having to walk up and down the room during practice sessions), but after changing schools prior to Year 2 I didn't touch the violin again until aged 8, but only learnt it for a year. I dropped the piano after bringing home a damning report in Year 9: my parents said "we think you need a break" and that break has lasted ever since. At the time my younger brother (who had only started learning piano at age 10) was just behind me; he quickly overtook me and roared on ahead via lessons at the Junior Guildhall to a distinction at Grade VIII aged 13.

There was much expectation that I would move on to a "proper" (grr) woodwind instrument (I clearly wasn't a strings person), but orthodontic treatment from age 13 to 16 put paid to that. I'd more or less concluded it had to be the bassoon by process of elimination (flute and clarinet too ubiquitous, saxophone repertoire too limited, oboe embouchure too tricky). However even after the braces came off it never seemed to be the right time. I landed a leading role in a school play in Year 12, then there was the UCAS form, A-levels, university, impending Erasmus exchange etc. Eventually I was persuaded to take up the bassoon in my second year at St Andrews, having been assured that I could always hire an instrument in Stockholm and continue my studies there. Unfortunately this proved to be - like so many aspects of the Stockholm experience - impossible, so I ended up losing the embouchure I'd only just mastered.

Choral singing - plugged away at it for years at school in the hope that the magical ability to sight-sing would come naturally. It didn't, so I vowed "never again".

So that's me. Monoskilled musical also-ran.

I played the recorder in school when i was 7-12, because everyone is required to learn it.
I had always wanted to learn the piano, and it was not until i was 13 that my parents suddenly agreed. (I still don't know why)

I have had a few guitar lessons when i was 13 in school . And subsequently i bought one to try. Does that count?

Learned piano from age 8 to 16. According to my parents it was definitely my own idea: I honestly don't remember how it came about or why I chose it. I dropped it at age 16 having decided I was never going to get to be any good at it, and took it up again in January having decided that it doesn't matter whether I'm any good at it, so long as I enjoy it. I love the piano for the harmony (not something you can achieve by yourself on most instruments), and for the range of feeling you can get from it.

Learned violin from age 8(?) to 11. We were tested for musical aptitude in school to see who would get the option of violin lessons with the peri teacher. I dropped it when I went to high school because I was afraid I would get behind if I had to miss normal lessons to go to violin lessons. I don't think I had a natural affinity for the instrument at all.

Started sax 15 months ago, mainly because I've always liked it as an instrument, partly because my son's piano teacher (who comes to the house) also teaches sax and I could tell he was a good teacher, so it was an easy option logistically (not a good reason, really, but I'm being honest ). It was a lucky choice, because I absolutely love it.

Singing - I can't remember ever not singing, though I've never had any formal training. Again, I love it, though I don't get that much opportunity to sing in a full choir.

Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony made me want to learn violin, aged 9. A violin and a teacher were procured.

About 6 months later, I asked if I could also learn piano. I was told I couldn't, because "you haven't really mastered violin yet" (!!!!!!)

I had to wait until adulthood for my piano......

....and clarsach


.....and flute!

A fellow viola player?!?!

I have a tenor recorder (similar to the one I played at primary school) but due to RSI my wrists don't like it anymore.

I had a strange dream about playing the double bass after far too much wine and a stressful day in the Whitehall jungle (Election? What election?!?) You never know, I might even take it up!



I always thought over here it was a case of a pushy parent saying

"Well Charles has always been interested in playing the [insert name of instrument], haven't you Charles? [because Charles, if you do not respond in the affirmative, your life will not be worth living] and thus that is how children start playing musical instruments.

What exactly is a beginners' day? When and where do they happen?

I was given a recorder at about age 4, and it really was a way into music for me - I learned to read music because of it and played various recorders until adding clarinet and piano at secondary school. Piano, I was desperate to play it and had to wait until then for various reasons; clarinet, I never really understood why I was doing it... I was also able to start flute but exams got in the way by then. I stopped playing anything at about 20 until starting violin 5 years ago, and restarting piano - (well, more messing about than restarting really!) I've no idea why I suddenly wanted to play violin, but it's more satisfying than anything else I have had a go at and I just wish I had been given one of those at age 4 as well as the recorder! N

I play flute, and just fell in love with the appearance of the instrument - I thought it was sublimely beautiful and still do. I guess I must have liked the sound of it too but it has almost been first and foremost an aesthetic thing. Superficial, moi???

How wrong can you be.

Emsoboe put her name down at Primary school for Recorder lessons. We dutifully signed the form to agree to them when it was forced under our noses. She already had a Recorder as her Great Auntie and Uncle had bought one for her at some point.

She played Recorder in group lessons from years 3 to 5. Drove us mad at home playing on the stairs instead of getting ready to go out, and in the car on the way to various places. In year 5 they had a good teacher and most of the others had dropped out so the keen ones got a bit more individual attention. She started Treble during that year. We started paying for individual lessons during year six. She had Grade 1 Descant by this time and was well on the way to Grade 2.

