Re: Is any musical instrument better for AS kids in your experience?

[Guest guest]

:

Our son plays violin. He picked this over the woodwinds and brasses

because he was worried about having enough breath to blow. (My

husband and I were both band people, so we didn't know anything about

orchestra instruments.) He did not like the sound of a lot of the

band instruments while the violin was very pleasing to him. The

teachers warned that it might be difficult if he didn't have good

small motor coordination, but this hasn't been a problem (guess video

games and lego interests are good for something!) He has done very

well over the past two years and is even joining a fiddle club at his

school that meets outside of class and does extra performances at

local hospitals/nursing homes.

I think the key was that we let him choose what he was interested in

playing so he was very motivated to practice and learn.

N in Illinois

>

> Hi! I would like to ask those of you with children who play

> instruments, or who have tried to learn different instruments:

>

> In your experience, what instrument seems to be more appropriate for

> an AS child?

>

> Different instruments mat have different advantages (for example,

> rhythm, socialization, concentration, easy to play, level of noise,

> etc.) and some of the challenges of AS kids may make some

instruments

> easier or harder to learn/play.

>

> We are having a debate at home about what instrument we as a family

> should get into playing. So my wife sent me to the well of

> experience... (She literally said: ask your friends from the AS

> support group!... I'm glad she calls you all " my friends " )

>

> Thanks for your opinions. Have a great day. F

>

[Guest guest]

My 12-year-old AS son has played the drum and the baritone. He likes the idea of

learning a little bit about a lot of intstruments. But he keeps going back to

the drum. He loves the rhythm involved and the fact that he doesn't have to

remember lots of different notes and things.

~MJ

~ Be who you are and say what you feel, because people who mind don't

matter and people who matter don't mind.

( ) Is any musical instrument better for AS kids in your

experience?

Hi! I would like to ask those of you with children who play

instruments, or who have tried to learn different instruments:

In your experience, what instrument seems to be more appropriate for

an AS child?

Different instruments mat have different advantages (for example,

rhythm, socialization, concentration, easy to play, level of noise,

etc.) and some of the challenges of AS kids may make some instruments

easier or harder to learn/play.

We are having a debate at home about what instrument we as a family

should get into playing. So my wife sent me to the well of

experience.. . (She literally said: ask your friends from the AS

support group!... I'm glad she calls you all " my friends " )

Thanks for your opinions. Have a great day. F

[Guest guest]

My son plays flute in the marching band at school and also plays

piano independently. He likes these instruments because of the

sound they play. He finds the flute music soothing at times. He

has also toyed around with the guitar and plays a keyboard. I say

it is up to the individual and where their interests lie.

Sally

>

> Hi! I would like to ask those of you with children who play

> instruments, or who have tried to learn different instruments:

>

> In your experience, what instrument seems to be more appropriate

for

> an AS child?

>

> Different instruments mat have different advantages (for example,

> rhythm, socialization, concentration, easy to play, level of noise,

> etc.) and some of the challenges of AS kids may make some

instruments

> easier or harder to learn/play.

>

> We are having a debate at home about what instrument we as a family

> should get into playing. So my wife sent me to the well of

> experience... (She literally said: ask your friends from the AS

> support group!... I'm glad she calls you all " my friends " )

>

> Thanks for your opinions. Have a great day. F

>

[Guest guest]

My oldest is a music major in college; in his opinion, piano/keyboard

is a good all around instrument. As he said, its mostly fingering

(until you get into the pedals later on) which usually means success

in learning (using hands only). I agree with another post about

woodwind; most instruments have special " lipping " which can be

difficult to learn. Also, my son pointed out that piano/keyboard is

probably the most commonly heard instrument so the sound of the notes

will probably be least distressing to a child with autism. And last

but not least, if your child takes to music, keyboarding is a basic

requirement in any higher education. I know that is way down the

road but it is a good foundation instrument.

