Anonymous wrote:Is alto clef more difficult to learn than to read treble clef?

I'm the one who posted above about the alto clef. I am far from an expert! But I don't think it's an issue so much of difficulty, as of uniqueness. Treble and bass clef are used across many instruments. Alto isn't. So a kid who begins their music-reading experience with alto and then switches to nearly any other instrument at another point in time will have to re-learn how to read the sheet music-- it won't just be intuitive-- and that could be sort of a pain, or at least it was for my fourth grader when she began viola after a few years of piano lessons. A frustration we hadn't anticipated and could have avoided if she hadn't chosen that instrument.

There are no requirements beyond an art elective for MCPS graduation. This does not need to be in music. She can try different instruments every year she's in orchestra or band, but this also means she will have to learn how to use them every time.

A little thing about string instruments. Violas rarely play the melody, and almost always play the accompaniment. So do second violins and sometimes cellos. The first violins usually have the melody. At first, this will not matter at all. But over the years, she might not like it. Or she might - it depends on her temperament. I have a violin-playing kid who loves being the center of musical attention, and who would never want to play seconds or violas for that reason.

Is alto clef more difficult to learn than to read treble clef?

Anonymous wrote:We are new here with a 4th grader. My kid is undecided what musical instrument to pick, and I have no idea as well. The deadline is approaching. Should I ask music teacher or go to rental musical instrument store to try out( if they allow us)? She is leaning towards viola because she does not like the high pitch sound from violin. She has no music background. I assume she has to learn the SAME instrument for 4th grade & 5th grade? Is there a requirement for kid to do musical instrument class in MS or/& HS?

Did they do the instrument zoo already?

I know lessons are slated to start next week in some ESs… what school are you at?

I believe most instrumental music teachers will meet with each child individually after you complete the registration form so they can trial any instrument in which they may be interested. The teacher should support the child with making a decision for the instrument with which they are most comfortable. Once my daughter chose an instrument we were given a paper with everything she needs for that instrument and suggestions of various places where we could rent it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are looking at strings, I highly recommend Pottter Violins. It's by far the best place and she can try out violas.

Is she looking at band instruments at all?

What are band instruments? Tell me more about it? Id that for MS or HS? Required class or extra curricular activity?

Band instruments are mostly brass and woodwinds (and percussion) - flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, tuba, etc

Orchestra are the strings - violin, viola, cello

You should check with the school to see if they have instruments for 4th graders to borrow. Our school had enough instruments for the 4th graders to borrow for the school year, so there was no cost to try.

You let her choose what she's interested in, and it's ok for her to change her mind. Some kids switched instruments between 4th and 5th grade. Others dropped out during the school year.

However, my DD is tiny, so I limited her to something she could carry on her own without help.

Band/Orchestra is an elective in MS/HS, so they can choose that as an elective or something different. Electives are not extra curricular activities as they are graded courses.

Anonymous wrote:If you are looking at strings, I highly recommend Pottter Violins. It's by far the best place and she can try out violas.

Is she looking at band instruments at all?

What are band instruments? Tell me more about it? Id that for MS or HS? Required class or extra curricular activity?

I agree about the high pitch of the violin being less pleasant than the viola (especially when it's played by a beginner!) which is one reason I was glad my fourth grader chose viola a long time ago. (She's in college now.) But I had no idea until she started the lessons and brought home her sheet music that the viola uses an entirely different musical clef than other instruments. My kid had already had a few years of piano lessons, and her siblings who played flute (and had also started with piano) were able to read the sheet music for flute with no difficulty, but my viola kid had to learn all over again how to read-- the alto clef instead of treble clef. It was hard. The skill of reading sheet music will not be as transferrable if she begins with viola and wants to switch to other instruments (or voice) at another time in her life.

That said, the viola is a beautiful instrument!

Anonymous wrote:Any suggestions of musical instrument rental store around Gaithersburg area? What price we are looking at?

L&L Music, and they'll let you try out instruments in store if they're not too busy (not all music stores will.) I don't think they do strings though, only woodwind and brass.

Don't overthink it. If she is leaning toward viola, then choose viola. This is one of the few choices that it's 100% ok for a 4th grader to make on their own.

Viola is one of those unsung, high-demand instruments - not a bad choice for strings.

If you are looking at strings, I highly recommend Pottter Violins. It's by far the best place and she can try out violas.

Is she looking at band instruments at all?

Any suggestions of musical instrument rental store around Gaithersburg area? What price we are looking at?

We are new here with a 4th grader. My kid is undecided what musical instrument to pick, and I have no idea as well. The deadline is approaching. Should I ask music teacher or go to rental musical instrument store to try out( if they allow us)? She is leaning towards viola because she does not like the high pitch sound from violin. She has no music background. I assume she has to learn the SAME instrument for 4th grade & 5th grade? Is there a requirement for kid to do musical instrument class in MS or/& HS?