Should I Learn the Guitar or Violin at School
The Violin is Losing Out to the Guitar as Instrument of Choice in Schools
Researchers from the Institute of Education in London have come up with some startling information …
The guitar will soon overtake the violin as the most popular instrument taught in schools.
Well of course it will !!!
This news is being heralded as something of a shift in taste - nonsense !
Get all the kids who are interested in learning any instrument they want, give them a free choice and see what they go for ?
I guarantee a huge majority in favour of the guitar.
What’s more it’s nothing new - I’ll bet it was the same 40 years ago !
The premise is ridiculous … a choice based on no choice.
I could not learn the guitar when I was at school, it was not an option.
Even now a government minister is pledging £40 million to buy violins, flutes and clarinets to African drumming sets and bassoons.
I really wonder what percentage of teenagers would sooner play the flute than the electric guitar ?
Give them the choice, also proper teachers !
Music teachers who teach classical instruments are all capable and, from my experience, play to a high standard.
The odd few who teach guitar are mostly … !
The government wants to improve interest in learning musical instruments, and wisely so.
They believe, correctly in my opinion, that it leads to better behaviour, stability and a more rounded personality etc etc.
If they are serious, then they need to engage young people’s musical tastes. Once you engage then you can introduce new styles of music to broaden their horizons.
You are onto a loser if you are trying to musically connect with someone who listens to Green Day and The White Strips by offering them the opportunity to learn Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on a recorder.
Give kids a chance to actually learn the guitar and other ‘more modern’ instruments in schools, not as an extra curricular that has to be paid for either, provide guitars as they do other instruments, not some god-awful nylon strung acoustic which is all but impossible to play either.
Only then will we actually see what is popular and, just perhaps, what is possible !
Do you have an instrument of choice ?
What would you liked to have learnt at school given the opportunity ?
Femme Fatale said,
November 23, 2007 @ 6:04 pm
Rod,
What the real world is like!
Not really bothered about learning an instrument, but would love to have learnt to sing and dance
FF
xx
Rod said,
November 23, 2007 @ 6:17 pm
FF
an interesting point which makes me wonder why, for example, tap dancing is so widely taught to youngsters - seems to be much in the same vein as playing the tuba !
It’s never too late to learn to dance - give it a go - you could end up on the new programme I am touting to Simon Cowell …
Strictly Come X Factor in the Jungle
The winner likely being a girl who does the tango in a bikini whilst eating worms !
Happy Hoofing
Rod
[edited due to 500 typos, I will now cease the experiment of dictating to my trained monkey typist - he shall resume his duties as my butler]
Witches of Eastwick said,
November 23, 2007 @ 6:25 pm
Rod,
We would have dearly loved to have played the ceremonial Japanese drums…. but that was only last week
Suppose we must have been a school’s basic nightmare, witches without any noticable talent for anything musical. Can it be brought out in a youngster? Our guess is that schools will never have the resources to teach either individuals or small groups for longer than 15mins a week and parents pay. So given the choice today, we would opt for guitar and be better at it than you 
… please note the competitive edge…
WoE
Rod said,
November 23, 2007 @ 6:52 pm
WoE
you need no musical talent to enjoy playing an instrument.
I have no musical talent what so ever !
I did teach myself how to play the guitar though.
Anyone who is dedicated and willing to learn can learn to play songs by the likes of Jimi Hendrix et al - the real skill is writing music !
I can play Oasis songs with my feet but try writing something like Live Forever !
Cheers
Rod