Choose wisely now and your child can be in a school band or orchestra next fall.
Parents, especially those unfamiliar with musical instruments, commonly ask, “How do I and my child choose a musical instrument?” The answer is not a simple one. It involves many factors.
Some homes have instruments that mom or dad played in high school or college. This does not automatically mean your child should play those instruments. He or she may not like them and may not have the physical characteristics to do well on them. Physical characteristics of your child play a very important role in how they progress and their eventual success in mastering an instrument.
Common physical characteristics to consider are size of the child; thick or thin lips; length of arms; size of fingers; digital dexterity; breathing and lung capacity and dental malocclusion i.e. faulty alignment of teeth when biting. Young people with dental appliances such as braces may want to consider woodwind instruments over brass. Playing a brass mouthpiece with braces can, in some cases, be quite painful and disturb the alignment of the teeth being straightened. If a child has a severe condition such as asthma, an allergy or a respiratory aliment they should probably be encouraged to play percussion or string instruments.
All band wind instruments require a proper embouchure—a French word meaning the proper position of lips, teeth, jaw, chin, etc. I call this the “facial mask.” The player needs to be carefully taught the proper embouchure from the very beginning of their instrumental study. It is absolutely vital to have proper embouchure when playing any wind instrument.
Instruments:
Woodwinds: Flute, clarinet and saxophone are the most popular and can be reasonable to purchase. Oboe and bassoon are very expensive but are especially sought after in bands and orchestras. Students with thinner lips are better suited to instruments such as the clarinet. Those with an overbite may be better suited to clarinet, saxophone or flute. A student with small fingers may have difficulty playing the bassoon because the tone holes are farther apart than on other woodwind instruments.
Brass: The cornet and trumpet are considered “high brass” and students with thin lips should be able to do well on these instruments. These instruments are reasonable to buy. Large, fuller lips are probably better suited to the larger mouthpiece instruments like the trombone, euphonium and tuba. Trombones are not too expensive but euphonium and tubas are quite pricy. To play the trombone a child’s arms must be of sufficient length to reach the last or seventh position on the instrument. Very small children should not be encouraged to play the tuba which is quite large and heavy. A caution regarding the French horn – it is quite difficult to play and requires a very good ear to produce the proper pitch and tone. Thin lips may be an advantage to play this instrument. The French horn is very expensive and requires dedication and patience while learning to play. Many students switch to the French horn after starting on cornet or trumpet. Horn players are always sought after for band and orchestras.
Percussion: Drums, timpani, mallet instruments, cymbals and a myriad of accessories make up the percussion family. Students with physical limitations regarding the facial mask such as buck teeth, braces etc. can be encouraged to study percussion. Those with piano skills are desirable for percussionists as people with these skills often advance faster than those who do not play piano.
Strings: Some string instruments—violin, viola, cello and string bass—come in various sizes making them unique among all instruments. This size variance helps accommodate growing children thereby allowing them to start at a very early age.
Keep in mind the large string bass is difficult to transport. The harp, often used in orchestras and sometimes bands, is also difficult to transport, quite expensive and takes real discipline to master. String players are always in demand for orchestras. Guitar, banjo or ukulele may be other string instruments that may interest your child.
Factors to consider in choosing an instrument include cost, size, storage area, transportation and portability of the instrument. One of the most important considerations in choosing an instrument is the child’s own choice. Personal satisfaction, interest, motivation and happiness are indispensible factors in the successful learning of a musical instrument.
It may be a good idea to rent an instrument before buying to make sure the child will like playing it. Check your local music store for rental instruments and private instruction. Most school music programs will lend instruments to students playing in their ensembles. The school music director is an excellent source for recommending instruments to students.
Please submit your questions and comments to banddirector01@comcast.net
Visit our website at www.danvilleband.org for up-to-date information about the Danville Community Band.