How many of u were forced to play a musical instrument as a child? Also, how many still do or do not as a result of being forced? Tell us why...

talmuzic said:

I was forced to play piano cuz my mom saw me playing when I was little thought I was really good and signed me up for lessons. of course when I was forced to take lessons I hated it I wanted to play around and create and it was really difficult to hold my attention so lessons did not really fit the bill for me very well. Anyways I did get very slight musical knowledge from it but I quit playing for years becuz I resented my mom for signing me up, but now I am playing/attempting to play drums, keys, guitar. But I absolutely will not take lessons they bore me. I just get out the instruments and play my little heart out and hope whatever comes out is good and I learn from that. It is a lot more fun for me this way. I like learning/figuring stuff out on my own. To this day I think if my mom would not have forced me to take lessons that I would be a much better piano player because I would not have quit from doing something I don't like to do.

I wasn't forced to play the guitar, I really wanted to learn it at that time. My problem was that my teacher didn't know anything about the electric guitar. So I became a classical trained guitar player, although I didn't want to at the beginning.

interesting...I was never forced but I think that kids resent being forced in the long run.

I am a music teacher and I have never advocated "making" a child learn any type of art to somehow induce their desire to pursue it on their own.

totally agreed...I resented/resent it big time. I mean my mom meant well and all she thought she was doing me a favor but for heaven sake at that age i just was not patient enough. but now I wish I knew how to play like every instrument ever.

I wanted to play piano. My mom did make me practice, sometimes.

I'm glad, tho.

I wasn't forced to play initially, until I said I WANTED to play something, and then they'd go rent it, (sax in 4th grade, trombone in 7th) and THEN I had to stick with it. Carrying a sax case with you, when it's almost as big as you - that's a pain. Good thing I only carry heavy guitar amps now.

WHO'S THINKIN, HUNH?

I picked up my brother's guitar when he'd given up learning after a couple of lessons ( long time back ).
My parents did put it on him to learn an instrument, and he resented it.
I saw the guitar and mucked with it just out of pure curiosity and loved it. But initially ( 5 years or so ) I just taught myself, couldn't handle being told what & how to play! Later this became boring and I learn't through jamming and being in bands.

I have taught people on a couple of ocassions, as a profession,(and will again) and found it really difficult to keep a beginner inspired. I can only teach people interested in a tune they want to learn and can play a bit already.
Then again I had an experience with my son (11) who i've tried to influence to play guitar, and it's just recently that he's picked up our old folk guitar and started playing something I taught him 3 years ago.
The intro to "nothing else matters / Metallica" : Em
Picking the Open E ,G, B, E ,B, G strings ; in a cycle.

E----0
B---0 -0
G--0-----0
D
A
E-0

Because there's no fingering it teaches picking of the strings and timing & is real simple
Then the riff on the high E string which has a few pull off's.
A friend of his also has caught the bug after he saw how simple this excercise was. Plus being Metallica, well, they think it's cool.
I wouldn't try to force him. As they say, "you can lead a horse to water, but ...."
So, no I wasn't forced, and I think it's got to be fun for the learner.
But a lot of people are driven and force themselves to learn, either to please the parents, or their ego, or simple love of playing.

My son tortures me by years ago starting to learn piano then HE asked to play violin then percussions namely the snare (in middle school) then xylophone. All was well until his ass of a music director in high school insisted that he join the marching band, when all he wanted to do was play in concert band and so goes a budding music interest. I have a studio full of instruments and he touches none. Hopefully one day he will be struck by the lightning bolt that compelled me to pursue music.
[Edited 7/11/05 16:38pm]