Autumn 22 music thread

Clarinet player here. Dd is playing at G4 level and also enjoys keyboard, plays electric guitar in a band and sings really well.
We have bought a wooden clarinet for her last year that should see her through at least a couple more grades. She joined an orchestra last year and enjoyed playing in their end of year concert which happened a month after she joined!

@minisnowballs thank you on both threads! DD isn't a cathedral chorister, although she'd probably love it. She sings with a couple of choirs and has lessons and is doing grades so has some experience of the aural skills requirements.

Thank you to those who've suggested about sources for a 2nd hand viola. I've asked her teacher and have details for a luthier who I'll get in touch with, might try the local Youth Ensembles as well. Naively, I just assumed she could continue to rent, but she's on her second one of those after an upgrade and apparently needs another upgrade but I'm not made of money!

Oh, and I've replied on your thread @NotEvenSlightlyReasonable (though I'm sure you are perfectly reasonable!) - not sure DD2 is the most representative member of NYCGB, but the fact that they can contain her and a lot of very talented cathedral singers and keep them all happy at the same time has to count for a lot.

Think there are other members lurking around as well whose children may be more traditional choristers...

I'm thinking of getting a Gliga Gama sent on approval for my dd1 (who is not a terribly enthusiastic viola player - but does need one). I hear good things, and she's on a full size now...

I think that the luthier I took my violin to sometimes has violas in stock, but they're not in the 'ebay prices' bracket, rather they might be set up well and restored etc Does your teacher have any recommendations? If she needs a new one then guidance as to what you're looking for is probably helpful. Where abouts in the country are you in case people have recommendations?

Phone is really not coping tonight!

*stop hiring

Does anyone have any idea whether second hand violas ever come up for sale?

Joining after lurking! DD12 sings (acts, dances) and plays viola. Sings enthusiastically and well. Plays viola both less enthusiastically and less well 😄. @minisnowballs I've just started a thread asking about NYCGB, thinking about it for DD for next year.

We've been told we really need to do hiring and buy her a better viola but I'm wincing at the cost and hoping that I can find one second hand

Ooh, good luck for new cello teacher @QueenMabby. DD starts back with her cello teacher next week. She has not TOUCHED her cello since her grade 5 exam in late July so goodness knows if she remembers how to play it.

Feels like a clean slate with both her school peri teachers as she also took grade 5 voice at the end of last term - will be interesting to see what she gets to do next with both. She's still coming down from her NYCGB choir course at Framlingham, which was a huge success.

Adding in another string player to balance out the bassoon/clarinets!

Dd plays cello (g5) and piano (g7 ish) and sings. She does all her music in school and can't wait to get back to it. She's starting with a new cello teacher next week - 🤞🏻 it goes well.

Ds who is now 12 is a drummer. He has an acoustic kit, which he keeps adding bits to. plus alsorts of other percussion (bongos, djembe, cajon, xylophone). It is noisy but we live in a detached house in the middle of nowhere.... dh regularly suggests we build a practice room in the barn though....

No bassoons here although we do have violin, piano, flute, double bass, trumpet, euphonium, flugel horn and cornet.

We're in Scotland so lots of friends play bagpipes too, you definitely need earplugs in your household!

With regards to drum kits, I think most drummers would want a real set but an electric one means you can turn it down and is better for the rest of the household! Consider earplugs if you have a real set for your son, I've been in my friends sons bedroom where he plays his drums and my ears were ringing after a few minutes. That's great he's enjoying it.

Crikey this is the bassoon thread! My DD age 12 plays clarinet and you guessed it bassoon! We have exams on the horizon for this autumn for both instruments. The bassoon is a quite knackered one and we need to look at hiring a better model but also looking at a clarinet upgrade. Keeping my fingers crossed that my pay rise at work happens!

So many bassoon-playing DC! Glad to see that Rizlas are still the tool of choice for sticky keys. That was my go to solution when I played clarinet way back when, but I suggested it to DS he looked appalled that there wasn't some newer better option by now. I shall send him down the co-op for a packet later, as my late 1990s packet is running low!

Hello my just turned 6 year old has recently started drumming lessons at a rock music school.

He has taken to it like a duck to water the guy said and seems to have good natural rhythm, he has started to learn to read drum music also.

Is there any other drums kids on here and if so did you buy a acoustic drum set or electric. I'm not sure which would be best.

Also my 8 year old has started to learn the bagpipes, I'm hoping he enjoys it also and keeps with it. He wants to join the red hot chilli Pipers . Aim high I guess

Thank you @northerngoldilocks, I’ve posted on the thread. Funnily the E13 was the one I was looking at.

There was a separate clarinet thread a while ago- might be useful?

Any clarinet experts around? http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/extracurricularr_activities/4572940-any-clarinet-experts-around?msgid=-4572940#-4572940

Mentioning either isn't without embarrassment. I bought Rizlas a while back for sticky flute keys when he used to have a school one and had to ask for them at the coop. They asked me whether I wanted regular or some others- I said oh whichever is cheapest as I need it for using on flute keys and definitely got funny looks

Any clarinetists here? DD started at the end of April but has made amazing progress. She is currently using a clarinet from school but we are looking to buy one as the school one is a bit loose. We were thinking of a wooden one but is this advisable for children (who may not be that keen on maintenance….)? Probably at Grade 3 standard at the minute (also plays piano and cello so hasn’t had the sight reading battle).

DD has told me she will only buy the papers if she can pretend they are for her flute - apparently even saying the word bassoon is embarrassing. The pains of being a teen

I remember having to carry cigarette papers years ago when I briefly played the oboe!

Cigarette papers, apparently for the sticky key. Have sent dd2, who is a very small 13, off to buy them. Will see how she does.

Hilarious that this is turning into a 'majority bassoon' thread (though I should stress that DD is really a flautist/piccolo player who dabbles. She is always very clear that people should know this)

@miniminisnowballs I sympathise with bassoon troubles, they can be fickle beasts!! Hope you get it sorted. Tenor clef is much easier to learn when they are younger. I'm trying to go back and do music theory and I have to count the lines every time!!