Make it Their Decision: How to Help Your Child Choose the Right Instrument

So, your child wants to learn how to play an instrument? Here are a few ideas that might help you help your children in answering the most important question - which instrument should they choose?

Many parents understand the merits of encouraging their child to pursue musical instruments. Learning to play an instrument is a creative discipline that teaches children what they can accomplish with regular practice and hard work. If you choose the instrument for your child, there’s no guarantee that he or she will actually enjoy it. By allowing your child to decide which instrument is most appealing, there’s a better chance that he or she will fully commit to the art of learning how to play it.

Explore Different Musical Genres

Children have their own tastes, and every genre of music incorporates an instrument they can learn. Classical, folk, and even heavy metal music require a high skill level to master. Listen to music with your children, and allow them to determine which genres produce their favorite sounds. Introduce them to some things they haven’t heard before so they’re able to make a more informed decision.

Narrow Down the Instruments

Once your child understands and appreciates the sounds of a particular genre, it’s time to take a closer look at the instruments used to make those sounds. Some genres incorporate a wide variety of instruments, so it may help to isolate these sounds for your child by playing clips of each instrument individually. You might want to consider the logistics of transporting each instrument back and forth to lessons. It might be easy to take an acoustic guitar to and from a lesson in your compact car, but something like a Celtic harp may require help from a transportation company like PACK & SEND.

Show the Child How the Instruments Are Played

Allow your child to see the instruments in action and observe the way they work. Your child may not feel as confident in their ability to blow into a flute as they would to strum a banjo. You want your child to be able to envision playing this instrument. This will allow the child to understand his or her interest in a particular instrument and why he or she feels compelled to learn it.

Allow the Child to Try A Few Instruments

Don’t allow your child to commit to an instrument before he or she has been able to spend some time fiddling around with it. Your child might find that their hands are too small for a bass guitar, or that a tuba is cumbersome and heavy. Take your child to the music store with you and spend some time visiting each instrument. A little hands on experience will allow your child’s intuition to determine if an instrument is truly a great fit.

Research Music Educators

Music tutors usually specialize in certain classes of instruments. Once you know the instrument your child would be happiest learning, you need to find the best local music teacher who can help your child master this instrument. Every child prefers to learn in a different way which makes it all the more important that your child gets along with their teacher. Meet with a few before you decide on one, and let your child dictate which learning environment feels most promising. Your child should enjoy his or her lessons, and the right teacher makes all the difference in the world.

Your child will appreciate how empowered he or she feels by being afforded the opportunity to decide which instrument to play. When your child has a say in the situation, they will feel connected to the instrument they’ve chosen to learn and feel more compelled to see their lessons through to completion.