Which instrument should my son learn in school?

Question

They have the following choices. You're supposed to pick two of them, one as your first choice and one as second choice.
Which of these is fun and easy to play?

trumpet
trombone
tuba
clarinet
alto sax
baritone
oboe
french horn
flute
bassoon

Thank you for your suggestions.

p.s. he's 9 years old.

Answer 1

He should play what he feels comfortable with.. With my kids we have a bunch of different instruments. My middle son can play about 4 of them really good but the horn is his fav. My oldest really didn't like playing any though he can play the flute. and my youngest hasn't really decided what he likes. So its really up to the child. He needs to play what he feels comfortable with. He may have to try more then one instrument to figure that out.. Good luck!

Answer 2

I have spent years teaching young army cadets how to play in the marching band and I play the trumpet primarily as well as any brass instrument that is needed, the clarinet and the alto sax. 1. Trumpet - only has 3 keys so most of the note variation depends on the strength of the players mouth and their wind control. 2. Trombone - slide positions require a lot of practise to get right but it requires less mouth strength at the beginning 3. Sax - cool instrument, more expensive to buy, I recommend playing the clarinet for at least a year before starting the sax 4. Clarinet - great starter reed instrument 5. Baritone - 3 keys like the trumpet (exact same fingering) requires less mouth strength then the trumpet 6. flute - requires a lot of wind control and precise mouth positioning (I'm bias as I've never been able to make one work) 7. Oboe (i'm not sure if it can be played in the band) - Very difficult reed instrument, not a good starter instrument. It will be easiest for him to play an instrument that his muscles are more naturally suited for. have him flex all the muscles around his mouth (smile and pucker at the same time) if the muscles at the sides of his mouth are stronger then it will be less work to learn a brass instrument, if the muscles on the top and bottom of his mouth are stronger then he will have an easier time with a reed.

Answer 3

Here's an important question: will he need to carry the instrument to and from school? If so, rule out the tuba.

Stick with a basic instrument, like the trumpet, clarinet or flute. (If he thinks the flute is un-manly, go get Jethro Tull's "Aqualung.")

The french horn is notoriously hard to play decently. Start with a trumpet, he can transition to a French horn, tuba or trombone later. (The trombone has a definite coolness to it.)

The oboe generally sounds like a duck call in the hands of a kid. Same for the Bassoon - double reed instruments are tricky.

Alto Sax is not a bad choice, but it's a lot for a kid to carry. Baritone sax is too big. If he starts on the clarinet, which is easy to carry, he can easily switch to either sax later.

The reason I keep mentioning portability is that if the instrument sits at school in a locker he'll never practice.

Hope that helps.

Answer 4

Well, it's ultimately up to him. I would recommend either starting on clarinet and switching to bassoon or starting on oboe and sticking with it. Double reeds are money instruments. Playing bassoon was an instant in to most honor bands and won me a college music scholarship solely because I was the only bassoonist and the band needed me to play in it. I don't recommend starting young children on bassoon because the instrument requires long fingers and someone tall who has a large lung capacity and it would just be frustrating for a child. Most people pick it up when they start high school. I love the bassoon (switched from flute in high school) and had much more fun in band knowing I didn't have the sort of competition that the flute and clarinet section had for parts.

Also, I don't know much about the program but the National Symphony Orchestra (US) has an "instrument petting zoo" for children so they can learn about the different instruments and choose what they want to play. They're website might have more information.

Answer 5

Take your son to a music store or a beginner's clinic and let him try each instrument out for size. He probably already has some ideas of his own, and if he gets the instrument he wants, he is much more likely to use it.

There are other considerations of course. Certain facial structures are more suited to brass or woodwind instruments. He won't especially want to start on trombone if he can't reach past fourth position. (I had a friend with this difficulty. We actually put a bar on the brace so he could grab onto it and reach down to seventh position) It should be an instrument that he can carry home with no problem. But most of all, it should be the instrument that he falls in love with.

Hope this helps

Answer 6

Ideally, he should play around on all of them and figure out which he has a natural affinity for. When I first started learning my first instrument, I really wanted it to be the clarinet; I ended up choosing the trumpet, though. I was better suited for it. Let him listen to a lot of instrumental music so he can learn what he likes the sound of, and then take him to a music shop that will allow him to play around a little bit on each instrument. He'll have one or two that he likes best.

Answer 7

I was about 9 when I started to play trumpet. I'm 23, and still deeply into music, even while playing high school sports. I didn't stay with trumpet into my adult life, but the musical foundation I got in elementary and junior high launched me into other projects. I currently play bass guitar.

In a band or orchestra, the trumpet is usually playing the main melody, meaning that when he plays in recitals and concerts, you'll definitely hear him! Any instrument would be great, but sometimes kids want to play the parts that are going to be heard, and most of those other instruments (aside from saxaphone) are harmony or background music.

Answer 8

I would pick trumpet or trombone. As a bonus, horn players such as those end up having great kissable lips. Not that a 9 year old should have to worry about that but yea, it's a bonus when he gets older.

I played flute for a few years and then my HS band director begged me to switch to baritone, which I also loved but it's a big heavy for a 9 year old, I think.

Answer 9

ive been playing flute for 5 years & baritone for 1 year. im trying to learn trumpet & tuba. but if you start out on baritone youll be able to play tuba later if you get good at baritone. the trombone & french horn are notoriously hard. the oboe, bassoon, trombone, & french horn require a private teacher to learn. the clarinet & sax arent that bad.

you need to take your child to a band director to see the childs mouth. it really depends on what the child plays. also take him to a music store that allows you to try the instruments before you decide. you may want to rent a few instruments to see what your kid likes the best & get him to play for a band director. if he picks an instrument he likes stick to the rental for a while before you buy a student or professional instrument.

let your kid decide cause if you choose or you get someone else to choose he will probably try to rebel & not stick with it.

Answer 10

The baritone or euphonium is a great instrument for a beginner. He should date the girl who plays oboe. The oboe does great things for her embouchure. If the oboe player is taken, go with a flute player.