It’s so easy to think when buying student instruments that cheaper is better!
But is it?………
This is simply NOT true and here are some reasons why you should not always go for the cheapest model or price available to you rather than a better known model range.
Reason1: Tuning: some of the lesser priced brands can be just awful to tune! How annoying and demoralizing is it for a beginner to play in a band for the first time and always be out of tune. The truth is that often these students quit because they feel that they can’t do it, but often it can be instrument and nothing to do with the student at all.
Reason 2: Spare Parts: It is often not easy to get parts replaced for some cheaper instrument models. Stick to the big brand names who will be more likely to include a warranty for purchase of new instruments and most repairers will easily get parts for.
Reason 3: Easier to play: If an instrument is easier to play, it’s only natural that the will be more enjoyable. Newer, better brand instruments are always easier to play than second hand bargains!
Reason 4: Care: If you give your students very old looking, dirty instruments rather than good quality newer, clean instruments, they will treat them with less care. If you want your students to care for their instruments, then model to them what you expectations are by giving them a clean, tidy instrument with everything they need inside to get started.
My advice is to talk to musicians, music teachers and reputable music store specialists to give you advice on brands, models and stores to look out for. I suggest that you find a dealer you can personally trust to give you the flexibility you will need, the most up to date information and a good deal.
A dealer that I know personally is Hans Smits from Kurt Jacob & Co Pty Ltd. He has been working alongside teachers and musicians for over 30 years and delivers a wealth of information and deals specifically in quality musical instruments for schools.
Another great free resource I found is from the Music Industries Association. The website has a very useful handbook and is written in an unbiased way.
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Good article. I remember hearing lectures from various music teachers on this same subject. As you grow as a musician, you learn to appreciate and understand the value of an instrument. At the age of 19, I’ve already gone through 5 flutes, and it’s incredible how different they all are, and how they’ve each helped me grow.
I think you could add another reason to your list of benefits (though it corresponds with care) – excited to play! If you give a student an old, beat up, dull looking instrument, no matter how it sounds, they’re going to be less willing to play it than if it were shiny and clean! Of course students want to play an instrument that looks awesome!
Also holds true for your percussion section — music directors who choose quality investments for their line and then have the patience to cultivate young percussionists who respect the equipment will reap the benefits in ensemble sound.
Great great points. It is so easy to feel a pull to buy the cheapest instruments, especially if, as a teacher, you are not given a large budget to work with. But there are times when it is worth while to spend the extra money for better quality, and this is certainly one of those times. It’s important to remember, playing music is about enjoying it, and that’s a lot easier to do with good equipment.
I agree. As a tuba player, I have played my share of 30-year-old-corroding tubas. This is one of the reasons that my teachers had trouble getting people to play. Besides the sheer size of the instrument, a junior high student will almost always choose the shiny trumpet over a dull,corroding tuba. Great article!