We aquired a Piano from Primary school around the start of her year 5. My eldest daughter actually phoned and asked for it she'd been having keyboard lessons for a while and wanted the real thing. Also whilst she was in year 5 I overheard Emsoboe telling someone she was going to start Oboe lessons. I confess to not knowing what one was but my reaction was no way. The fact the lessons were free and the instrument loaned meant I could not refuse.

She started on a shared lesson and alternated with Recorder every spare moment she got. About a year before she had seen someone playing Flute at the high school. She really wanted to try Flute. When she raced ahead in Oboe lessons we bought her a Flute to slow her down. Before I joined the forum and knew better. Piano probably started on and off around the same time but by the end of year 6 it was obvious she was very keen on music and it seemed sensible to allow her to learn Piano.

Sax only came about as her sister had one and she taught herself to grade 1 when big sis was out. Clarinet which has never really taken off is all down to Barry-Clari and both girls arguing over playing a duet with him at a Forum event.

This parent isn't guilty of insisting their child play any instrument. I have given her the support she's needed in order for her to be able to achieve.

Recorder in school aged about 9 because we were taught it as a class. That's how I first learned to read music. I also liked trying to work things out by ear - I remember sitting up in bed one night trying to work out the notes to 'Amazing Grace'. Must have driven my parents mad! Played recorder at a very basic level over a period of several years but never had lessons after that first year.

Piano aged 10, because my primary school teacher (whom I hero-worshipped) said 'Everyone should learn to play a musical instrument'. My parents were wary of my usually short-lived enthusiasms and said I could have lessons but I couldn't have a piano until I'd stuck the lessons out for a year. I'm not sure if they held out quite that long but I do remember practising my pieces on a table, reading the fingering rather than the notes. ANyway I stuck with it and got to Grade 8 seven years later.

Violin very briefly (weeks rather than months!) aged about 14 because our school wanted to start up an orchestra. I was loaned an instrument (not sure how we were expected to learn to play!) and promptly broke the bridge. I was not offered another.

Clarinet because I took part in a Family Orchestra session at the Proms in 2008 (with my trusty recorder!) and came away absolutely smitten and wanting to play a 'proper' orchestral instrument (sorry, recorderists). Bought a cheap one on eBay for £50 and have been kicking myself ever since that I didnt' think of doing this years ago. Not ready for an orchestra yet, but in a couple of years.....

My Mum had always wanted piano lessons, but they were not affordable, so she'd taught herself to play. She was determined that her children should have lessons and started me with a local teacher at age 5. I assume I enjoyed it to begin with, but my memory is of junior years, when I just didn't want to learn.

I remember the front room (I was born in the era when one room was kept for visitors only - and piano practice!) being very cold in winter, as the fire would only be lit in there when visitors were expected, and my Mum's amazement that I wasn't particularly keen on practising! Because she'd been unable to keep off the piano, she thought I'd be the same. Looking back, I think the teacher wasn't very inspiring, but at the time I just thought I didn't like piano. I gave up lessons when I was 9 and halfway through my grade 3 pieces.

The older I became, the more I wished I could play piano well, and the more I played for fun. By age 14 I was playing for the Sunday School, and over the next year or two mastered hymns. Eventually, in my late twenties, I bought my own piano and took some lessons, which enabled me to pass grade 6. I'm very glad that my mum bought me those 4 years of lessons, though I think if I'd started later I would have benefitted more.

Got sent for keyboard (electone organ) lessons at age 4 because everyone did it- group lessons, sing while holding hands in a circle, get a sticker at the end of class- brilliant. At age 4 to get a whole book of stickers at the end of 10 weeks is unlike anything else in the world.. at least it was to me.. Graduated to piano at age 6

At age 13, in school band tryouts, couldn't play anything (tried flute, trumpet, clarinet, baritone) - literally could not make a sound. Teacher looked at me and said: I think you can play horn. Got assigned to E-flat horn. Later on graduated to mellophone, which is a heinous instrument. Later later on, school bought two proper horns (French horns), got one and taught myself.

Age 19- someone gave me a recording of the Gliere horn concerto and I fell in love. Decided to get a job and buy a French horn. Studied music in uni kind of because of that. Did another degree as well.

My parents were never pushy- they sent me for the lessons at age 4 because I think they thought it'd be fun (stickers and singing rather than music lessons specifially). They couldn't quite figure out why I was so crazy about playing horn, and until I had graduated, had never heard me play horn. I think my parents would have liked me to be less obsessed with music- they weren't really that pleased that I was doing a double degree because it was a lot of work. They thought I might be less stressed if I didn't have two to work on. They were probably right, but I think I did the right thing.

Age 4 - 7 : Piano, because my father played and wanted me, to play, too. However, when he slaped me (for the first and only time ever) for just hitting randomly the keys, while he had to work, I quit in protest.

