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Give me ideas please-musical instruments



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mommy3b2c




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 15 2017, 10:10 am
My boys are 8 and 10. I would like them to each play a musical instrument. Which instruments would you recommend for that age? (Besides piano)

Do you have info for music teachers in Brooklyn?

Any info appreciated!
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cnc




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 15 2017, 10:12 am
A popular instrument in my family is the violin. It takes lots of concentration and patience though. A little easier would be the guitar...
Drums can be fun, but I personally would snap from
the noise.
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mommy3b2c




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 15 2017, 10:18 am
cnc wrote:
A popular instrument in my family is the violin. It takes lots of concentration and patience though. A little easier would be the guitar...
Drums can be fun, but I personally would snap from
the noise.


Violin is really hard. Guitar I thought of but I was told not to start that young. No way to drum!!! I was thinking more of wind instruments ideas.
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Blue jay




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 15 2017, 10:31 am
wind instruments can break easily and require guidance by an instructor.

flute and clarinets are not forgiving, one drop and there goes the whole instrument until you get the key fixed. Also for clarinets you need to buy wooden reeds and they can cost like $15 dollars a box.

Trumpets are easier to maintain. Just ofcourse dont drop the trumpet and you are usually fine. They are very loud especially in the beginning.

If you are without an instructor, I would start with a recorder just to see how committed your children are to learning and caring for a wind instrument. The recorder produces a sound easily and is a fun way to learn songs and music notes. You can buy one for yourself and learn with your kids. They are around $10 dollars each.

Ages 8 and 10 is a great age to begin wind instruments, but be sure you find a teacher first.
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Chayalle




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 15 2017, 10:34 am
Boys have such a great time with the guitar (girls too.) They can bring it along and be part of singing, etc...one of my nephews plays, and he really seems to enjoy it.
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Blue jay




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 15 2017, 10:40 am
by the way, guitar is a great instrument to start with too! There are inexpensive guitars sized for children at Sam Ash music stores, ( in brooklyn by kings plaza, please check if its still there, its been a long time since I shopped there...) Ukulele is also fun too! Its Cheap, and you can learn fun chords on You tube. Just like with any other instruments, be sure to store in a safe place in your house.
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mommy3b2c




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 15 2017, 10:43 am
QueenBee3 wrote:
wind instruments can break easily and require guidance by an instructor.

flute and clarinets are not forgiving, one drop and there goes the whole instrument until you get the key fixed. Also for clarinets you need to buy wooden reeds and they can cost like $15 dollars a box.

Trumpets are easier to maintain. Just ofcourse dont drop the trumpet and you are usually fine. They are very loud especially in the beginning.

If you are without an instructor, I would start with a recorder just to see how committed your children are to learning and caring for a wind instrument. The recorder produces a sound easily and is a fun way to learn songs and music notes. You can buy one for yourself and learn with your kids. They are around $10 dollars each.

Ages 8 and 10 is a great age to begin wind instruments, but be sure you find a teacher first.


Well I can't start without a teacher. I have no idea how to play!

Do you have any names of instructors in Brooklyn?
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Blue jay




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 15 2017, 10:51 am
mommy3b2c wrote:
Well I can't start without a teacher. I have no idea how to play!

Do you have any names of instructors in Brooklyn?



Im sorry I dont have any teachers I know in Brooklyn. But.. as far as recorder is concerned you can teach yourself the instrument if that is where you would like to start.

To start, I would call Sam Ash or local music stores about lessons. Also, reach out to Brooklyn College, there are alot of music education majors there who teach on the side as well.

good luck!
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mommy3b2c




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 15 2017, 10:55 am
QueenBee3 wrote:
Im sorry I dont have any teachers I know in Brooklyn. But.. as far as recorder is concerned you can teach yourself the instrument if that is where you would like to start.

To start, I would call Sam Ash or local music stores about lessons. Also, reach out to Brooklyn College, there are alot of music education majors there who teach on the side as well.

good luck!


Thanks!
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emzod42




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 15 2017, 12:00 pm
I think at that age they can start with any instrument--children often start that young or younger on the violin and other instruments. You can probably visit a music store and have them look at them, or even better, take them to a concert (classical, jazz, etc.) so they can see the instruments being played and get an idea of what they might like. A lot of schools and colleges have free concerts put on by students, especially this time of year. Except for really large instruments like string bass (that would be physically difficult for a smaller child to manage), there are lots of options.
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Rubber Ducky




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 15 2017, 12:22 pm
DS#2 was 9 when we rented an inexpensive student flute and signed him up for 3 months of lessons as a Chanukah gift. As I recall, we gave him the option of flute, oboe, or clarinet. Flute was a good choice for him because :
    • Flutes are small and portable
    • They are relatively quiet instruments and at the time we lived in an apartment, and
    • Badly played flute sounds a lot better than badly played violin or clarinet.
He enjoyed the lessons and practiced. We ended up buying the flute and he kept up with the lessons until he went to yeshiva in another city 4 or 5 years later.

