learning to play an instrument.

[miriam]

Is it too late to have a child learn an instrument as a guitar at age 14? Are the teen years too late to learn a guitar or a trumpet?

I know the earlier the better, especially if the parents are musically inclined. But can a teen or young adult learn an instrument well if they began after childhood?

[StellasMommy]

As a former guitar shop owner, I can tell you that the majority of our customers started playing in their teens. Most of the younger kids (under 10) who started ended up quitting. Some picked it up again later.
Of course, we were dealing mostly with rock/metal guitarists. They generally don't learn to read music, just 'guitar tab', if anything.

[simple living mama]

I started at 16 and it's brought more joy to my life than you can imagine. I say 14 is perfect!

[Belleweather]

My mom is learning how to play the guitar and autoharp, and she started in her fifties. She's gotten QUITE good, too! Her band was featured on "A Prarie Home Companion" a few months ago. If she can do it that late in life, I'm sure your child will have a beautifully musical future!

[Itlbokay]

Originally Posted by Belleweather

My mom is learning how to play the guitar and autoharp, and she started in her fifties. She's gotten QUITE good, too! Her band was featured on "A Prarie Home Companion" a few months ago. If she can do it that late in life, I'm sure your child will have a beautifully musical future!

I might have heard that episode! I love that show! Was it her autoharp she played?


I say it's never too late to learn anything, instrument, foreign language, whatever! If the child's interest is there, I'd foster it.

My friend's sixty something mom is a Linguist - for fun! She is currently trying to learn Arabic, mostly self taught. She has already mastered Greek. I listened to Dr. Andrew Weil on NPR one day, he talked about how important (and good for you!) it was to keep educating oneself, learning new things.

[mama_daba]

i started learning violin at 20, my partner started learning guitar at 14 he didn't learn to read music until this past year but he is quiet good. je plays classical guitar mostly. i am currently learning to play ukulele and mandolin i can read music well i can pick up a sheet of music i have never seen and play the song on violin and i have only had one ukulele lesson but i can play songs in the key of c by reading music. it really is never to late to learn.

[CelticMomma]

I'm 36 and learning to play the piano. My whole family is, and it's a lot of fun. You're NEVER to old to learn to play music.

[miriam]

Thank you. I do remember years ago reading that John Holt learned to play the Bass with Nancy Wallace's DD. I think a person can learn anything at any age, but a person will learn differently.