Age 7-8 : Recorder, because the school put the pupils into recorder classes, and I ended up in one of those. However, I did only last one or two years at most. But my mother played, so I always had a recorder at one point in my life, which I always never played, because I didn't like my mother, so ergo I didn't like that instrument. Sold it finally for good in my 30th, and ended up with another one, when I decided to become an instrument maker, starting that profession with building a recorder.

Age 11 - 12 : Trumpet and shortly after Trombone, since the church needed players and lessons were for free, as well as the instrument, which was lended to the students. I quit when we moved again, and I had to return the instruments because of that.

Age 14-15 : A guitar, because I found classical guitar an amazing thing. I saved all my money and bought one used, which was quite an effort saving so much. I quit, when I was beaten up by my mother - with the guitar. I survived. The guitar did not.

Age 16 : Violin, because I had seen someone play it on TV. I only had lessons for less than 6 months. The frequency of that instrument hurt my ears just a bit too much.

Age 17-20: Flute! I started working when I was 16. And on my way to work, I always had to walk by a music store. Those rats actually displayed without ever taking it out a silver flute in their window. And I just fell in love with it. Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore and bought the cheapest they had, which lasted about 3-6 months, before it fell apart. I got another one, a bit more expensive, but not much, which lasted another 2 1/2 years.

However, I had an ultra-lousy teacher. Which I didn't knew at that point. I got a tone out of the flute right from the start. Because of the other instruments, I could read notes. But otherwise, I learned very little with him. A bit embouchure, almost no breathing at all. I quit after only 3 years, just after I had bought myself a really expensive silver flute. (The cheapest full-silver flute there was. They were expensive already back than.) Because I started work, because I could see no progress, although I didn't know that I wasn't progressing at that time. I just felt like it didn't really have a part in my life. Like I am not meant for it, or whatsoever. I did play once in a while but just an occassional revival which didn't last longer than a fortnight.

Age 39 1/2 till now: I had a friend playing violin, I visited concerts with her on an almost weekly basis, and suddenly I felt the urge to unpack the flute. I think, when I started (I still have videos) I was about Grade 3 with serious gaps to make it a full Grade 3.

When I restarted, I did some research in the internet and accidentally stumbled across the ABRSM exams. Those exams are not common in Germany at all. I thought it a good idea, to do the exams, because they asked for specific skills in each Grade, which seemed to me quite logically structured. And I felt, if I ever was to make any progress, I would need a little structuring.

I made the huge mistake to go to my old flute teacher again. But since I was so determined, I started reading music literature as well. And I was especially keen on learning ornamentation. When I asked him, 3 months into teaching lessons, how a specific trill was played, he didn't even know the sign!!!! That was the point, when I finally realized that he obviously wasn't worth his money. It took me a while to find a new teacher. And I leaped from Grade 3 to Grade 8 in less than 2 years!

Grade 4 exam will be in November. And hopefully, I will start a somewhat belated career as a flutist, flute teacher and flute maker in another 3 years from now!

Age 7 - In my old primary school, you were given the chance to play an instrument when you were in P4 (I don't know what class that is in England...). Anybody who wanted to was brought to the library, where we all sat an easy aural test, and as the only kid who got full marks I was allowed first choice! In the end, I played on a few instruments to test them out; flute, clarinet, oboe, trumpet, trombone.

I'd been on the phone with my grandfather in France a few days before, chatting about how I was maybe going to play an instrument. He's been a musician (French horn) since he was fourteen, so I figured he'd be the best person to ask! He recommended that I choose the oboe, because it was one of the 'dying breed' instruments and he told me that it had one of the most beautiful sounds.

So that made my mind up in the end. That and the fact that I was proud of myself for actually getting a sound out of the oboe I tried.

My mum taught me how to read music and the notes on the piano over the summer holidays when I was 5, I then started piano lessons that September. It was her idea to get me learning an instrument.

When I was 9 we decided it was time that I could learn another instrument if we wanted. I wanted to learn trumpet, so we asked my piano teacher who also taught brass. He suggested French Horn and brought on into my next lesson to try. (I think he might have brought a trumpet mouthpiece as well, I can't remember). I decided that I didn't like the French horn because I couldn't play more than one note on it. At 9, I didn't realise that if I started learning it properly I would very soon learn how to play other notes too! We then went to a woodwind teacher, who let me try a flute. Again, I decided against it because I couldn't get a sound out of it. He let me try a clarinet, and I loved it, simply because I could play it and get a fairly good sound from it. A week later, we bought a second hand clarinet and I started lessons.

Last summer, after doing grade 8 clarinet, we mentioned to my clarinet teacher that I was interested in starting something else too, preferably something that would get me into the school jazz band, as they didn't accept clarinets. She suggested saxophone because I would be able to pick it up quickly, and I chose tenor because I knew there were lots of alto players and only one tenor in the school.