DS#2 still enjoys playing flute. A few years ago DH purchased a silver flute at a great price to replace DS's completely worn out student flute. I can't help you find a teacher but I think one reason our son kept up with it is because the teacher had a very easygoing personality. Our son never felt pressured.
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mommy3b2c




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 15 2017, 12:25 pm
Rubber Ducky wrote:
DS#2 was 9 when we rented an inexpensive student flute and signed him up for 3 months of lessons as a Chanukah gift. As I recall, we gave him the option of flute, oboe, or clarinet. Flute was a good choice for him because :
    • Flutes are small and portable
    • They are relatively quiet instruments and at the time we lived in an apartment, and
    • Badly played flute sounds a lot better than badly played violin or clarinet.
He enjoyed the lessons and practiced. We ended up buying the flute and he kept up with the lessons until he went to yeshiva in another city 4 or 5 years later.

DS#2 still enjoys playing flute. A few years ago DH purchased a silver flute at a great price to replace DS's completely worn out student flute. I can't help you find a teacher but I think one reason our son kept up with it is because the teacher had a very easygoing personality. Our son never felt pressured.


How much did the flute cost?
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Rubber Ducky




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 15 2017, 12:41 pm
The original student flute that we rented from a music store before buying was $180 used.

The silver flute...cost a lot less than it would have otherwise because it has initials — not my son's — engraved on it. Even after having pads replaced and the flute "tuned up" it was a very good deal. I know it was less than $1000 including the tune-up but I don't recall how much less.
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Iymnok




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, May 16 2017, 4:01 am
Talk to them about which family of instruments they have an interest in.
Wind- the recorder is easy to learn and becomes a great step to other instruments. but it could easily be learned with youtube.

Regardless of your choice, they have to have a desire and practice a lot. A great teacher makes all the difference.
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salt




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, May 16 2017, 4:58 am
Why do you say no to piano. Because of the cost, and the size?
What about an electric keyboard?
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MitzadSheini




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, May 16 2017, 6:40 am
A few questions to ask yourself.

Do the children want to play? Do they want to practice?
If so- which instrument are THEY interested in?
Do you feel it's something you wish you had done and you don't want then to miss out?
How much time do you expect them, and separately you, to devote to practice?
What is your purpose in having them learn?
Just a skill?
To.play in a band?
To play in an orchestra?
Kumzitz?

Different (or no) instruments are appropriate depending on how you answer these questions.
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imasinger




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, May 16 2017, 6:45 am
To learn the basics of music, recorder is the cheapest choice. You can buy a decent plastic one for $5, and a little nicer wood one for $10-15. A self teaching book is another few dollars.

Piano or keyboard is popular, because it doesn't require time before learning (as wind and string instruments do) to produce a pretty sound as a beginner. And also because a student learns to read music for both treble and bass clef.

But the truth is this.

Lessons are by far the biggest expense connected to learning an instrument. For example, a decent half size or 3/4 size guitar can cost about $100. But you will spend that much again in only a month or two of lessons.

So, it's worth it to let the kids choose an instrument they like. Hopefully, they will be playing it every day, and learn to love it. It doesn't matter whether you think it will be easy or hard for them, it matters what they think. And whatever instrument you choose, PLEASE don't buy off the Internet, where you may well end up with a piece of junk. Go to a store, and get good help in choosing, and let your kids try it out, if possible.

Similarly, find a teacher whose style is a good fit for your boys. Daily practice is a real discipline, and it takes the right person to help them grow.

Last, if the boys end up quitting after a time, please don't consider your time and money wasted. Many people return to music later on, and are grateful for having picked up the basics.

Hatzlacha!
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kiryat sefer




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, May 16 2017, 7:10 am
My sister 15 plays casio, guitar and flute. As for the guitar we got one for $50 in Amazing savings (get a tuner for $10 it helps). The flute she got in the dollar store and it works perfectly fine. I once watched a video on American flute and they said to get the 99¢ one because it is the Same as the $5. Also if you have a musical family doing music is definitely an option. There is also painting, drawing, martial arts if they are not so musically inclined.
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