Common Questions from Parents

It's the start of a new school year, your young student eagerly comes home from school and waves this flier all around.  "I want to join Band!" Excellent, but now what?  To most parents, band is a brief moment in their past many years ago, if not a foreign subject altogether.  To help you with this, here are some answers to a few questions we tend to hear fairly often.

What instrument is best for my child?
Your student has the best answer to this one.  Letting a child select the instrument they want to play greatly increases the chance that they will continue on in music.  Beginning instruments to choose from typically include flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, alto sax, percussion, and in the schools that offer strings, violin, viola, and cello.  If your child is truly indecisive, talk it over with his or her music teacher or someone at your local music store.

Every instrument has its own set of challenges, each in a different way.  In the end, it works out to all instruments being equally difficult. 

I am not certain my student will be playing long, why not buy a cheap instrument?

Quality instruments can be pricy, but there is good reason for it.  Giving your student a reputable brand instrument offers them the greatest potential to grow.  These instruments are also easier to play, more durable, produce a better sound, and are fixable in the event something does happen.  Many economical grade instruments are not fixable or cost two to three times as much to repair as their name brand counterparts.  Keep in mind that if an instrument is constantly breaking or not playing right, your student is much more likely to become frustrated and quit.

Is it better to rent or buy an instrument?
If you are 100% certain your child is going to play that instrument for at least three years, you are better off buying an instrument outright.  For most of us, we are uncertain if our kids will be playing next month, let alone next year.  Renting is a good way to find out if your student is going to continue on.  Plus, with our program, everything you pay would go toward the purchase value with no interest.  Renting for most people is by far the more logical way to get your child the best instrument possible.

Ebay & Craigslist: Are these good places to buy instruments?
It is possible to find a good deal, though much more often than not, it is never as simple as one hopes.  It is always recommended that you are able to see an instrument to know its condition before buying it.  Buying only name brand instruments does help reduce the risk of getting a bad instrument, but over the internet you have no way of knowing if it need service to be playable.  If you do intend to buy a used instrument from a site such as these, do so with caution and plan on some sort of service to get the instrument playing properly.  In the end, it is typically much less of a hassle to pick up an instrument from a local store that has already checked the instrument over for you.

Are the instruments sanitized?
Yes.  All of our instruments are cleaned and sanitized before ever being shown to a customer.  Fresh reeds are always provided with reed instruments.

I know absolutely nothing about music, how am I supposed to help my child?
Be supportive!  Your child’s music teacher will instruct your child on everything they need to know for how to play their instrument, the best thing you can do after that is encourage them to practice regularly.  If you feel your child is progressing beyond the classroom or perhaps needs a bit more encouragement, private lessons are highly recommended.

I think my child broke his or her instrument, what should I do?
Immediately bring the instrument to the music teacher or to a local music store.  Getting it checked right away could help keep it a simple quick fix.  Repairing instruments often requires special tools or training.  The most notorious of these would be a stuck trumpet mouthpiece. NEVER use pliers to pull one, there is a tool specifically for this task.  It is always safer to assume that it’s more complicated than it looks than to try and fix it yourself. 

If you are ever uncertain on anything, the best person to ask is your child's music teacher.  Of course if you have any questions, please feel free to call us as well.