Ahh, kids

[J. Mark Lane]

My 28 month old daughter is the apple of my eye. So, tonight I was listening to the CD "Angel Mountain" by Sierra Hull (really nice...that kid can play!). My daughter always dances when mandolin music is on, so she's spinning around and dancing all over the living room.

The CD finishes and the changer moves to the next one, which happens to be Simon Mayor's "New Celtic Mandolin." She listens, keeps dancing. Then it gets to "Waynesboro". She stops. Gets this look, listens carefully, looks at Mommy and says, "Daddy does this one!"

Sorry. I know it's silly. But I am so thrilled that she can actually discern a tune, and recognize it as one that I play. Some of you will understand.

Now, another scotch, please.

Mark

[mando bandage]

Mark,

Recognizing your kid's musical ear is not silly. It's an affirmation of the gene pool. Just wait 'til she starts correcting your playing like my 10 year old son does mine. And you know what? It still feels good.

R

[brandon]

I have 4 kid's of my own, the youngest being 60 months old and also the most music crazy out of the bunch....understand completely.

[Keith Wallen]

That's cool Mark! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blues.gif

[evanreilly]

Time to start Suzuki violin lessons!!!

[250sc]

When my grandson was about 3 the family went out to sit on the deck in the back yard. I was just sitting there and the next thing I knew, my grandson was toddleing over to me with my mandolin and put it on my lap. I guess he just wasn't used to seeing me without an instrument in my hands so he helped me out.

Kids are the best.

[Avi Ziv]

Mark and everyone else - I highly recommend putting your kids to sleep with you playing some gentle mandolin music. I've been doing it for some time and it imprints itself in their soul very deeply. They ask for it now and I think they will remember it for the rest of their lives. For me - this is the most powerful musical experience, and I've been playing music for many years.

Just another idea

Mark - you have a cool daughter!
Avi

[J. Mark Lane]

Thanks, folks.

For those who haven't heard me say this, Clare is the reason I started playing mandolin. When my wife was pregnant, we would sit on the couch and I would play acoustic (fingerstyle) guitar "for the baby." After she was born, I continued this. But baby showed no interest at all. No reaction at all. Then one day I picked a mandolin off the wall, tuned it up and... wow! Her eyes lit up and she was all smiles!

So, I stopped playing guitar and it's been mando ever since. For about a year, we had mando hour every day. She was a captive audience. He he he. She couldn't even walk away. She loved it.

Now, she is totally musical. She sings, makes up songs (and words), dances constantly, even manages to change keys when singing along (and gets the notes right). She constantly comes up to me and says "Daddy, I want music." Makes me turn on the stereo. This morning she pulled my mando off the stand and handed it to me.

Evan, I am itchin' to get her into music lessons. But everything I have read says 4 years old. And I think that's probably right. Now, she is benefitting from a fun, unstructured musical experience. It's all singing, dancing, music. I fear the pressure would not be good at this point. She's still really a toddler. Can barely piece together coherent sentences.

Anyway, thanks for the support, all.

Mark

[JGWoods]

Star them with music as soon as they show interest.
Here's (http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/articles/09_00/Absolute_pitch.shtml)a page on perfect pitch.
I hope you keep everything in tune! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

best
jgwoods

[Flowerpot]

J Mark, your giving your daughter a gift that she will cherish the rest of her life. Your experiences sound so much like mine with our twins (you remember the dancing pics, they're 29 mo). They have just got to the point of singing along with some of the songs I normally play for them, just on the edge of being able to produce good pitch, but enthusiastic for sure. Sometimes I'll go to grab for the guitar, and our boy will say "No 'tar! Man-win!" and go grab the case and lug it out, with one end of the case dragging the floor. Though sometimes they will want the guitar, and take turns sitting inside the case and playing with the capo and strumming the strings. Our girl wants to know the name of every song that she hears, and if one comes up that catches her ear, she'll ask "What that?" and more likely than not remember some abbreviated form of the name later on. She can name any instrument taking a lead, saxophone, trombone, bass, piano, dobro, whatever, which is more than some people can do at any age. Just amazes me.

We are going to get them into violin lessons as soon as the teacher will take them, which is when they are fully potty trained. Probably when they turn three. Somehow I think they will take right to it.

[duuuude]

And the first time you get to jam with your son/daughter will put a permanent smile on yer face.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[jim simpson]

Many years ago I was at a Wintertime indoor bluegrass festival in the Catskills with my wife and young son (age 3 or 4?). In the reception area Petticoat Junction was playing when one of the girls in the band put down her instrument and started clogging. My son made a mad rush up to where she was dancing and joined in with her. He was quite good and natural at it (no bias here!) and she and the crowd loved it. My wife and I were amazed and amused at this unexpected display. Neither of us can clog. This spontanious clogging would happen from time to time at festivals. He would usually join others that he saw dancing. Later at age 5 at a festival, he expressed the desire to play fiddle so we went ahead and hooked him up with a teacher. I would also attend the lesson and try to learn as well. He made it much further than me and would join my band on a couple of tunes from time to time. He is now 17 and guitar and drums have replaced the fiddle - slam dancing has also replaced clogging.
Oh well,
Jim

[brandon]

It's called moshing now Jim. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[ira]

j.mark- priceless! gloat away as well you should!