Did you have music lessons when you were a child?

@TheHorse (218128)
Walnut Creek, California
October 4, 2018 10:23am CST
Back around 1900, I believe that many middle class families had pianos in their houses, and that singing around the piano was a fairly common practice. Music lessons for children was a sign of being "educated," and many children received piano or violin lessons, whether they wanted them or not. When I was a child, in the 1960s, I started taking piano lessons at age six, and continued until I was nine. When sports became more important to me than piano, I quit taking lessons, but continued to play now and then, improvising to my heart's delight. I took up guitar, and eventually mandolin and bass in adulthood. Now, my house is too small for a piano (my baby grand is in Atlanta with friends), but I'm giving lessons to my young neighbor friend on a small keyboard I keep here. I also got him one for his house, so he can practice at home. He is doing great, and can play the beginning of Fur Elise, among other things. I'll probably buy him an early piano book, so he can maintain his "reading" skills. Did you take music lessons of some kid as a kid? Did you stick with it? I'm getting Back to piano (as Vanny knows) but rarely read notes. I mostly improvise. I might get back to reading in I get a better piano.
23 people like this
27 responses
• Quezon City, Philippines
4 Oct 18
I was in a glee club choir, I've learned a little bit of guitar there.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
Did you enjoy it?
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
@twentysix76 Do you have "kid instruments" around the house now?
• Quezon City, Philippines
6 Oct 18
@TheHorse yes i enjoyed it and I like my son to also learn any musical instrument as he grow..
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (105449)
• Marion, Ohio
4 Oct 18
I did in school through the band. But I have not kept up with it. I would need to relearn to read even.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (105449)
• Marion, Ohio
6 Oct 18
@TheHorse Probably guitar if I was to start again.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
@wolfgirl569 I do enjoy playing guitar.
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
What instrument would you most like to play at this point?
@FourWalls (67489)
• United States
4 Oct 18
I did. Guitar lessons.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (67489)
• United States
4 Oct 18
@TheHorse — I play for my own amusement (it’s a different kind of funny when others hear it). My parents were responsible for my good tastes: Dad taught me to love country music, and Mom taught me to love good music.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 Oct 18
Do you still play? What accounts for your good taste in music?
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (470997)
• Switzerland
4 Oct 18
In school we had music lessons, several different instruments.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (470997)
• Switzerland
5 Oct 18
@TheHorse We also learned to sing and one of the first thing we learned was the National Anthem.
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 Oct 18
I think there's less of that in the US than there used to be.
1 person likes this
@Kasjnak (4489)
• Romania
4 Oct 18
My music teacher tried to teach me how to play mandolin and we also tried a keyboard. It was nice, but I couldn't do it for too long. I had to stop the lessons after a few months. I wonder if I could play a mandolin now . I seriously doubt that.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 Oct 18
I'd just pick one up and see if your brain/fingers remember some scales and chords.
1 person likes this
@Kasjnak (4489)
• Romania
5 Oct 18
@TheHorse maybe I will, but I'm pretty sure it won't work. A few months of practice, 25 years hiatus...
@debjani1 (7202)
4 Oct 18
Yes I had music lesson of harmonium but not interested.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 Oct 18
Di you like LISTENING to music?
@debjani1 (7202)
5 Oct 18
@TheHorse of course.
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
5 Oct 18
Yes, I has my piano lessons when I was in high school at the boarding house where I am in. I was forced to try piano lessons because my parents are persistent. But I just learned the do re mi. I don't have any interest at all. The piano teacher would be exasperated teaching me always. I stopped after the second year and my parents cannot insist on me anymore.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
6 Oct 18
@TheHorse Yes, but not playing the piano.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
@SIMPLYD Heh. I gathered that.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
Do you enjoy LISTENING to music?
1 person likes this
@Jackalyn (7558)
• Oxford, England
4 Oct 18
My school included me in Violin lessons with a scary Miss Bicknell who told us our violins were our babies and our darlings. I remember this well for to put a child who everyone thought was tone deaf into a violin class is possibly the stupidest thing anyone can do. But my parents did not know this. They told me how favoured I was and shut their ears as I attempted to practice. I did get as far as screeching with a bow and could read music a little. However the arguments to let me stop became so constant the family finally gave in and said I could stop. Miss Bicknell said "Oh I am SO glad, Tone deaf people should play the guitar!" She was as relieved as I was that I was leaving the class!
@Jackalyn (7558)
• Oxford, England
6 Oct 18
@TheHorse Coming, as it did, from a woman who called Violins babies, it was not a comment I took seriously, even at ten years old.
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
"Tone deaf people should play the guitar" is actually a VERY funny statement. Especially because I'm a guitarist! Thank you for the morning chuckle.
