As one who started at 8 yrs old and who started the hearing loss/improvement thread, I can first of all say, make him practise! I wanted to learn violin, I signed up on my own, then came home and told mom and dad. BUT, I didn;t want to practise as much as I should've. They required a commitment from me, through their commitment to me, in paying for the lessons and getting back and forth to them.

The other thing, is probably MORE important: share his/your music wiht him. My mom pplayed piano with me doing solo pieces; she did this for recitals and at home. When the family would gather to make music, we shared. This was probably the best thing anyone could've done to instill a love of and desire to learn music for me, at least.

As for the practising: I will be eternally grateful to my parents and old "Granny Gantham", as we terrible kids called my orchestra/private lesson teacher. She was strict and exacting and my parents made sure I practised. As a result I won a summer music camp scholarship in junior high and was concert mistress through junior high and later in high school. I got to play in regular concerts, but also in musicals and other presentations and I loved it. I had to fill out a little practise book for every 30 mnutes I spent at it. The discipline has served me well in many areas of life, while it was still fun.

I regret that I did not take my own advice and be more strict with my kids and their lessons, but none of them showed as much interest and didn't grow up with four siblings and two parents who were so much into music as I was. They still enjoy singing, though.

katlaughing