I have a couple of thoughts on this thread that I thought I would share with you from my perspective.
I am 73 years old now so I started on my learning curve in 1937. I think I am very typical of that time.
I hated music. I hated piano lessons. I hated practicing several hours a day. I hated the piano teacher. I hated my parents for putting me through this agony.
Seven long years of classical music. WHY? Because my parents liked it. I never did learn to like it even thought I learned to play it well. I also had to play at the cutsey recitals about once a month for my mothers instant gratification. I also hated that.
Now, having said all that is it any wonder kids don't want to learn music fundementals and theory.
When I was 12 I was walking home from town, (about 5 miles) after the movie and as I walked past this country tavern I heard the most amazing music coming out the window. It was swing, and I loved it. I could see the piano player and I knew who he was. I was at his house the next day begging him to give me piano lessons to learn to play his "STUFF". He shoo'd me away time after time. You see that is the problem then and now. The good musicians don't want to teach kids their craft. They only want to gig and make the big bucks.
I badgered this honky tonk piano player for months until her finally relented but only after I threatened to burn his house down when he wasn't home.
He taught me to play his "Stuff", and I found out that I actually loved music and have been playing every since. I put my first band together as a sophmore in highschool, about age 16. I studied horns, accordion, and organ also. I taught kids for a couple of years. I went through college working in a piano bar 6 nights a week.
I see that there are two problems to kids learning music today. Their parents and the lack of teachers that will satisfy both the parent and the kid.
That is my 10 cents worth for what it is worth if in fact it is worth anything
Best to all
PS: After Reading Ric's Post following mine, it occurred to me that I ought to add.
I raised 8 kids. They were constantly sourrounded by music, mine and others. We had lots of jam sessions in our rec room.
One son took up Organ. I would not teach him and got a teacher for him. He soon switched to Trumpet. These were two instruments I played. You can read between the lines here. He then swithced to guitar which he took to like a duck to water. In the last 35 years he has become an accomplished musician and band owner/leader.
The rest of the kids. Two of them in their mid adult years took up the piano with lessons. They are almost competent parlor players. The rest of them? They play CD's and have no desire to play an instrument but when they come here they want me to play for hours on end. Go figure?
Bebop

[This message has been edited by BEBOP (edited 12-02-2004).]