As to teaching piano first - lots of people think that's best because each note has a visible key - but my neighbor friends are philharmonic musicians, and they come from a family of (classical) musicians, Curtis Institute, Oberlin, etc. and they don't believe in "must teach piano first." They started their eldest on violin, they stuck with it for a while (can't give up right away because kids ought to learn to work toward something, and there often isn't instant gratification) and after a year or two, when she could play some songs but still didn't like it, they stopped. Didn't push her. Now she wants to learn flute in the fall in the school orchestra, she's 9.

I asked them about guitar because I noticed it's different too - chord based, different notations - and my son is averse to instruments except for guitar. They believe music is music. The child should learn the instrument that they are inclined to learn and enjoy. That notation stuff - doesn't mean they won't be able to play in a group with pianos and horns that are reading notes on a staff. The fundamentals of music are the same.

The only thing is to stick with it for a while, not give up too soon. My daughter plays piano, and she liked it at first, then there was a difficult patch - the lessons were harder and things didn't come right away, which frustrated her. I had to help her realize she's not going to be able to play whatever she wants right away, and it will continue to get more challenging but also more satisfying. It takes practice and patience. She's now like an "intermediate," can play lots of things, and it's very fun now that her fingers move faster and she can sight-read better. I had same rought patches learning music too. I play piano, clarinet and cello. I plan to start learning guitar along with my son this summer.

As to age to begin, I wouldn't stress about it. Your son's only 8! He's not "behind." My neighbor started oboe, which is the instrument she plays in the L.A. Phil, at age 13. Didn't Andy McKee say he started guitar at 16 or something? (or at 13, didn't like it, then restarted at 16 after some concert he saw). If the child clicks with that instrument, it doesn't matter the age he starts, he'll get good at it.

Follow your child's inclinations, support & guide him through difficulties, and keep it fun and not a dreadful chore.

Good luck!

I would definitely say piano since it's easy to read the sheet music once you get the hang of it, and it's all visual. I also think that the earlier they learn it, it helps them with developing learning more than one language and improves their math as well. I heard that somewhere.

A string instrument like the violin or guitar

PIANO!!!!! You will learn to read sheet music for many other instruments because of piano knowledge. Clasical music uses Italian as a language which will help in foreign language skills and the notation of music is based on math. Piano players tend to have a higher instance of relative pitch as well as perfect pitch. True, the guitar and violin are not always the easiest to learn, but piano gives a more well rounded musical palet. It also helps to develope independence between both hands and feet and eye coordination becase you learn to read while playing without looking at the instrument. With the knowledge of piano you can easily play the organ and the latest electronic keyboards as well. Most music schools now Require courses in piano even though you are majoring in another instrument. On a side note, pianists/keyboard players tend to type fast. I can go on and on about this but I think I've made my point. But no mater what instrument a kid wants to play you should ALWAYS support his interest because he will be a better student overall!!!

If he really loves guitar there are lots of great video courses online and on DVD. Or, if he has a PS3 or Xbox, you can get a game called Rocksmith that teaches technique while playing a guitar along to classic and contemporary rock songs.

Make sure the child actually wants to learn the instrument and understand all the work and practice that it takes, otherwise you could be stuck paying for an expensive instrument that sits there and gathers dust...

I think you should have him do the one he loves..

You shouldn't force your children to do extracurricular activities that they don't want to do. .

A good piano is expensive. How much would a decent piano cost? About 2500-4000, I'd say. Playing the piano will always disturb your neighbours if you live an apartment building (your entire apartment will transmit vibrations to other apartments, so it's not just about how loud the instrument itself is).

Electronic keyboards certainly do not have the same feel as acoustic pianos. Some of the new digital pianos can get close, but the good ones tend to be just as pricey as acoustic pianos. Those keyboards that you can buy from supermarkets are horrible things to play and I could see them ruining a young person's technique (that sort of happened to me when I was young and later on it took me ages to learn how to play the weighted keyboard of an acoustic piano properly). There's a huge difference between the feel of different keyboards, even if they might look the same to you. You should also take into account what the instrument itself sounds like. You don't necessarily want to spend hours and hours in the same space listening to crappy built-in sounds, such as those found in the keyboards sold in the supermarkets with the speakers built into them. Those speakers tend to be of very low quality too.

I'd still recommend a digital piano for an apartment building though. Synthesizers might be a bit too complicated for a young person to start on. However, just getting a guitar sounds like a very good alternative in this case. The same notation conventions apply for guitar too. The tabulature form of notation you've seen is really meant for beginners and is just an alternative form of notation. They're quite handy, but can make you a bit lazy in the long run.

Music and mathematics do not have that much in common. You need to be able to count to twelve and that's about it. It helps if you have a tendency to visualize things in series and patterns though. An ability to memorize things efficiently doesn't hurt either.

[Edited 5/28/12 23:35pm]

Hammond B3 !

It is such organic sounds and doesnt look as strict as piano.

Ok... but you must like playing funky music or gospel in a church

... and have 10,000 dollars to buy one.

You don't have to spend thousands of dollars for a piano! You can buy a used spinet acoustic piano for 700.00 and it will easily fit in an appartment or if thats too much you can go to the local pond shop and get a used guitar for 100.00. Goodluck!