My Child Wants to Switch Instruments

Your child asked to switch instruments! And you’re probably having an internal freakout. It’s actually more common, and less of a disaster than you think. Most adult musicians I know started on an instrument other than their professional one. I started on clarinet went through guitar, drumset, trombone, piano and finally arrived at percussion. This could be nothing more than your child’s way of saying they are ready or would prefer the challenge of another instrument.

Finding their Preference

While impractical to try EVERY instrument, exposing your child to a variety of instruments would be of great benefit. The main benefit being that they can find an instrument they like and will, hopefully, not want to put down.

Listening to different types of music will help your child understand get acquainted with a varity of instruments. The best way is to attend a live concert. A quick web search for “children’s concerts” will yield results for high quality live music curated for children.

Another fantastic option is to find videos of instruments being demonstrated and introduced, or played by children. I had four year old student that learned drumset, (yes the whole drumset moving and coordinating 3 limbs) by watching videos like this one: Drumset.

Here are some other videos that might help your child develop an interest in learning an instrument. Intro to Orchestra, Peter and the Wolf. Of course, you can’t go wrong with the classics like Raffi, and the Wiggles.

Let your child try two or three instruments. I had a 5 year old that took one year of piano lessons with me then switched over to drums. The groundwork of learning to read music, concepts of time, basic theory, and practice habits were established in piano lessons, so we were not exactly “starting over.”

I’ve also had the reverse - a 9-year old drum student that had been studying with me for 2 years was curious about piano. After an introductory lesson, he was fired up to start piano. We continued to do both! Our lessons consisted of 45 minutes on drums and 30 minutes on piano.

Responsibility

Letting them decide to switch gives your child a sense of autonomy. Having a sense of control helps children feel more invested and willing to learn and practice. Of course they shouldn’t be changing instruments too often. Have them stick it out until they have reached some milestone: completing a lesson book, learning one more song, they put on a concert for the family, or even just continuing until summer break. This helps to build a sense of perseverance and minimizes the tendency to quit when something less than pleasant.

Changing to a new instrument often feels like moving to a new house or city; A fresh start that allows a new identity to be developed. In 7th grade I told my band teacher that I wanted to learn trombone, (I was already doing well on clarinet). He had one of the trombone players in class guide me through the beginner book. I enjoyed having to think about music in a new way; the slide, lip buzz, and bass clef. It was completely different from my previous instrument. It got me thinking about music from another perspective. Your child may experience something similar. Imagine their face with awe and pride as they slowly learn a new skill.

Sometimes a child is too timid to request to change to a new instrument. If your child suddenly seems uninterested in lessons, this could be their way of telling you that they want to switch. Changing to a new instrument might reinvigorate their interest.

Another thing to consider is renting or buying a new instrument and accessories. This may be a good opportunity to have your child EARN the new instrument. Design an agreement with them: do all the chores on the chore list for the next 4 weeks, or do one extra chore per week, or no fussing about bath time, keep your play area tidy, or something like that.

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Conclusion

Your child wanting to switch instruments is not at all bad. Aside from the logistics of picking and acquiring a new instrument, learning a new instrument is like learning a new language. Take pride that your child welcomes the challenge!

I hope this insight helped you to manage an instrument switch with your child. It is more common than you think - just ask any professional multi-instrumentalist. The benefits outweigh the downsides. If your child expresses interest in trying a new instrument, and if it is within your budget, I would advise to not immediately dismiss their request.

Has your child switched instruments? Let me know in the comments how you handled it. If you found this information helpful please click the heart icon down in the bottom right and share it it with someone who would appreciate the information!