Experiment before committing
Get your hands on lots of different instruments, such as, a trumpet, guitar, or trombone, and make a few notes. It won’t be music yet, but it’ll give you some idea of whether or not the instrument is fun to play, and worth your time to learn.
Look into your possibilities. If you’re starting out in a school band, check and see what instruments the band includes. Most concert bands in schools have clarinets, flutes, saxophones, tubas, baritones, trombones, trumpets, and percussion as starter instruments, and let you advance to other instruments like oboe, bassoon, and horn later on.
Keep your options open. You may want to play the baritone sax, but the band already has three players. You may have to first start on the clarinet, then move to alto sax, and finally switch to baritone when a position opens up.
Consider your size. If you’re starting out in middle school, and smaller than the average student, a tuba or trombone may not be the right instrument for you. You could try trumpet or cornet instead.
☙ If you’re younger or still losing teeth, you may find it hard to play some brass instruments because your teeth aren’t very strong yet.
☙ If you have small hands or fingers, the bassoon may not be for you, although there are bassoons made for beginners with some keys for small hands.
☙ Think of how braces will affect your tone, especially for most brass. Find out whether you’ll need them, or when any current braces will come off.
Get your hands on lots of different instruments, such as, a trumpet, guitar, or trombone, and make a few notes. It won’t be music yet, but it’ll give you some idea of whether or not the instrument is fun to play, and worth your time to learn.
Look into your possibilities. If you’re starting out in a school band, check and see what instruments the band includes. Most concert bands in schools have clarinets, flutes, saxophones, tubas, baritones, trombones, trumpets, and percussion as starter instruments, and let you advance to other instruments like oboe, bassoon, and horn later on.
Keep your options open. You may want to play the baritone sax, but the band already has three players. You may have to first start on the clarinet, then move to alto sax, and finally switch to baritone when a position opens up.
Consider your size. If you’re starting out in middle school, and smaller than the average student, a tuba or trombone may not be the right instrument for you. You could try trumpet or cornet instead.
☙ If you’re younger or still losing teeth, you may find it hard to play some brass instruments because your teeth aren’t very strong yet.
☙ If you have small hands or fingers, the bassoon may not be for you, although there are bassoons made for beginners with some keys for small hands.
☙ Think of how braces will affect your tone, especially for most brass. Find out whether you’ll need them, or when any current braces will come off.