[Trombone-l] Trombone for new elementary school player

Wed Mar 4 14:00:46 CST 2009

A family requirement for me was that everyone has a year of piano at 10 years old (ish).  Not an option; it was/is considered part of a basic education in my family.  And we also considered it the only launching point for another instrument. I tolerated it, even through weekly migraines as a result.  My boys'll have to tolerate it too :-)

J.c.S.

---- James Meyer <bonejazz at att.net> wrote: 
> Totally agree with Chris regarding the idea of starting them on piano if
> they (or the parents) want a head start.  I started piano at age 5, I
> started trombone the summer before 6th grade with everyone else.  I was a
> bit bored because I could already read music, but it just helped me become
> better fast, which led to me being first chair.  THAT definitely fed my
> young ego and kept me in band.  Some 40 years later, I've never regretted
> knowing piano very well.
> 
> 
> On 3/4/09 9:32 AM, "Chris Waage" <chris.waage at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > 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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