Can listening to music benefit my child?

[Bloc Riff Nut]

If and when I'm graced with children I'm planning on beginning early with his/her musical education/indoctrination.
As most of us hear ;-) are music mad, I was wondering what you guys are subjecting the kids to.

I was thinking along the lines of soothing 6 string fretless melodies

[wateroftyne]

Little miss WoT spent almost 9 months in mummy's tummy listening to an accordion. Poor soul.

Now: Blues Brothers, Bob Dylan's Christmas record, Imelda Mae and Disney tunes. A canny introduction, I think....!

Edited December 7, 2010 by wateroftyne

[Mr. Foxen]

My little sister never had much music going on and now she thinks X-Factor is good, so let that be a warning. Really depressing misanthropic doom/black metal will help avoid disappointment with adult life.

[McCat]

Can't hurt can it?
My childhood musical memories are of the likes of Queen, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin et al.

Actually, apprently babies/tods listening to classical music makes them more intelligent (gives them lass ADHD or something like that), maybe some smooth bass would make them more laid back and 'cooler' in later life?

The only downside to my own musical childhood was that it kinda stuck with me throughout my school years and the only people I could have conversations with about such music were teachers. Not such a great thing.

[Cat Burrito]

Ease them in gently

[url="http://www.punkrockbaby.com/"]http://www.punkrockbaby.com/[/url]

[Bloc Riff Nut]

[quote name='McCat' post='1051034' date='Dec 7 2010, 10:00 PM']Can't hurt can it?
My childhood musical memories are of the likes of Queen, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin et al.

Actually, apprently babies/tods listening to classical music makes them more intelligent (gives them lass ADHD or something like that), maybe some smooth bass would make them more laid back and 'cooler' in later life?

The only downside to my own musical childhood was that it kinda stuck with me throughout my school years and the only people I could have conversations with about such music were teachers. Not such a great thing.[/quote]
I grew up listening to my mother's favourite Barry Manilow. My older sister then started playing Michael Jackson and Spandau Ballet and Phil Collins. Then in my teenage years I got into Metallica and NWOBHM.
Now I'm listening to Lilly Allen, Led Zep and Sabbath and the usual suspects from bass world( McCartney,Bootsy,Jac,Pino,Flea,Victoren M Miller etc)

It's a long and winding road. Maybe it doesn't matter where you begin, as long as you begin... Otherwise you risk your children falling into the 'I LIKE IDOLS, CAN'T THEY SING WELL' trap.

And we sure as hell don't want that happening!

[Bloc Riff Nut]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='1051051' date='Dec 7 2010, 10:16 PM']Ease them in gently

[url="http://www.punkrockbaby.com/"]http://www.punkrockbaby.com/[/url]

[/quote]
That's a fine website, I especially like the lullaby versions of Come on Eileen and Baggy Trousers,

[steve-soar]

This should be standard for all under 2's.

[umph]

[quote name='McCat' post='1051034' date='Dec 7 2010, 09:00 PM'], maybe some smooth bass would make them more laid back and 'cooler' in later life?[/quote]

i like this mental image of playing children to much jazz turns them into cool cats

[leschirons]

After our daughter was born, as a baby, the only thing that would stop her crying and get her to sleep was playing Rosanna by Toto.

[HMX]

Here are the risks, y'all Fantastic band, mind you!

[Subsonicspace]

Subject close to my heart!
My Mum insisted on Glen Campbell, Slim Whitman, Jim Reeves.
My Dad, Janis Joplin, Male Voice Choirs and Zulu tribal songs! A solid foundation !

[paul_5]

Yup. I was raised on Queen (mum's choice) and the Beach Boys (Dad's choice). I try to give my kids (a 3 year old and a 12 week old wee man) a varied spectrum of stuff. We've had Bartok, Stravinsky, Zappa, the Beatles, Rush, Bach and a fair bit of Jazz too (Love supreme, Bitches Brew, Mingus etc..). Last week in the car my 3 year old asked me "what's this one?" and my startled reply was "it's Motorhead, do you like this one?" he nodded his head ever so quickly - obviously been practicing...

