How to Choose the Right Student Instrument
The
early years are the most crucial in the education of a young musician.
The availability of a quality instrument is key to the development of
their skills. However, it is
unrealistic to expect parents to spend several hundred or thousands of dollars
on an instrument for a child that may or may not stick with it.
There are several things parents need to consider before making the
decision to purchase a new instrument for their son or daughter.
Here are just a few questions and answers that may help you with this
decision.
Q.
My 12-year-old decided to join
the band.
A. Rental or lease programs are often great choices for many parents. With low initial investments, flexible payment plans, and included maintenance plans a rental program is very attractive for equipping the beginning player. They are a great way to get started until your student advances to the point of knowing that he or she is going to stick with band. Also, many dealers offering rental programs work side-by-side with the local educators ensuring that you will be receiving a quality instrument that is approved by the school’s band director.
Q.
Before I decide what to do, what should I look for in a student
horn.
A. When considering what qualities to look for there are two things you need to remember. First, this is a tool for your child’s education. Making a decision based solely on price could be a considerable handicap to your youngster. The second thing you need to consider is that this instrument should be able to last at least three to four years. This is due to the fact that after that long, most students have advanced to the skill level that they are ready to move up to an intermediate or even a professional level instrument. There are three basic issues that need to be addressed to determine the quality of an instrument.
1) Playability – This is the first and foremost on the list. The most important thing your child needs is an instrument that he or she can actually play… and in tune. Unfortunately, there are some instruments on the market today that are built so poorly that they cannot be played at all. It is unfair to expect a student to learn how to play if they are learning on an instrument that even a highly trained professional couldn’t perform on.
2) Durability – As every parent knows, if it can be broken a child will find the way. This is true with musical instruments as well. When you consider the daily trips to and from school, rehearsal, concerts, parades, and pep band performances there is a never ending stream of potentially dangerous situations. That is why it is important to put an instrument in your child’s hand that is built to stand up to this. Strong bracing, tube joints, and solid bell construction are all key points to look at.
3) Fixability – As mentioned above, kids will be kids and their instruments will need repairs. However, some low-end instruments out there are so poorly built that repairs cannot be made. In fact, there are some instruments that reputable repair shops won’t even touch. They key question to ask when looking at a new instrument is “Can it be fixed?” You want an instrument that can be easily repaired at your local music store sing parts that are readily available from the manufacturer or a company such as Allied Supply. Ideally, you want an instrument that is backed up and covered by a comprehensive manufacturer’s warranty. Something hard to find on professional instruments let alone on student horns.
Q.
I decide to buy a horn, now where should I go shopping for it?
A. While some parents find Internet auction sites attractive for finding good deals on used instruments a great deal of caution should be taken. It is difficult to determine the actual condition and quality of a used instrument without actually touching, playing, and looking it over in person. If you do decide to go with a used horn, have it looked over by a quality repair shop in your area. When shopping for a brand new instrument, parents have basically three options. They can buy from their local music store, from an Internet retailer, or from a discount store. There are pluses and minuses to all three. The least expensive of the three is generally the discount retailer. However, often times they lack any kind of service and only offer low, low-end student instruments. When considering quality as well as price, online retailers are very attractive. Great deals can be found online for quality student horns, however, they lack some of the service advantages found at local music stores. At your local music store, your child can hold and play test the instrument before you buy it. You can also take advantage of the knowledgeable sales staff for advice and recommendations. In the end, parents have to weigh all three options and decide what is most important. Price, quality, service, or a balanced combination of all three.
Printed with permission by the Getzen Instrument Company