Attention all parents [UPDATE]

Att: Non-Asian Parents

Please get your kid to learn an instrument. It doesn't really matter which instrument however it is worth noting guitarists are a dime a dozen, drummers are a luxury, but pianists are a dying breed. Music will always be a mark of Christians gathering as we are marked by joy and thankfulness and emotionally expressing our marvelous salvation through song, and so we will always desire musicians to facilitate this.

If money is an issue, then consider only paying for fortnightly lessons, and take the responsibility for their daily practise yourself. The best thing about weekly music lessons for children isn't the instruction per se, but the kick in the pants it gives them to actually practise.

Then once they've had a few years under their belt in classical training, they will need a bit of jazz training. Pay for an extra tutor for six months who can teach them how to build a chord and get beyond the sheet music. Muso's who need the music/follow the music too closely are the achilles heel of most church bands. We should all aim to be like guitarists, who need nothing but the 6 chords scribbled on the back of an envelope.

The other benefit is music is an easy and obvious way for the youngsters to begin serving in the church, because music relies almost entirely on the theological reflections of others. And if they're really self-conscious, get them up there for the first few months without plugging them in.

Att: Asian parents

Keep up the good work.

[UPDATE]
Some further thoughts:

• People can be too precious about music (a true statement in general), but especially about the level of musicianship required to serve the body. It is often as if the idea of training younger members to serve applies in every serving capacity in our gatherings except in the band.
• Asking someone from church who is proficient as a musician to teach your child is no guarantee of quality. Not everyone is a born teacher. Plus, if you're not paying, you might not value it as much, and lose the motivation to practise due to 'getting your money's worth'.
• No one likes the recorder. No one. It's hardly even a real instrument. The recorder was created to be sold to primary school children so they could chew on the mouthpiece when bored, and then pass it on (complete with molar impression) to other sickly primary school children. The tin whistle is a musical instrument only in Ireland.
• The saxophone is dead. Its sound immediately dates the music. Con Campbell is the only exception to this rule.
• Trumpet and violin can add greatly to musical accompaniment, but generally require a longer gestation behind closed doors before they can be released into the world of church bands. Everyone notices the dud note on these instruments. The guy at the mixing desk can't mute an unmiked trumpet.
• There are guy instruments and girl instruments. If a girl plays a guy instrument (guitar/drums) she is incredibly cool. The opposite however, does not hold true. Don't make your son learn the flute, unless his name is Ron Burgundy.