A Child's Musical Skill

[athena]

Hi! I'm planning to have my child Sim have a LTW in the music career (become a famous movie composer, I think it was) and I want him to start early by practicing an instrument to be real good at it (the way it is in real life). I noticed that a Sim can only improve it's artistic skill using the xylofone when still a toddler, but no instruments are available as a child (like in Sims 2 when they could play the piano as children) to improve their musical skill. The only way I know on how to improve a child's artistic skill is by painting, other than that are there any more ways? Am I missing something? Does the skill earned in painting (artistic) have an effect on future skills to play the piano? 

[Pam]

Children can't gain any musical skill at all.  If they maxed the xylophone as toddlers, they'll start the music skill at level 3 the first time they pick up an instrument.  Teens are the youngest who can start to play real instruments.

[athena]

Thanks for your quick reply Pam, I'm sorry to hear that. I miss Sims2 when children can play the piano.

[IloveLlamas]

You should also know that only the guitar skill will help in musical career track.

[Sportsfan]

If their LTW was to be a famous movie composer, that needs logic which you can work on when they are a child, so you could max it then and work on guitar as a teen.

[Execution]

I'll point out that there is no 'Artistic' Skill. There is, however, an Artistic trait that helps with anything art-related (writing, musical skills, painting, and the like). Unlike in TS2, there is no Creativity skill. Painting with an easel raises the Painting Skill, playing guitar raises the guitar skill, writing novels raises the Writing skill, and so on and so forth.

As everyone else said, in the Symphonic branch of the music career, you will need to have both the Logic skill (from levels 8 and up) and the guitar skill.

[simsmx]

I've heard that children can earn hidden musical skills by going to field trips and boarding schools. As I don't have Generations, I can't confirm this though.

[Saltypaws]

I know my teen earned a point or two for each instrument when they went on field trip to the theatre.  I thought that was pretty good, might have been they earned one point for every instrument.  I wished I had paid more attention.  I don't think the youths gain any points though, would be neat if they did though.