[bartelby]

My daughter gets to hear lots of different stuff if she's with me when I'm on the computer, as I always have music playing.
When she was a couple of months old (she's only 9 1/2 months now) some Leonard Cohen would calm her down when she had colic.

Her favourite tv programme is Zingzillas (which is a music based kids tv show, for those that don't know), she took particular notice of the theremin episode (tyring to use this as an excuse to buy one) and the one with Evelyn Glennie on.

When she's at my sister in law's Tilly loves to hit the keys on the piano, she'll also hit the stings on a bass if you lie it in front of her, but hopefully she won't become a slap player...

[Lord Sausage]

Whilst my kid was in the womb i played him Mozart. Since he was born i played music to him everyday from fleetwood mac to Holst to Guns n roses. He's now nearly two. He loves music and has definite ability. He sings along to the bee gees, dances to fatboy slim. Listens intently to the planet suite by Holst and the Rite of Spring by Stravinsky. He picks up most tunes after a couple of listens and sings bits. And loves bashing my guitar or keyboard. So i 'd say it definitely helps.

[yorick]

My oldest, in the womb was subjected to Slayer, and early Metallica by me, and Queen and Blondie by her mum. Two weeks before she was born we saw Blondie at the NEC on their comeback tour.
Funnily enough, Molly still likes Slayer, but not Queen!!!

[Bilbo]

I once read that very young children respond identically to all sorts of music, irrespective of its so called sophistication but, as they develop, we, as a society, unconciously condition them to 'hear' simple stuff more readily than the complex stuff. My advice is to play the most radical extreme stuff of all genres to them so, whatever else happens, they won't have prejudices but informed opinions based on experience.

[Muzz]

All great in theory (and we have always had music of all sorts on in the house) but don't think you can influence them in any way other than by browbeating them with parental approval or disapproval - they'll pick what they like in the same way they pick what they like in other areas - by peer influence/prejudice and abitrary knee-jerk reaction. The best thing you can do is ensure exposure to all sorts of music so their palette of choice is as varied as possible. My friend seems delighted that his son listens to heavy metal all the time, but he doesn't really - he listens to it either because his Dad does, or because he wants to please his Dad. When he comes to our house, him and my lad listen to all sorts (they're 5/6) and he enjoys it all. My lad used to like the stuff I played (and he still loves farting around on my basses - especially the fretless, which is 'his bass') but now insists on Galaxy on the radio in the car. Who am I to argue?

M

[Wil]

My earliest memory of listening to music for pleasure was being given a cassette walkman with Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds on it. I think I must have been around 4. It may have grabbed me due to the juxtaposition between storytelling and music, but whatever the case it definately influenced me a lot. So much so that one of the first things I taught myself to play on an instrument, when I was 7 or 8, was the synth line from "The Artilleryman and the Fighting Machine", all on one string of my brother's guitar.

[schmig]

My sister reckons my childhood "Sesame Street" habit got me into Zappa...

Anyway, I think this *should* sound amazing for kids...can't tell as don't know any.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtkZxnkbjtI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtkZxnkbjtI[/url]

[bartelby]

[quote name='Wil' post='1051588' date='Dec 8 2010, 12:36 PM']My earliest memory of listening to music for pleasure was being given a cassette walkman with Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds on it. I think I must have been around 4. It may have grabbed me due to the juxtaposition between storytelling and music, but whatever the case it definately influenced me a lot. So much so that one of the first things I taught myself to play on an instrument, when I was 7 or 8, was the synth line from "The Artilleryman and the Fighting Machine", all on one string of my brother's guitar.[/quote]


War of the Worlds was the first record I bought myself. would have been the January after it was released, I'd heard it over New Year at my uncle's.

I've listened to that album at least 6 times a year ever since...

[51m0n]

Warning, you might end up in the same situation we are, Plux insisted that all his friends listen along to The Helicopter Quartet by Stockhausen during his 9th birthday party meal - I dont think they ever quite got over it

My little one is 6, his favourite song at the moment is I Am The Slime by Zappa. Result!