We have lots of music stories in our family. My oldest started out

on the clarinet, went to trombone, and settled on tuba. It was SO

fun to explain to the band director why he could not do his homework

(practice instrument) because Tony (my autie) could NOT tolerate the

sound of the instrument. We spent several years going to concerts

where Tony either covered his ears or cried the entire time. My

oldest now marches in a drum corps in the summer; Tony looks forward

to going to the competitions. Maybe his tolerance is better because

it is outside.

As an aside, I'd like to know if anyone here has had their " special

child " in band through school and if so, how has it worked? Tony

wanted to take band this year (his 1st year in middle school), but

has no time in his schedule due to all the EC classes.

> >

> > Hi! I would like to ask those of you with children who play

> > instruments, or who have tried to learn different instruments:

> >

> > In your experience, what instrument seems to be more appropriate

for

> > an AS child?

> >

> > Different instruments mat have different advantages (for example,

> > rhythm, socialization, concentration, easy to play, level of

noise,

> > etc.) and some of the challenges of AS kids may make some

> instruments

> > easier or harder to learn/play.

> >

> > We are having a debate at home about what instrument we as a

family

> > should get into playing. So my wife sent me to the well of

> > experience... (She literally said: ask your friends from the AS

> > support group!... I'm glad she calls you all " my friends " )

> >

> > Thanks for your opinions. Have a great day. F

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

That is a hard question! I have a friend whose son plays drums and he has AS.

He likes the rhythm. My two boys are very talented with music but neither one

will play an instrument. They had to play a recorder in music class in 4th

grade and they both did really great on it. I tried pushing a flute or clarinet

for them but of course, they wouldn't! My younger ds (10 yo) is also very good

on the piano without lessons.

Roxanna

( ) Is any musical instrument better for AS kids in

your experience?

Hi! I would like to ask those of you with children who play

instruments, or who have tried to learn different instruments:

In your experience, what instrument seems to be more appropriate for

an AS child?

Different instruments mat have different advantages (for example,

rhythm, socialization, concentration, easy to play, level of noise,

etc.) and some of the challenges of AS kids may make some instruments

easier or harder to learn/play.

We are having a debate at home about what instrument we as a family

should get into playing. So my wife sent me to the well of

experience... (She literally said: ask your friends from the AS

support group!... I'm glad she calls you all " my friends " )

Thanks for your opinions. Have a great day. F

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[Guest guest]

My dd played the clarinet in band for many years. I would usually go to

concerts alone but sometimes I had to take my ds with me. He would sit there,

holding his ears and complaining loudly, " Are they done yet??? " " When will they

stop doing that noise? " and other fun complaints. He did not (does not!) like

to sit still that long.

Roxanna

( ) Re: Is any musical instrument better for AS kids

in your experience?

My oldest is a music major in college; in his opinion, piano/keyboard

is a good all around instrument. As he said, its mostly fingering

(until you get into the pedals later on) which usually means success

in learning (using hands only). I agree with another post about

woodwind; most instruments have special " lipping " which can be

difficult to learn. Also, my son pointed out that piano/keyboard is

probably the most commonly heard instrument so the sound of the notes

will probably be least distressing to a child with autism. And last

but not least, if your child takes to music, keyboarding is a basic

requirement in any higher education. I know that is way down the

road but it is a good foundation instrument.

We have lots of music stories in our family. My oldest started out

on the clarinet, went to trombone, and settled on tuba. It was SO

fun to explain to the band director why he could not do his homework

(practice instrument) because Tony (my autie) could NOT tolerate the

sound of the instrument. We spent several years going to concerts

where Tony either covered his ears or cried the entire time. My

oldest now marches in a drum corps in the summer; Tony looks forward

to going to the competitions. Maybe his tolerance is better because

it is outside.

As an aside, I'd like to know if anyone here has had their " special

child " in band through school and if so, how has it worked? Tony

wanted to take band this year (his 1st year in middle school), but

has no time in his schedule due to all the EC classes.

> >

> > Hi! I would like to ask those of you with children who play

> > instruments, or who have tried to learn different instruments:

> >

> > In your experience, what instrument seems to be more appropriate

for

> > an AS child?

