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Woodwind Instruments and Your Child

There are numerous woodwind instruments to choose from, I am going to help explain them to you. I am going to include the benefits, disadvantages, as well as the financial information for the instrument itself. Due to the varying ranges of prices, the costs of lessons range greatly so I have omitted that information.

Bassoon

This is the largest instrument in the woodwind family and has an eight-foot long wooden tube folded in on itself. To play it, you blow through a reed that vibrates to make the sound. The bassoon has very few bassoonists, which will make your child quite desirable. The bassoon is able to be broken into pieces to fit a case 3 feet long which makes it very easy to carry.

Regardless of size, the bassoon is very large and heavy. Also because of its size, a large amount of lung capacity is key to playing. Children need large enough hands to reach the keys, as well as sufficient breath strength, which is normally around 12 or 13 years old. It is recommended that your child learn a different instrument before learning bassoon. Bassoons are very expensive with small versions costing approximately $5,000 and large full-size versions can cost as much as $35,000. Maintenance for bassoons is changing reeds, as well as the soft pads attached to the keys will need to be replaced every few years.

Clarinet

With a clarinet, your child holds the instrument in front of themself, blowing into the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece is a reed, which vibrates to make a sound, similar to what happens when you blow a blade of grass between your

thumbs. All ordinary clarinets are the same size, however alto and E-flat clarinets are different sizes, and only appropriate for advanced players. Clarinet is very easy to start, and your child will be able to play tunes in a couple of weeks. The clarinet comes apart and is easily stored in a small case for easy transportation.

There are some downsides to clarinets though, small children are usually unable to hold them very well which makes them hard to use. Additionally it takes a good bit of strength to bite the reed enough to play. Clarinet is also a very popular instrument, which makes it very competitive to earn a place in a band, or orchestra. Children are generally able to start playing clarinet around 9-10 years old, but they to have more arm strength than anything else to hold the instrument.

Clarinets range in price greatly, most beginners start with a plastic model that costs approximately $125-$175, while students use a student-model that ranges from $400-$700 and professional models range at the upper end from $1500 to as much as $5,000. The only other major cost is the reeds, which are very inexpensive at approximately $25 for a box of 10 reeds.

Flute

Flute is the second most popular instrument after piano, particularly with girls who are the primary flutist. The hardest part of learning flute is mastering the mouth position to create the beautiful sound. Some of the advantages of flute are its amazing portability; it is very small as well as lightweight. Flute players are able to find a home in marching bands, school bands, and even orchestras if your child becomes interested in performing. If your child becomes bored with flute at some point, it is quite simple to switch to piccolo later on because of the large similarities

The downsides of flute are that it becomes very complex to play quite quickly. While it is lightweight, it does involve intricate finger work. While it is easier to play flute than some other instruments, it does still involve learning good breathing skills. Flute lessons can start as young as 3rd grade since it is the easiest woodwind to learn. However, some schools offer flute lessons to children in grades as young as 5th grade as part of a band program. Most flute teachers believe that children should have basic reading skills and a good attention span before beginning lessons.

A student model flute easily costs between $400 up to $1,000 for a new flute. A used model is much cheaper at $100 to $350, while a used flute is much cheaper an overhaul will cost approximately $125 to ensure it is in tiptop shape. If you start with a very small child, they will likely need a modified flute that is curved, if this is the case consider renting the flute from a music store, which will cost approximately $25 per month until your child is ready for a full size flute.

Oboes are not as expensive as some instruments, however they are not cheap. A used beginner’s oboe can be purchased for approximately $500, while a new instrument will set you back between $1,000-$2,000 with professional models costing as much as $5,500. It is typically advised that beginners start with a plastic model so that it is not as expensive, and less likely to be damaged or crack. Oboes need very minimal maintenance, however if they are dropped the repairs are quite expensive, if you crack a plastic model it cannot be repaired.

Every few years the soft pads attached to the keys will need replacing so this cost is overall minimal. In addition, reeds must be purchased, commercial reeds are typically inexpensive at a cost of approximately $2 each, while handmade good quality reeds cost between $10-$20 each. The reeds will last approximately 1 month each, making the reeds a continuous expense, for beginners the commercial reeds are more financially sensible.

Recorder

This is a smaller and lighter version of a clarinet and it has open holes down the front, which makes it much easier for a small child to use. The finger patterns with a recorder are not as complicated which makes it easier to learn. For a woodwind instrument, it makes a great starter instrument since it is so simple to learn. Many elementary schools take the time to teach in their music classes how to play the recorder, which makes it easy to take these basic beginning lessons and expand upon them.

Some of the downsides are that while recorders are taught in some schools, they are not played in orchestras, marching bands, or even wind bands, which make their audience very limited. Because of its simplicity a child as young as 4 can learn to play the recorder, which is a great basic start. However, before starting recorder classes your child should be able to pay attention for 10-30 minutes at a time.

The cost considerations are minimal with a recorder, a plastic model can be purchased for less than $10 at most music stores, while a good quality wooden model can cost upwards of $100. While there is a large price range, it is still much cheaper than most other woodwind instruments and is not as expensive to replace if it is damaged. From a maintenance perspective, a recorder is very simple to take care of as well.

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