Piano or Guitar for ADD | ADHD Information

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My son is 9 years old and recently identified as ADD.  I want him to introduce to one musical instrument.  For ADD kids, which one would be better Piano or Guitar.

Thanks!

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Why are you asking us? It's not like everybody with ADD prefers the same musical instrument. The better choice is whichever one he prefers.IMac38945.3388541667

My son is 9 years old and recently identified as ADD.  I want him to introduce to one musical instrument.  For ADD kids, which one would be better Piano or Guitar.

Thanks!

i think maybe a boy would prefer guitar,my ds is only 4 so  he has not shown any interest in that kind of things yet.but i will try it later better than staying in front of that computer

Which is he interested in?

Ds loves music, has played the piano since he was about  four...so that's 13 years. In addition he played the sax in 4th grade and the cello for four years, but has stuck with the piano as an instrument of choice.  Learning to read music was very difficult for him, (probably due to addition of LDs and having an excellent ear) but he accomplished it. Most important is to find a teacher that will work with your son's individual learning style and make it fun for him.   Piano becomes exceptionally harder later on because of multiple notes played simultaneously.  I have always done trial lessons with teachers first.    Piano gives on a good basis in music whether they continue or not and it is easier to play a note that sounds good.

Good Luck!

Drums! 

Shante, I didn't mean to be so blunt. Really, I know a lot of ADHDers who are drum players.  There's not a lot of notes to learn.  Both the piano and the guitar the right and left hands are doing totally different things, especially if there is and issue between the right and left brain, it can be difficult.  I had a terrible time with both piano and guitar for this reason, but did alright in flute, trumpet, and yes, drums!  You might need to assess this with your son.  With the drums (if you have a soundproof room) a child can get both his arms and legs invloved when the sets progress.  If he might be interested, just get him a pair of drumsticks and see what he does with them.  It's a great way to burn some of the excess energy! 

When I looked into this question I was told by a music teacher and a music student that it is best to learn the piano first, as a foundation, and that if you just skip to guitar it will be more difficult to learn.

My son found the piano boring. There wasn't enough action, and it required a lot of focus.

IMac38945.3390856481

A lot of schools require that students who want to play the drums must have piano first. I think this is because, although both piano and drum are percussion instruments (the piano strings are struck by hammers), the piano requires both reading music and rhythm, whereas most drum parts are just symbols representing rhythm.

I think that piano would be more beneficial since the size of a guitar might be too unwieldy for a young child, who could sit at a piano. But either instrument is great for ADHD kids, who tand to have small-motor problems and can use the practice.  

OK, I do agree that the piano is THE foundation for music and theory and practice, rather than guitar.  I don't think I'm ADHD, and my folks MADE me do piano, and I hated sitting so still there for so long, and the right/left/treble/bass thing was so hard and frustrating, and I tried sitting on my legs and stuff.  THE WHOLE THING was just so frustrating.  I did the music route all the way till my freshman year (flute and trupet) in college, and I know many wonderful musicians who never touched a piano.  All I know, is when I got on my uncles drumset, the whole kit and kaboodle set, and he taught me one by one what to do with each piece, I could have sat there all day! 

Please, if he's interested in one or the other, that's great but do not force your son to do either if he does not want to.  What does your son want to do?