New? Used? How do I know?

Recently I was contacted by a former student’s mother asking advice on selecting a beginning band instrument.  At first I was shocked that the former student had a child that was entering middle school and ready to start in band.  WOW, that made me feel old.  Secondly it brought back the many questions I used to receive from parents about selecting a beginning instrument: Should I get a new instrument? Used? Buy? Rent? Brand? How do I know it will work?  The bottom line is get THE BEST QUALITY INSTRUMENT you can afford. 

.  The better the instrument the more likely the student will be successful. If the student is fighting a poor instrument along with trying to master the other physical aspects of holding and playing the instrument, it just might be too much for them.  Often a student will quickly give up if they are “fighting” an inferior instrument. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SUCCESS IS A GOOD QUALITY INSTRUMENT.

SCHOOL DISTRICT RECOMMENDATION AND/OR FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT GUIDELINES

First, check with the school instrumental instructor and/or the Fine Arts Department to see if they have a recommendations or a required list of acceptable instruments.  These recommendation/required lists help students begin on equal footing with an instrument that offers the best chance for success. 

SCHOOL INSTRUMENTS RENTALS?

Does your school offer school owned instruments?  Some districts have an inventory of instruments that are available for student use for the first year a student plays.  Usually these have been well maintained and could be an economical solution for many families. After the first year of playing on a school-owned instrument students will then rent or purchase one of their own.

LOCAL MUSIC STORES

I am an advocate of supporting your local music stores when it comes to selecting a beginning instrument.  When it comes to beginning instruments it is in the store’s best interest to supply good quality products. Chances are your local store supplied instruments for your school’s “try-the-instruments” session.  Your local store should also have supplies (reeds, valve oil, tuning slide grease, etc.) and should offer warranty and repair services.

RENT OR BUY?

Most local stores who provide band and orchestra instruments will offer a rental program.  This is a viable option for many students and is an economical option over purchasing and instrument outright.  Often these are a rent-to-own rental with the option to purchase.  These may vary by store but it has been my experience that many of these programs will offer the option to purchase the instrument at a discount with any rent paid applying toward the purchase plus a percentage of the remaining price.  Check with your local vendor for their specific details.  The rent-to-own option is also a great way to get the student started and if they do not continue playing, you just give the instrument back to the store and you are done.

I FOUND AND INSTRUMENT AT …………..

Over my 40+ years of teaching instrumental music it was not uncommon for a parent or student to bring in an instrument that had either been in the family or was found at a local garage sale or pawn shop. It was determined to be a “bargain” and was a fraction of the cost of instruments found from other sources. In my experience this seldom was a positive decision. Often these instruments are only worthy of being made into a lamp or used as a wall decoration for a restaurant, but not for the beginning student. So how does a parent know if the “bargain” instrument is really a baragin? Check out my post “Parent Guidelines for Selecting a Used Band Instrument” for a detailed checklist. When in doubt, check it out.

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I have been developing a series of digital products to help music educators. Though designed to help with remote and distance learning challenges, these have also had success with in-class individual review and drill as well as in-person group lessons. Check out my growing list of offerings on the links below.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Tbmusic

https://wow.boomlearning.com/author/tbmusic