Is your child in band? Were you in band? (Band questions)

[KrisM]

You do not need to be musical to have fun in band.
When I was a kid, they let us hold each instrument and blow into it. I don't know if there is blowing anymore..... anyway it was clear to me that a trombone was too heavy and a flute felt awkward but a clarinet felt just right, and I had my instrument. It is fun and not terribly expensive. Of course percussion is the cheapest.
Let her try!

It is the cheapest, but not by a ton here. Rental for most instruments is $30/month. Sax is $60/month. Percussion kits are $20/month.

[rlu]

DS plays trumpet in the school beginning band. He did not know how to read music before and really that was the key for him was us helping him at home learn the notes by sight (flash cards). We already had a trumpet that DH had bought on a lark that is beat up but works for practice at home. The school had a supply of certain instruments and he uses one at school so he doesn't need to transport back and forth.

There are three concerts for beginning band while the intermediate, jazz and advanced have more as well as (day) travel for competitions.

Each kid was given the opportunity to try each instrument and the teacher made some type of evaluation to help them pick.

DS is waffling between trying for intermediate band or picking a new instrument and doing beginning again. There was one kid this year where it was his fourth year in beginning band (5-8) since he just picked new instrument each year.

DS is the bugler for his troop using his trumpet.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I was in band and orchestra grades 5-12, played the flute. We didn't have to try out. Each year they did assess us and line us up (first chair...). We also had to test into orchestra in high school.
Ds2 will start in 4th grade. Not sure what instrument he will pick b


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[khm]

One of mine was in band .... Really it sucked after the first year. He started in 6th and quit in 8th I still have a trombone someplace. My 2nd took private guitar lessons for a couple years I have a guitar ( well 2 electric & acoustic ) in the storage with the trombone. I was SO glad #3 asked me to opt him out of beginning music to take aerospace design. I spent way to much money on instruments that got used for 2 or 3 yrs.

Get 'em found and sell them! Instruments sell really, really quickly on our local facebook group every year when school starts.

[jren]

It is the cheapest, but not by a ton here. Rental for most instruments is $30/month. Sax is $60/month. Percussion kits are $20/month.

I really tried to encourage DD to play flute or clarinet since those were cheaper and lighter to carry. But in the end she insisted on saxophone and I figured she'd be more apt to practice if she got her pick. I think we'll own it if she stays in band for 3 years. The rental caused issues with our refinance though. Dropped our credit score some and they questioned it several times.

[KrisM]

I really tried to encourage DD to play flute or clarinet since those were cheaper and lighter to carry. But in the end she insisted on saxophone and I figured she'd be more apt to practice if she got her pick. I think we'll own it if she stays in band for 3 years. The rental caused issues with our refinance though. Dropped our credit score some and they questioned it several times.

Interesting to have it cause a problem!

I think we own it in 2.5-3 years. I'd have to look it up. I wish DS had picked something that fit into his locker. I pick him up most days and it takes him a while to come because he has to go to the band room first.

[AnnieW625]

Saxophones are upwards of $7500 for a great student model that will get a student through college so it can be a huge investment, and professional models are even more. So if the value of the rented saxophone is $7500 and it is a rent to own agreement with a large company it could show that you have a $7500 debt out there that needs to be cleared.

We are renting to own a flute that was valued at $200 and are paying $25 a month and it should be paid off by September iirc. . We honestly could've paid it off immediately, but it was hurt as easy to pay $25 a month interest free until it was paid off.

[schrocat]

Wow..... Saxophones have gone up so much in price since I got mine. Gulp! I wonder how much my dream Selmer Paris Saxophone costs now.

I've always regretted not joining the band in school.

[vonfirmath]

I was in band 6-12th grade. Basically took band to get out of PE in High School. It also was a great social activity and I enjoyed it. I got rid of my clarinet years after I graduated... then missed it and got it again. I want to get into playing again one day. I'm not excessively musical, but I play better than I sing. I would encourage my kids to learn to play as well. Both where I grew up and here they start in 6th grade assuming the kids do not know how to play at all. My son's elementary does give them the option to learn to play recorder starting 4th grade. (next year) So we'll see if he wants to do that.

(I chose the clarinet because they played these little reel movies about all the instruments and I loved the range of sounds the clarinet could make.)

[jren]

Wow..... Saxophones have gone up so much in price since I got mine. Gulp! I wonder how much my dream Selmer Paris Saxophone costs now.

I've always regretted not joining the band in school.

DD's is an alto sax, which I think is the smallest and a good size for a 6th grader. It was the cheapest one and ONLY about $2,000 new.