> >

> > Different instruments mat have different advantages (for example,

> > rhythm, socialization, concentration, easy to play, level of

noise,

> > etc.) and some of the challenges of AS kids may make some

> instruments

> > easier or harder to learn/play.

> >

> > We are having a debate at home about what instrument we as a

family

> > should get into playing. So my wife sent me to the well of

> > experience... (She literally said: ask your friends from the AS

> > support group!... I'm glad she calls you all " my friends " )

> >

> > Thanks for your opinions. Have a great day. F

> >

>

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Checked by AVG Free Edition.

Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.14.0/524 - Release Date: 11/8/2006

[Guest guest]

I have been a violin teacher for over 15 years. I think that more

important than the particular instrument would be the method of

instruction. If a child wants to play the saxophone but you say no

because it's too hard, they won't be nearly as motivated to play

whichever instrument you pick out for them (I'm speaking

hypothetically of course!). I've taught several kids with special

needs over the years, and what I've found is that if you break things

down into teeny, tiny steps, they can usually progress and do well.

Unfortunately (and this is a HUGE generalization), most of the time

the music teachers in public school specialize in one instrument, but

teach 9 or 10. One of my good friends from high school has a

Master's degree in saxophone performance, and he teaches in the

school system. He is teaching orchestra and band, and knows almost

nothing about playing stringed instruments. That can be a huge

disadvantage to a kid who needs extra help and may not pick things up

easily. I would highly suggest private lessons to get him started,

and pick your teacher CAREFULLY. I don't want to advocate one method

over another, but the Suzuki method can be good for kids with special

needs, because it is such an adaptable method. But again, you need

to choose your teacher very carefully to make sure they won't get

stuck in one particular way of instructing. Good luck.

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

I'm asking the same question, because my son has become fixated on learning to

play an orchestra instrument -- he wants the trombone -- but has no track record

for sticking with something and practicing and he's only 7. I guess it's an

important choice, because a woman at the music store I brought my son to last

week said that it can be hard to change instruments when you've learned on one

-- your muscle memory is hard to change.

I have an idea that we might try and I thought I'd share -- our local music

store rents the instruments for a certain amount (about $25) a month. We might

try an instrument a month, maybe even consult with the appropriate musician per

month to introduce him to the instrument, and see which one he likes the best by

the end of the year.

on

Roxanna <madideas@...> wrote:

Hi ,

That is a hard question! I have a friend whose son plays drums and he has AS. He

likes the rhythm. My two boys are very talented with music but neither one will

play an instrument. They had to play a recorder in music class in 4th grade and

they both did really great on it. I tried pushing a flute or clarinet for them

but of course, they wouldn't! My younger ds (10 yo) is also very good on the

piano without lessons.

Roxanna

( ) Is any musical instrument better for AS kids in your

experience?

Hi! I would like to ask those of you with children who play

instruments, or who have tried to learn different instruments:

In your experience, what instrument seems to be more appropriate for

an AS child?

Different instruments mat have different advantages (for example,

rhythm, socialization, concentration, easy to play, level of noise,

etc.) and some of the challenges of AS kids may make some instruments

easier or harder to learn/play.

We are having a debate at home about what instrument we as a family

should get into playing. So my wife sent me to the well of

experience... (She literally said: ask your friends from the AS

support group!... I'm glad she calls you all " my friends " )

Thanks for your opinions. Have a great day. F

----------------------------------------------------------

No virus found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG Free Edition.

Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.14.0/524 - Release Date: 11/8/2006

[Guest guest]

Hi, everyone! My A.S. son is 10 and he has a high interest in piano and

guitar. We have not started formal lessons, yet, but are planning on it. My

son has always enjoyed music and even singing. I can remember rocking him

and singing to him a song and he matched my pitch at the age of 6 months. He

has a beautiful voice and is something that we are encouraging. i think this

is a great outlet for our kids. We are a musical family.

Tricia

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