Any band musical instrument is the easiest to learn?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flute first, then clarinet. Maybe I just think that because I have a piano background, so the sequential fingering makes sense to me.

Woodwind fingerings per note are not sequential, they are combinations of 2 to 8+ spring keys pressed down for each half step note. FYI. It is it a piano on a tube w sequential buttons per note.

It's not perfectly sequential like sliding a trombone, but in general one end is higher and one end is lower. Flute and clarinet and saxaphone are more intuitive (at least to me) than trumpet or other brass instruments with three button combinations + mouth pressure.

Have you actually held a flute and seen all the springs, keys and opening and then marched up what is going on with each note combo? Even if most of it was closed for the low notes and more open for the high notes, a spring key far down on your 9th digit can be controlling a small hole close to the head joint/ mouthpiece. Just pull a fingerings map, one that covers all three octaves, low C below the staff to high A double above the staff.

I'm not talking about the exact placement of the holes in the flute. I'm talking about the overall layout. Pressing down one key near the mouthpiece is a higher note than all the keys closed down to the pinky. Yeah, it's not a piano - I'm not saying it is exactly the same. But I played for two years in high school when I wanted to see what band was all about, and I don't remember it being too difficult. We weren't playing complex pieces. Yeah, there were some extra keys aside from the main ones, but it made more sense to me than a trumpet. Clarinet was a little harder because of the interval (third? fifth?) when you transition to the higher range. Trumpet was like learning a new language. But again, that was coming from a piano background. Starting fresh, someone might think the trumpet is more natural.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do piano.

Piano is a great instrument but it's not sociable the way band instruments are or string instruments.

Do percussion and demand the marimbas

[Anonymous]

Drums are the easiest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do piano.

Piano is not part of the band at school.

[Anonymous]

Lots of mediocre “musicians” in MS band, just go for it! they won’t be first chair or first section but may still have fun.

That said, there are not a lot of marching band programs (ie field shows in the summer, travel to compete) in the DMV schools, so concert band or jazz band. Jazz band might be tons of fun if you have time for it in HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d advise an instrument that is good in concert band, jazz band, and marching band. Trumpet, trombone, sax would be my choices. Flute and clarinet aren’t in jazz band and are too quiet for marching band.

Have you met a piccolo?

[Anonymous]

Clarinet or saxophone. Not the flute. I play most woodwinds and several brass instruments. Also, piano. Flute can be difficult depending on the structure of your mouth, teeth, and lips. Embouchure can be more challenging on the flute and on any brass instrument.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d advise an instrument that is good in concert band, jazz band, and marching band. Trumpet, trombone, sax would be my choices. Flute and clarinet aren’t in jazz band and are too quiet for marching band.

Have you met a piccolo?

Lordy, so much THIS!

[Anonymous]

I think probably trombone?

[Anonymous]

What schools even have marching band around here? Like 1 in each huge county district if 22+ HSs?

[Anonymous]

Triangle

Ding a ling ling

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flute first, then clarinet. Maybe I just think that because I have a piano background, so the sequential fingering makes sense to me.

Woodwind fingerings per note are not sequential, they are combinations of 2 to 8+ spring keys pressed down for each half step note. FYI. It is it a piano on a tube w sequential buttons per note.

It's not perfectly sequential like sliding a trombone, but in general one end is higher and one end is lower. Flute and clarinet and saxaphone are more intuitive (at least to me) than trumpet or other brass instruments with three button combinations + mouth pressure.

Have you actually held a flute and seen all the springs, keys and opening and then marched up what is going on with each note combo? Even if most of it was closed for the low notes and more open for the high notes, a spring key far down on your 9th digit can be controlling a small hole close to the head joint/ mouthpiece. Just pull a fingerings map, one that covers all three octaves, low C below the staff to high A double above the staff.

I'm not talking about the exact placement of the holes in the flute. I'm talking about the overall layout. Pressing down one key near the mouthpiece is a higher note than all the keys closed down to the pinky. Yeah, it's not a piano - I'm not saying it is exactly the same. But I played for two years in high school when I wanted to see what band was all about, and I don't remember it being too difficult. We weren't playing complex pieces. Yeah, there were some extra keys aside from the main ones, but it made more sense to me than a trumpet. Clarinet was a little harder because of the interval (third? fifth?) when you transition to the higher range. Trumpet was like learning a new language. But again, that was coming from a piano background. Starting fresh, someone might think the trumpet is more natural.

I played the flute for years through college. Flute is a little more complicated then you are making it out to be. You can in fact press all the keys closed all the way down to the pinky and play a higher note (i.e. high E flat) then you can by pressing down just one key (i.e. middle C). It depends on slight variations in your embouchure and breath control. Many key positions in flute are used across two different octaves.

I would say in general, flute is easier to learn in terms of the basic key positions, especially if you're good at reading music, but in the long run more difficult in terms of establishing breath control, intonation, and a beautiful tone. The articulation can also be difficult for some people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What schools even have marching band around here? Like 1 in each huge county district if 22+ HSs?

Pretty much every high school has marching band.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flute first, then clarinet. Maybe I just think that because I have a piano background, so the sequential fingering makes sense to me.

Woodwind fingerings per note are not sequential, they are combinations of 2 to 8+ spring keys pressed down for each half step note. FYI. It is it a piano on a tube w sequential buttons per note.

It's not perfectly sequential like sliding a trombone, but in general one end is higher and one end is lower. Flute and clarinet and saxaphone are more intuitive (at least to me) than trumpet or other brass instruments with three button combinations + mouth pressure.

Have you actually held a flute and seen all the springs, keys and opening and then marched up what is going on with each note combo? Even if most of it was closed for the low notes and more open for the high notes, a spring key far down on your 9th digit can be controlling a small hole close to the head joint/ mouthpiece. Just pull a fingerings map, one that covers all three octaves, low C below the staff to high A double above the staff.

I'm not talking about the exact placement of the holes in the flute. I'm talking about the overall layout. Pressing down one key near the mouthpiece is a higher note than all the keys closed down to the pinky. Yeah, it's not a piano - I'm not saying it is exactly the same. But I played for two years in high school when I wanted to see what band was all about, and I don't remember it being too difficult. We weren't playing complex pieces. Yeah, there were some extra keys aside from the main ones, but it made more sense to me than a trumpet. Clarinet was a little harder because of the interval (third? fifth?) when you transition to the higher range. Trumpet was like learning a new language. But again, that was coming from a piano background. Starting fresh, someone might think the trumpet is more natural.

I played the flute for years through college. Flute is a little more complicated then you are making it out to be. You can in fact press all the keys closed all the way down to the pinky and play a higher note (i.e. high E flat) then you can by pressing down just one key (i.e. middle C). It depends on slight variations in your embouchure and breath control. Many key positions in flute are used across two different octaves.

I would say in general, flute is easier to learn in terms of the basic key positions, especially if you're good at reading music, but in the long run more difficult in terms of establishing breath control, intonation, and a beautiful tone. The articulation can also be difficult for some people.

Good grief people, we're talking about 8 or 9 year olds here! They're going to honk and screech no matter what! I don't think OP is asking about beautiful tone and articulation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flute first, then clarinet. Maybe I just think that because I have a piano background, so the sequential fingering makes sense to me.

Woodwind fingerings per note are not sequential, they are combinations of 2 to 8+ spring keys pressed down for each half step note. FYI. It is it a piano on a tube w sequential buttons per note.

They're the same as the recorder fingerings. So if your DC learned how to play the recorder, even just a little bit, then the fingerings for the flute, clarinet, oboe and sax are easy.

Agree. The recorder will help in lots of the band instruments.