Just wondering when everyone started learning their instrument(s)!!

For piano, I officially started around 7 because although I had the yamaha GMC course, I didn't take it too seriously. Also I was deciding between the piano and the violin and I chose the piano.

For violin I only started serious lessons last year. I will always remember disliking violin lessons when I was younger because my teacher was not a very nice one. My violin teacher now is splendid though, he's really great!

How about you guys?

Hey!!

I started piano when I was 9 but ivekind of stopped and started but now ive realised that was a big mistake because i love it now!!!!!!!! thats why im only on grade 4/5

I also started violin at that age and did grades 1 and 2 but then moved up North so stopped for a few years. I then started them again in high school but the teacher was horrible and really scared me!! also the work wasnt at all varied, all we did was exam work after exam work. i just lost interest in it and hated practicing, hence the fact that i failed grade 4. Any normal teahcer would then go back over grade 4 stuff and possibly help to prepare for the exam again wouldn't they? Not my one!! he gave me grade 5 pieces to do !! completely barmy!!

Anyway ive just rambled about the violin in a piano forum so ill stop now!!!

Nat

I started the piano when I was 6, but it wasn't till I began the flute at secondary school that I learned the difference btween a crotchet and a quaver. I was playing quite hard pieces by then but my teacher was very old and perhaps didn't know about "internalising concepts".

5 years old for piano, 17 for violin.

But sadly, doing grade 8 only now. At 18 years old.

Lol. stopped too many times while I was younger!

If there's any advice I'd have to give to people on the verge of quitting (if you're young +/- 10 years old)

Just remember, hang in there. It is not as difficult as it seems and it is true that perfect practice makes perfect.

Go through pieces a few times and you'll realise you'll be getting it before you know it!

I was 14, i wanted to play since i was 10.
My friend taught me the notes and I never forgot.

Hi all

I started playing the piano at 7, guitar at 14 (never had lessons just mum taught me a few chords and i was addicted so i taught myself), and flute, clarinet, (properly) recently at the age of 21. Also wil be adding the violin to my list of instruments soon! Can't wait!

Joy

I was 10 years old when I started playing piano.

i got offered piano as a 6th b-day present.

I started when i was 5 but took my time with it. I spent two years learning all the basic stuff then playing through piano books and learning short pieces before I took grade 1 when i was 7.

I was 28, but wanted to play when I was at junior/secondary school.

I used to spend all my break times in the music room listening/watching my friend play Beethoven.

Violin was the only thing I got to play.There were too many people wanting to play piano.

Never mind. I making up for it now !

Fiona

At the age of 7, I learned piano for only about half a year because my mom did not allow the lessons as my school results in other main subjects were getting worse. But now, at the age of 30, I resumed the lessons at Grade 4. Hoping it's not too late.

i was bout 12 wen i started learning and im 14 now, so i aint bin learning long.

Piano: 6 years old
Recorders: 12
Flute:13
Violin:30
Viola:32
Clarinet:46

I now teach recorders and piano, and absolutely adore playing the clarinet! I occasionally play my violin, but the others have lapsed, sadly. There just aren't enough hours in the day for all the practice necessary to keep them all at a good standard!

Piano: 8:
Saxophone 11:
Guitar: 16
Clarinet: 16
Piano: Recently (And I will not give out my age over the internet)

I started piano at age 9, and I am now working for my DipABRSM.
I started flute at age 10.5

i started piano when i was 5 and violin when i was 8 or 9...but i was very lazy and i hate practising.. i finally dropped violin when i was 11 but kept piano.. eventually, i managed to get a pass (117) in grade 8 when i was just 14, just before i started my new school in england...

anyway, i started singing (properly) just 14 and organ around a year later... i'm waiting for my grade 8 singing result...scary!!!

liebe_klavier

I started piano when I was 14 after a couple of years of pleading- I'm 17 now and doing Grade 6- I sooooooo wish I'd started earlier. I think starting piano early is a huge advantage to musicians. I started french horn when I was 11 and am now doing Dip.ABRSM, and I also play various Irish traditional instruments (whistle, flute, uillean pipes) but there no no grades for them and they're just for fun!

I think starting at an early age is good but any age is cool!
Naomi xxxx

Started Clarinet 11 but gave up after a few years
started Cornet 15
started Piano 16
started Flute 21

Piano at 6

Organ at 12

'cello at high school ( around 14 and played for 3 or 4 years but didn't keep it up past school).

Recorder at 24

Maggie

I started the violin at 42

i started piano at 4, played on and off til i was 8 and have just started up again!
i started clarinet at....... 10 or 11!

