Hello,

Your question is a very good one with which I have many years of experience.

I have taught violin and piano for to many students over the years, beginners & advanced alike. Age is a relative measure which is unique to each individual, when it comes to studying an instrument. For example, I currently teach students as young as 5 years old all the way up to my oldest beginner student ever who is turning 94 this week ... Incredible. Where there is a will, there's a way!

I find that age 6-7 is a wonderful (and perhaps, key) age for starting a child. Having attended school, they have learned some basic organizational skills as well as how to apply what they are taught. This is helpful when they approach learning an instrument.

In short, one can start at virtually any age as long as the individual has a will to learn and practice and has positive reinforcement behind them.

You're never too old to learn to play an instrument, and the only thing that could possibly limit it by age is something like arthritis.

You can be too young, however, I think. I started taking guitar lessons when I was 5, couldn't do it, and ended up hating it and quitting. 9 years later I picked it up again and loved it.

I think the teenage years are the best, but I may be biased. Whenever my emotions are getting the best of me, I feel like playing music can help me sort things out, and it also helps the music. It a great way to release stress.

I think sometime between child and young adult, maybe 7-21, is the best time to start. The brain is still forming during those years, and learning an instrument, just like learning a new language, is easier at this time than later on.

Physically, I'd say it's all the same, because muscle memory develops pretty quickly, and once you have it you have it. I would say it's a (subconscious) mental difference.

No matter what age, it's about our passion that drives us to learn something. I was 1 1/2 yrs. young when I started to play my ukulele with my father's training and great time we had in my formative years. Most of my siblings play instruments too... though they learned to play instruments when they're older than me. I admit, they play better than me! The younger the better but if you are an adult and have strong determination, why not? Go ahead and play it!

It does become more difficult with age, I think. But I could be off. I see it as a function of muscle memory. I've been a percussionist since I was in 4th grade. I can still play rhythms I haven't played in 10 years. But I haven't picked up many new ones.
I gained that muscle memory early on. Mentally, I think you're just as prepared when you're' older as you are younger, but physically, it takes more effort to train the muscles to work right.

There is no right age. What you need is Time and Persistence. Its easier for younger people since they have a lot of free time. Folks that are older have jobs and are busier.

Learning to play a musical instrument does require a lot time and devotion. It is quite an uphill challenge when your first starting out.

When I first started to play guitar. My first guitar chords don't sound right. My fingers hurt all the time. My guitar is always out of tune and I don't know how to tune it. Then there is the constant mockery of people around you telling you sound horrible. Obstacles like this easily turn people into quitting.

You can never get instant results. It all takes a lot of time and practice, practice and practice. My first early progress was the able to play Riffs and Intros of popular songs. This was in tune and the sound was recognized by people around me. But I was still being mocked coz I still can play a complete song. Yet I persisted. I spent an awful amount of money buying guitar mag (back when I cant learn a song by ear) and wasted countless hours practicing. Then I sort of became a guitar hero when I could play both rhythm and lead guitar of song of Pearl Jam, STP, Nirvana, STP, Led Zeppelin and the like.

If you ask me today. If I still can play those songs? I would say most of the riffs but not the lead and solos. The main crucial thing missing nowdays. Is the luxury of time I could devote in practicing.