[Trombone-l] safe time to start, was Mouthpiece buzzing and children

[Raymond Horton]

I am big on trombone players starting on euphonium.  (Worked well for 
me.)  Works well for youngsters, also.  That was my plan for my little 
one with the alto horn - we called it a little tuba.   I figured she 
could switch to anything later - trumpet, horn, euph, trombone, tuba 
(but not drums!).


We have photos of my youngest, as a boy, playing a cornet very young.  
He was so small that he would sit on the floor and hold the cornet with 
his toes curled around the bell.  He's now 22, a part-time professional 
doublebass player and trying to start a career as a recording engineer.  
In grade school he wanted to play guitar, so we convinced him to start 
on bass and learn guitar later, which he did, but he wound up being 
gifted on bass. 


RBH



Patrick & Lisa Bates wrote:
> Well........
>
> My 5 year old makes a pretty good buzz. Showing some interest in trumpet
> probably because he can pick it up, as opposed to a trombone. He's under the
> impression that he has to get good at piano before he can tackle anything
> else. I don't think he'll be big enough to hold a 'bone properly until he's
> about 12 or 14 .......
> Patrick
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jeff Albert" <jeff at jeffalbert.com>
> To: "Bill Langston" <wfltrb at langstonfamily.com>
> Cc: <trombone-l at server5.samford.edu>
> Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 11:55 PM
> Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] safe time to start,was Mouthpiece buzzing and
> children
>
>
>   
>> That should have been "should not" damage any teeth...
>>
>> On 9/30/07, Jeff Albert <jeff at jeffalbert.com> wrote:
>>     
>>> I would have to say that if he is doing it right, it should damage any
>>>       
> teeth...
>   
>>> I would say he'd need to be big enough to hold it, not break it, and
>>> show some interest.  I taught an 8 year old trumpet player once, and
>>> that seemed to be fine.  It is a little slower going than with 10 or
>>> 11 year olds, but it worked just fine.
>>>
>>> Jeff
>>>
>>> On 9/30/07, Bill Langston <wfltrb at langstonfamily.com> wrote:
>>>       
>>>> This topic reminded me that I've been meaning to ask: at what age is
>>>>         
> it
>   
>>>> appropriate to start a child on a brass instrument?  I heard years ago
>>>> that you could damage developing teeth etc. if you tried to start them
>>>> too young.  I know I've got a while to go - my son is just two and a
>>>> half, and his interest is largely isolated to asking me to play while
>>>>