Thomas J. West Music

Just this past week, my cousin emailed me. Her daughter is going into third grade and is interested in starting to play the violin. My cousin played flute back in grade school but quit before high school and doesn't remember much of her formative music instruction. She asked me for advice on how to find the right instrument for her daughter.

I found it rather unfortunate that the strings teacher at her daughter's school did not supply them with more information on making this important decision. The teacher measured her arm and sent home a sheet indicating that she should get a 1/2 sized violin and gave them a list of music retailers in their area. My cousin asked me some very intelligent and critical questions. I realized as I was answering them that this would be a great bit of information to share with my readers.

Questions and Answers about a Child's First Musical Instrument

Here are the questions my cousin asked me and my responses:

I guess I'm supposed to rent the instrument, right?

Nearly every beginning instrumental student rents an instrument rather than buying for a few reasons:

1. Leasing or buying an instrument outright can be an expensive investment.
2. Young musicians often play for a year (or less) and decide that it's not for them.
3. Beginner level instruments are more affordable, but are not designed to meet the needs of their school career.
4. String students will outgrow the instrument they start on. Most violin and viola players start on a 1/4 or 1/2 sized instrument and move up to a longer instrument by 5th, 6th, or 7th grade.
   

Is one brand of instrument better than another?

When it comes to beginner instruments, any well-established musical instrument company is going to have a product that will meet the needs of beginners. The truth is that the quality of the instrument is not nearly as important at the beginner stage of development because the beginner has not developed enough control for the equipment to make a difference. When a student reaches the intermediate level of development, which usually occurs in middle school or even into high school, the quality of the instrument and accessories becomes much more critical.

Should I just call the music store and tell them what instrument I need?

Most any music retailer has well-trained sales staff who are used to parents calling in and having little to no knowledge about musical instruments. They will have no trouble giving you a rundown of the various brands they have to rent and the price ranges they fall in. Many retailers give you a two or three tier pricing schedule (economy, mid-line, and deluxe). Going with something in the middle of the price range is usually the most popular choice and what I recommend to most parents.

Other Considerations When Acquiring the First Instrument

I also made the following suggestions to my cousin as she called the music stores on her list:

• Do some price shopping. Prices quoted from music retailers can vary widely. Often, music stores in the same geographic area have comparable prices, but that is not always the case. Most music retailers will do price matching if you bring them a low price from a national retailer like The Woodwind and Brasswind. Get a price off their website and take it with you when you go to rent.
• Work with your music teacher. Most local music stores have a "road rep" that travels from school to school and district to district to give band and orchestra directors immediate delivery and order-taking services. They have built a working relationship with the schools in their area and usually offer music teachers a discount. As a parent, you will not be eligible for the same discounts as an educator, but if you work through your school music teacher, you may be able to get your child's instrument picked up and returned to the school when repairs are necessary. The same often goes for instrument supplies such as reeds, valve oil, and strings.
  
• Consider a rent-to-own program. Some music stores will offer you a portion of your monthly payment towards the purchase of a new instrument. This is a great way to invest for a step-up intermediate or professional model instrument if you have a child who shows a lot of aptitude and interest in playing their instrument. A program such as this is how my father was able to afford my first Buffet clarinet when I was a sophomore in high school. Think of it as a "musical instrument 401K plan".
• Take the damage waiver. If your music retailer offers you a damage waiver, I highly recommend you take it. there is a very simple reason why: kids tend to damage instruments. Even if your child is responsible, their classmates may not be. Any band director can tell you stories about how many woodwind key repairs they've done or how many stuck brass mouthpieces or valve keys they've unstuck. Any strings teacher can tell you stories about snapped strings, broken bows, and cracked bodies.

Partnership for Success

Above all, parents should work with music teachers for the mutual success of the student on any issues surrounding instrumental music study. It saddens me that some music teachers will simply give their beginners a list of music stores and say "go rent one." Parents should not be afraid to speak up if there is technical information they don't possess when it comes to music equipment, lessons, practicing, or any other related issues. That is, of course, unless your school's instrumental music teacher is scary, and not just for the kids!

This article (c) 2009 Thomas J. West. Please contact the author before publishing on or offline elsewhere

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