Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's good to play a less common instrument, as there are more opportunities and it's often less competitive.

Well, I guess if you want to compete for something. Some kids just like playing and learning and having music be a lifelong source of enjoyment.

It's not about competing, but about having opportunities to play in ensembles. Many groups have competitive auditions and, as an example, an average trombone player is going to have a lot more ensemble opportunities available to them than an average violinist.

How would the typical elementary age kid who wants to try a new instrument even know if they would ever want to be in an ensemble? You sound exhausting. If they get serious about it they can look into private lessons. Most kids just try it for a couple of years and quit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's good to play a less common instrument, as there are more opportunities and it's often less competitive.

What are the less common instruments?

Clarinet, flute, and violin are the worst.

Trumpet, viola and saxophone aren't great, but better.

Trombone, cello and tuba are good.

French horn, oboe, bassoon, string bass, and euphonium are all great, but some are harder to play.

Not everything is about competition. Kids don’t normally select these less common instruments on their own. Some parents think it gives them edge over others during college admissions.

I know siblings that play oboe and euphonium. I don’t think it helped with college selection.. just a torture for them and our ears.

Anonymous wrote:I was a piano player and here are the ways it worked out for me:

-I could read bass cleff so I was able to learn to play the bass clarinet. Tubas and baritone saxes are along the same lines.
-I played the pit instruments in marching band like xylophone because they are structured like a piano.
-In Jazz band, I played the piano in the rhythm section. Or, if there was no electric bassist that semester, played the string bass/electric bass lines on a vibraphone or keyboard.
-Became a drum major because I could look at a score and understand the treble cleff, bass cleff, and percussion rhythm scores.
-Sang 1st alto in chorus because I could read the score and use the piano to practice my harmonies. Those with no music reading experience will rely on their ear only.
-Often did accompianments on flute when a small ensemble was needed for a classical choral work. Again, being able to read a score and how my part fit into the choral part was key.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's good to play a less common instrument, as there are more opportunities and it's often less competitive.

What are the less common instruments?

Clarinet, flute, and violin are the worst.

Trumpet, viola and saxophone aren't great, but better.

Trombone, cello and tuba are good.

French horn, oboe, bassoon, string bass, and euphonium are all great, but some are harder to play.

Not everything is about competition. Kids don’t normally select these less common instruments on their own. Some parents think it gives them edge over others during college admissions.

I know siblings that play oboe and euphonium. I don’t think it helped with college selection.. just a torture for them and our ears.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's good to play a less common instrument, as there are more opportunities and it's often less competitive.

Well, I guess if you want to compete for something. Some kids just like playing and learning and having music be a lifelong source of enjoyment.

It's not about competing, but about having opportunities to play in ensembles. Many groups have competitive auditions and, as an example, an average trombone player is going to have a lot more ensemble opportunities available to them than an average violinist.

How would the typical elementary age kid who wants to try a new instrument even know if they would ever want to be in an ensemble? You sound exhausting. If they get serious about it they can look into private lessons. Most kids just try it for a couple of years and quit.

You are exhausting! Alare you just being contrarian for contrary's same?
If your kid doesn't want to play an instrument, don't torture them with an instrument. If they want to play an instrument, pay attention to the advice in this thread about diverse instruments being better.

Anonymous wrote:I realized my kid who played piano liked treble clef instruments where specific fingering produced the note--of these flute was the best fit for her because her mouth shape made reed based woodwinds (e.g. oboe/clarinet) a bit uncomfortable. Saxophone was second choice even though it was reed-based something about the shape/size felt more natural to her. There's sometimes a day when they offer an instrument "zoo" (I can't remember when/where it was offered now--and this was pre-pandemic so who knows if that's no longer a thing) where you go around and try out different instruments and kids can feel which feel right on their mouths, which are uncomfortable to hold because of weight or how you need to stretch your arms etc. Now that she's older she's added guitar to the mix.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's good to play a less common instrument, as there are more opportunities and it's often less competitive.

What are the less common instruments?

Clarinet, flute, and violin are the worst.

Trumpet, viola and saxophone aren't great, but better.

Trombone, cello and tuba are good.

French horn, oboe, bassoon, string bass, and euphonium are all great, but some are harder to play.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why dont they have piano as an option? With the keyboards available nowadays, it doesn’t really make sense that it’s not an option in the school systems. Does anyone know why?

Both band and orchestra/strings are ensemble groups and social groups. Piano is solitary, sometimes an accompanist to another musician. It's not a group activity.

In high school, sometimes a pianist may have a place in theater or chorus or in a full orchestra or small ensemble.

DP: I kinda feel like this might be dated to when you couldn't bring multiple pianos to a band/orchestra--why couldn't music now be arranged to have multiple keyboard parts?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's good to play a less common instrument, as there are more opportunities and it's often less competitive.

Well, I guess if you want to compete for something. Some kids just like playing and learning and having music be a lifelong source of enjoyment.

It's not about competing, but about having opportunities to play in ensembles. Many groups have competitive auditions and, as an example, an average trombone player is going to have a lot more ensemble opportunities available to them than an average violinist.

How would the typical elementary age kid who wants to try a new instrument even know if they would ever want to be in an ensemble? You sound exhausting. If they get serious about it they can look into private lessons. Most kids just try it for a couple of years and quit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why dont they have piano as an option? With the keyboards available nowadays, it doesn’t really make sense that it’s not an option in the school systems. Does anyone know why?

Both band and orchestra/strings are ensemble groups and social groups. Piano is solitary, sometimes an accompanist to another musician. It's not a group activity.

In high school, sometimes a pianist may have a place in theater or chorus or in a full orchestra or small ensemble.

Anonymous wrote:Why dont they have piano as an option? With the keyboards available nowadays, it doesn’t really make sense that it’s not an option in the school systems. Does anyone know why?