QUOTE (Nicola @ Apr 18 2004, 04:57 PM)

i started piano at 4, played on and off til i was 8 and have just started up again! i started clarinet at....... 10 or 11!

how old are you now?! what grade clarinet are you?

im 15 and have just sat my grade 6

I started piano aged...17.!!! Just 6 mnths or so ago! its such an interesting thing that i cant believe i didnt jump on the bandwagon before. too busy being young and out playing probably lol

Laura

lol.I was more the indoors with piano type, lol, though I go out a lot now.
Naomi xxxx

Piano: 12
Guitar: 14

Car Expert

I won a piano lesson when I was about 6, then enjoyed it so much I tought myself and had a couple of lessons with a family friend. I got lessons with my current teacher when I was 8 so I've been learning for
6/8 years.
I've also been learning the saxaphone for 4-5 years and the guitar for about 6 months.

Sane as me, started at 18 only that was a year and 3 quarters ago, just finishing my grade 4 book now, to late to enter, so my first exam will be grade 5. Do sometimes wish i started much earlier, but same, i would have been out playing etc

hi every one..

i started playing the piano when i was 8....
done w/ grade 8 when i was 15....
stopped playing until now (19) and is now planning to take the dipARRSM.....

Piano: 4
Violin: 9
Cello: 22
Recorders: 24
Viola: 24

Gave up piano quite young - REALLY wish I hadn't!!!
Stopped playing cello last year when I exchanged it for a viola! (was self-taught on cello and not very good, anyway!)

I started piano when I was 7. I started violin when I was 10, and wish I'd started sooner. I'm 14 now and have only just done grade 4 (awaiting result). On a summer course I went on in August (of all months) there were people considerably younger than me who'd done grades 5 and 6. I felt very inferior!!!

i started piano when i was 7, clarinet when i was 9 or 10 (can't remember!) and i got my bass clarinet when i was 13

Started piano when I was 5, did Grade 8 when I was 14. Started violin lessons when I was 13 and got to Grade 6 by the time I left school at 18. Started to learn the harp at about 14-ish - then my harp teacher died - don't think it was anything to do with my playing!!!!! Couldn't find another teacher so didn't continue.

Started piano lessons at 14/15 (can't remember which!)

For me...I started piano when I am 6 years old..just because I want to play it when I first saw it at my friend's house. Then I just started it...this year(2006) is my 10th anniversary for learning piano...haha1

i did a bit of keyboard that my grandad taught me, then a teacher at school taught me bass clef and i was self-taught piano for year 9, started lessons officially in year 10 for piano and flute...can't figure out how old i was - around 14 i think? :s well 2 years ago and im 16 now so that's accurate enough

i started the piano aged 6 and a half... bleurgh that means i've been playing for 12 years.

i realised the other day that i've been playing the violin for 14 years.

it made me feel kinda old.

12 =)

I started playing the piano at 51. It is my first instrument I learned to play. Now 2 years later I am just as enthousiastic as when I started.

I started piano lessons when I was about 7, though have had some tuition from my Dad beforehand. Then stopped having lessons for about 3 years for some crazy reason and now am about grade 6ish xD
Other instruments : clarinet - 9years
cornet - 13
guitar - 13
kit- 14 but gave up because we couldnt afford the lessons =( or the kit....

I started playing when I was 14.

well i started playing piano in ur 7...which was bout 4 yrs ago lol and now im on grade 3... lol! o well easy does it! thats because when i started paying piano i startesd off from the very basics and i had to do a little exam for step 1 and 2, before my actual 1st grade lol! i blame my techer for that hehe

I started learning the piano when I was seven.....ages ago!!!

violin: 4
recorder: 5
piano: 6
voice: 11
viola: 14
guitar: 16
organ: 16
french horn: 16

WOW!!!! thats like so amazing!!!!! never tried learning all those instruments lol! wasnt it a little hard getting used to doing all the lessons and theory and stuff?????

Alto January 17 2006 9.30 a.m.

I started piano lessons when I was 7. Took Grade 1 and passed with honours (as it then was!). Had a gap of 40 odd years but never left off playing my music then decided to take up exams again in my late forties. Have now reached Grade 5 and passed so am now embarking on Grade 5 theory. Help. Having done no other theory exams at all. I may do Grade 4 theory first. I have also been learnig the violin for just over a year and my teacher said I am doing fine considering I started at a very late age! I think the main thing is that you want to do it and are eager to learn. I love music in any shape or form. Unfortunately, I have to go to work to pay for my lessons!

Recorder at 5.
Guitar at 13.
Flute for 2 years at 14.
Flute again at 42.
Piano at 43.

Beverley.

clarinet :8
saxophone/flute:16
piano:19 (wish I'd started earlier....oh well )

37
I passed grade 1 9 months after starting (last December)