Is it all right for a child to learn to play three musical instruments at once?

1. 79

   Robie Benveposted 10 years ago

   Is it all right for a child to learn to play three musical instruments at once?
   
   I have my daughter play the piano, which she has done for two years now, plus she joined orchestra in school and is learning how to play the violin, plus she is joining an ukulele orchestra and will have to learn to play ukulele soon.
   I am wondering: Is that too much for a nine-year-old? Or is it better to expose her to a variety of music, instruments, and teachers to foster her love for music?

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2. 87

   SANJAY LAKHANPALposted 10 years ago

   The notes of music are the same. These basic notes could be played on different instruments. So it is absolutely right to learn more than one instrument at a time. It will provide a deeper insight into the music.

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3. 69

   lisavollrathposted 10 years ago

   At one point in my childhood, I played piano, guitar, violin, and flute, and I sang in the choir. All music is somewhat related. If your daughter's brain is making sense of the various instruments, she's figured this out, and, although it sounds like a lot of different things, it's really one big thing. I would let her keep going.

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   1. 69

      DaisysJourneyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Agreed!  I started piano at 4, added violin at 9, and voice lessons at 14.  It made sense and all three stringed instruments (piano, violin, and ukelele) are like cousins   Let her feel the love of music!!

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   2. 79

      Robie Benveposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, looks like her brain is making sense of it. I was mostly concerned about the practice time, especially the more farther along into learning each instrument. But they are all string instrument hopefully practice on one will help the others too.

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4. 64

   favoredposted 10 years ago

   Your child sounds amazingly gifted and that should be nurtured.  Her creativity and field of development will level out after she does her exploring. Cheer her on, but be sure it doesn't take away from her social skills to the point that she shuts herself off and only practices.  If that stays under control your child should turn out well rounded.

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   1. 79

      Robie Benveposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for defining her gifted. She's a smart girl, cheerful and outgoing. I have the feeling that it'd be more the music practices to suffer from play-dates than the other way around. You're right she needs my full support, and she got it.

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5. 60

   The Examiner-1posted 10 years ago

   Did she choose these all on her own, or was she forced to learn them? If she wants to learn them all then as someone else said, she sounds gifted.
   
   If she has to learn the other two at school for class and wants to learn  piano at home on her own, then it  is something else.

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   1. 79

      Robie Benveposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      She chose to learn all three instruments. They are all optional classes that she could take, and she asked to join, two are in school, one (piano) is privately. But she's not forced to play neither, it's her choice.

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6. 76

   lone77starposted 10 years ago

   If she chose these on her own, I would encourage her. You might let her know that it's possible to take on too much, but give her the freedom to fall and to learn.
   
   Some people are primed and ready for challenges. My younger brother, Terry saw someone playing a guitar and asked if he could try. He played the same tune quite well. The owner of the guitar asked how long he had been playing. My brother merely replied that he had never touched a guitar before that day.
   
   Some people are naturals. (Or perhaps reincarnated geniuses, like Mozart playing and composing at age 4.)

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