March 10, 2015

How To Pick The Right Woodwinds And Accessories For Your Child

By Leslie Ball


Music can be a wonderful pastime for any child. As a parent, however, when they are first considering what instrument to get for their child, the selection can be overwhelming. Woodwind instruments can be a great introduction because of the range of products available. Here is what you need to know about selecting woodwinds and accessories for your child.

You may be surprised to learn that many instruments fall into the woodwind family. You may know about clarinets, flutes and saxophones but this is only the top of the iceberg. Some lesser known members of this orchestral family include oboes, bassoons and English horns. Even the simple recorder is part of this group of music makers. You can choose options that are more complex or simpler depending on your child's skill and interest level.

One thing to consider first is how old your child is and whether they have any experience playing a musical instrument. For a very young child, you may want to start them off with a recorder. They can learn how to read music as well as other basics on an instrument that is affordable and easy to learn.

Many instruments in this family have a reed at the end. The vibration of the reed in the mouthpiece is what allows these instruments to produce sound. This family of instruments can be divided into single reed and double reed varieties. Clarinets and saxophones have a single reed whereas oboes, English horns and bassoons have double reeds.

If your child is a bit older, you may want to show them the different options that are available. Many music shops will allow you to try them out or at least touch them and look at them up close. They may have suggestions about which option would suit a particular child best. Keep in mind that each instrument will have a range of prices attached to it depending on the quality of the instrument. A professional grade instrument may have a better sound but it will be much pricier than one that is designed for a student or a learning player.

Once you have the instrument you can begin to look at accessories as well. One thing to purchase is a case. There are hard and soft options available. They protect the instrument and make it easy to carry. For large instruments such as a bassoon, the instrument will need to be disassembled to put into the case.

For woodwind options that have reeds, the choice of reed is important. They can either be very hard or very soft. Some will be easier for a young mouth to use. An experience music store owner will be able to give you advice about which one will suit your child best. You may also want to look at getting a stand that can hold sheet music while your child plays. A portable stand may be a great option if the child will have to travel to and from music lessons.

Learning to read and play music is a valuable skill for any child. It can help them in many different areas of their education. Taking the time to choose the right instrument and the right accessories can go a long way towards helping build enthusiasm for this skill in your child.




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