Piano versus violin?

Question

Which is a better instrument to start my 5 year old son on--he is open to both--pros and cons? Suggestions? Personal experiences are welcome

Answer 1

I teach violin and piano to children, starting at age four, and so this may sound strange, but I agree with some of the posters that piano would be good. Violin is much harder to manage. Let them start music on the piano (or using a keyboard even, since the action on a keyboard is much softer than a big piano), and then take them to some Suzuki group lessons when they're a little older (seven, say) and see if they want to do violin.

Suzuki teachers will kill me for this, but I think five is too young to start violin.

Answer 2

Being a musician of both, my opinion would be piano. Piano lessons teach the student lots of theory, so that would teach your son the names of the notes and how to read sheet music. I also think a five year old would have a hard time holding the violin for so many minutes and standing (even I do), thus I think it would get boring. Also, for violin, he has to learn how to read sheet music and learn the basics for both the left and right (bow) hand. Keeping the bow steady (not squeaking, like another answerer said) and putting the fingers in the right places so they're not sharp or flat. Although, violin is fun and very expressive. Overall, I think piano would be easier and I would suggest it over violin. Both are very exciting to play, and once he studies piano for a while, learning the notes and sheet music, maybe he'll be interested in playing the violin.

Answer 3

It is good to get some experience on piano before you begin another instrument. On a piano, you can see the notes in front of you, and their relationships with each other. On a violin, you have to form the notes, so it's difficult to learn theory on a violin. You can't play a piano out of tune--it always is right. Also, your son is so young he'd have to play a very small violin, and though such things exist, they often don't have very good sound. I would highly reccomend starting him on piano, it helped me tremendously with my violin playing!

Answer 4

If you start him on a violin, he will have to learn the physical control of playing the violin (so it doesn't squeeeek) as well as learning the chords and such at the same time.
If you start him on piano, he just has to learn the chords. Anyone can plink a key, so he can concentrate on learning the music. Once he knows that he can easily graduate to any other instrument. Then it's just a matter of learning what goes where and controlling it. I've heard it's best to learn on a piano.

Answer 5

i started playing piano when i was 5. You learn to read both bass and treble clef and once you play piano you can learn to play pretty much any instrument...so if he wants to play something else when he gets older he can...well, it'll be a lot easier. I play at least 4 different instruments now (including violin) and if not for piano i would've prolly only learned to play one...or maybe none at all

Answer 6

I was an orchestra member. I started on Viola, but I worked my way around to the other instruments. The only stringed instrument I cannot play is a bass. He's 5 years old. Give him the choice. Ask his opinion and see what he maybe wants. :)

Answer 7

Piano. Piano is the most capable instrument, Almost and orchestra, Also much more versatile. You can play all kinds of music. The main con is its size, and perhaps, its price.

Answer 8

the violin ive been playing for 6 years now and it so beats out the piano. its easy to learn how to play

Answer 9

I personally would start him on piano... simply because you can play the piano with anything and if you can understand piano music you can pretty much understand anything..

Answer 10

Violin. It was fun for me as a kid and the sound of it with music today is tight..