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
4 Oct 18
Chopsticks. Badly.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 Oct 18
Heh. I should show that to my young friend.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Oct 18
No music lessons here. Just a music listener.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 Oct 18
Heh. Sometimes I listen less when I've been playing more.
1 person likes this
@nela13 (58526)
• Portugal
6 Oct 18
Unfortunately I hadn't, but I still want to learn how to play an instrument.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
Piano is a great first instrument, but they take up a lot of space.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Oct 18
@nela13 Is it in tune and playable?
1 person likes this
@nela13 (58526)
• Portugal
6 Oct 18
@TheHorse I have a 19th century piano that my parents bought in a fairy in Frankfurt.
1 person likes this
• India
4 Oct 18
Never took. We never had a music tutor in the vicinity
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
I am intrigued by Indian music.
@Janet357 (75646)
4 Oct 18
Playing pianis in my blood but i never had had any piano lesson. My passion is something else. But i did compose short songs using the piano application alone. Wow, you are gifted! You know how to play a lot of musical instruments.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
I do. All of them poorly. Have you heard my YouTube videos? Sigh.
"Pancho and Lefty" by Townes Van Zandt Colin H. Sacks - vocals, guitars and bass Recorded by - Michael Stenberg Like and Subscribe for more songs and videos :)
1 person likes this
@Janet357 (75646)
6 Oct 18
@TheHorse oh, so you are colin sacks? I liked your video, it was fantastic though i must admit it i never heard of pancho and lefty but upon hearing their music, it was nice to my ears. Dont know, i was born in 80s and i like old songs as old as mozart, beatles, doris day and the likes, but i never encountered and pancho and the lefty.
• United States
4 Oct 18
I took piano lessons in 5th grade but I couldn't read the music sheets very well, I was just playing by ear. Wasn't able to get very far on just that but I wish I'd taken it a little more seriously. Piano is so beautiful to listen to and playing it is a talent I wish I possessed. Every once in a while at a friend's house I'll play on his keyboard, not any actual songs, just messing around.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
I mostly play by ear as well. My reading's not so good.
@m_audrey6788 (58472)
• Germany
4 Oct 18
How I wish but never had the chance to learn piano
1 person likes this
• Germany
7 Oct 18
@TheHorse Not meant for me
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Oct 18
@m_audrey6788 Do you have other instruments you'd like to learn to play?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
How come?
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (37348)
• Toccoa, Georgia
4 Oct 18
Yes, when I was a child, I took violin lessons and was in the Elementary School Orchestra.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (37348)
• Toccoa, Georgia
5 Oct 18
@TheHorse I enjoyed it. I had an accident as a kid where I spent some time in the hospital. It was that , where I stopped. I should have continued but I didn't.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
@LeaPea2417 Do you think you could still pick up a fiddle and remember some of what you played?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 Oct 18
Did you enjoy it? What made you stop?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (338949)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Oct 18
I learnt piano from about the age of 7 onwards and later taught piano for years. I never play now. Piano is a good base I think even if kids go on to something else later
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
I think it is a good first instrument as well. Are you ever tempted to get back to it?
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@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
@JudyEv Ukes are tuned like the top strings of a guitar, but in a different key.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (338949)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Oct 18
@TheHorse No but we're thinking of buying ukuleles when Vince gets back.
1 person likes this
4 Oct 18
I didn't take private lessons, but I played clarinet in the school band for 2 years in middle school.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
Are you ever tempted to play again?
1 person likes this
6 Oct 18
@TheHorse Sometimes, but it was a very long time ago
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Oct 18
@scottishbarbie I guess I'm "projecting," since music is such a big part of my life. But I wish everyone would keep playing.
1 person likes this
@StarLeyen (204)
8 Oct 18
I had a piano lesson when I'm old already. And he never taught me the basic. I was instantly taught matured learners. And because of that, I never learn to play piano. I forgot everything.
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
8 Oct 18
I think it's better to start with the basics and build up slowly.
9 Oct 18
@TheHorse that's true. My piano teacher before was instantly doing it music sheet right away without teaching me the basic. It was a shock!
@stanws (126)
• Stoughton, Massachusetts
16 Oct 18
Oh man. You have to have a foundation before you can build a house! I bet with the right teacher, you could enjoy it and be successsful.
@Moon24 (22396)
• Serbia
7 Oct 18
Yes, i had music lessons of violin.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Oct 18
@Moon24 Ever tempted?
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@TheHorse (218128)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Oct 18
Do you still play?
1 person likes this
@Moon24 (22396)
• Serbia
10 Oct 18
@TheHorse Not any more.
1 person likes this