[Trombone-l] Trombone for new elementary school player

[Chris Waage]

I will admit to being very opinionated on this topic, and while you may have
experience different results, here's my $0.02.

DON'T START THE KID BEFORE HE OR SHE STARTS IN SCHOOL.

On average, I have one or two parents contact me every year wanting to start
their kid on a band instrument the summer before or the year before he or
she would normally start in school.  The first couple of times this
happened, I did it.  While each of the kids had some decent talent for the
instrument and for music, they all ended up quitting before Christmas.

Why?

Because they were bored silly.  Everyone else is learning "This is a b-flat,
and you play it in first position" while they can already play most of the
material the rest of the class will play in the first semester.

I will grant that there could always be an exception to the rule, but I have
seen this play out so many times that I'm willing to stick by my rule.  And
yes, there could also be other reasons why they quit - heck, it could be my
teaching, they didn't like the band director, they didn't like lugging the
thing back and forth to school, or a host of other rational or irrational
reasons.

However, starting a student before everyone else really doesn't work out for
the best.

If they want to get a head start on music, start them on piano. They get the
basics - pitch, rhythm, practice habits, etc. that will help them succeed
down the road in band.

Now, back to the original question of an instrument.  I personally recommend
any of the Yamaha beginner instruments, as well as any of the decent older
Bachs, Conn Directors, Kings or Getzens that are floating around.  I also do
not recommend getting a beginner a pro-level instrument for the simple fact
that the slides are far too touchy.  The beginner trombones have
heavier-walled slides to better resist the daily "oopses" that happen to
beginners.

Again, your mileage may vary, but I wouldn't start the kid early.

Chris

--
Chris Waage, Bass Trombonist
chris.waage at gmail.com



From: Price Taylor <pricetaylor at comcast.net>
Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2009 07:06:11 -0800
To: Trombone List <trombone-l at samford.edu>
Subject: [Trombone-l] Trombone for new elementary school player

I asked this a couple of days ago..but might have used the wrong e-mail
address (I use multiple e-mails and consolidate them with Gmail).

=====

Hello list, my youngest son is 10, in 4th grade, and is expressing an
interest in playing the trombone - of course, that's great (I think...)!

I started playing in 5th grade but the current thinking now is 6th grade - I
think that's because the middle school has band?

I was thinking that this summer might be a good time to get an early start
and begin playing.  Many years ago, I bequeathed my old King Cleveland to my
high school, that was my first trombone.  Guess I should have kept it, it
was pretty hard to hurt that horn.

I'm looking for recommendations for a beginner's trombone - ideally
something to last to 9th grade.  The Yamaha YSL-354 appears to be the choice
of many, although I have no experience with Yamaha trombones (I play a Conn
88H and King 3B).

Any other suggestions?

Thanks list!

-Price
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