Absolutely. Most of my students are absolute beginners when they come to me. Your child will not be the only student with no musical experience. Encourage your student to take this opportunity to learn something new and wonderful.
Does my child need to have an instrument on the first day of school?
No, in fact, your child should not even consider an instrument until they have attended the first few days of band class. I spend those days helping your student determine which instrument he/she will be most successful with. I will be showing the students a video which has visual and aural examples of what many different instruments look and sound like. This video includes a test on pitch, rhythm, and melodic recognition. I will also have every student try the mouthpiece of every instrument to see what works best for their personal anatomy. The written test and mouthpiece test will be used in conjunction to help your child make an informed choice about which instrument suits them best. I believe that all students should be fit to an instrument that they can be successful with immediately. There are SEVERAL physical attributes which can make certain instruments difficult for certain people (overbites, underbites, lip size, arm length, hand size, braces, etc.). It is part of my job to recognize these issues before you invest in an expensive instrument that your child is physically incapable of playing. If your child struggles at the beginning, they are much less likely to stay in band. Please understand that I am not just telling your child that they aren't allowed to play one instrument or another, but that I am trying to steer them towards success.
In the process of helping your student choose an instrument, I must also be sure to keep a balanced instrumentation for the band. That is, having an appropriate number of each instrument for the group that is playing.We can't have an excellent band with 30 drummers or 30 saxophones. To solve this problem, I create a chart with appropriate numbers listed for each instrument and each band class.The chart is a guideline only. If we expect the Taylor band to continue to excel at a high level of musical excellence, it is imperative that we have at least one of every instrument to achieve a balanced sound.
How much does it cost?
With the exception of saxophone, percussion, oboe, bassoon, and French horn, the monthly cost to rent to own an instrument at most stores ranges from $25-$45 per month, depending on the instrument brand. Sax, percussion and horn cost approximately double that of other instruments. Oboe and bassoon aren't readily available for rent.
Generally, APS only supplies band programs with instruments that are extremely large and extremely expensive. (Ex. a single tuba, the most important instrument in any school band, can easily cost several thousand dollars) The majority of school owned instruments available to APS band directors are oboes, bassoons, French horns, baritones, and tubas. There are VERY limited numbers of instruments such as flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets or trombones, and they are reserved for students in extreme financial need. Students who use school owned instruments are still required to buy their own instrumental supplies and music books. They are also responsible for ALL maintenance of instruments they check out. In other words, if the instrument is damaged while checked out to you, YOU are responsible for having it repaired by a qualified technician.
How soon does my child need to bring their instrument to school after being tested in class?
One week after beginning band night.
This will be an opportunity for you and your student to become acquainted with the local music stores and their policies, and to pick up necessary supplies without having to call or drive all over town. Each vendor will be at the cluster school that is hosting that year and will give specific information about their store and will answer questions from parents. The vendors will have instruments, supplies and music books on hand as well. If you can't make it to the event, it will be up to you and your student to go to a music store and obtain the necessities for their participation in band class.
What about instruments from Wal-Mart, Costco, Sam's Club, or Hastings?
I can only comment based on my personal experience with these instruments, which has not been positive. I advise you to avoid these instruments, basically because you "get what you pay for." The music stores and repair technicians here in town CANNOT get replacement parts for these instruments, and for that reason, most repair technicians will not work on the instruments because they can't guarantee their work. At some point, your child's instrument WILL need repair. It is inevitable. A quality instrument is essential for the success of a beginner. I encourage you to consider going to a qualified music store for your instrument.
Often, very high quality instruments can be found on E-bay, but these instruments do not usually come with a warranty. If you choose to purchase an instrument in this fashion, I encourage you to have it checked out immediately with a qualified repair technician to make sure it is in playing order.
My child says you won't let them play the instrument they want.
Having tested each child individually, I suggest a choice of instruments for each student based on my years of teaching and training in music. I have been trained to help your child choose an instrument he/she will be successful with. If they choose to play an instrument that is not suggested, I have often found that it takes a great deal more effort for the student to be successful. If your student is willing to put in the extra effort and time to learn an instrument that was not suggessted, they will probably be successful eventually.
I strongly encourage a folding stand for at home practice. Practicing with a stand promotes correct posture and hand position. They will not need to bring their stand to school.
Should my child start playing the instrument when they get it home from the store?
NO!! Please have your student wait to assemble and play their instrument until they have learned how to do this PROPERLY during class at school. Bad habits that are built by trying to play without proper instruction can DAMAGE that EXPENSIVE instrument and create habits that are very hard to unlearn. Please wait until band class so that a foundation of good habits can be learned.
