Learning a first instrument in Year 7 – advice?

[pantheistsboots]

DS has just started Year 7. His school has a very active music department with peripatetic teachers covering the full range of instruments. We’ve just had a letter home encouraging students to either continue music tuition via the school or to consider taking up an instrument. DS is very keen, but I have a few reservations and wondered whether anyone else had a child take up an instrument at the start of secondary and might have some advice?

The three instruments that interest him are trumpet, saxophone and drums. He’s a very slight 11yo, and I worry that the sax would be too heavy for him. And would the drums be sensible as a first instrument?

A lot of his free time is already taken up with extra-curriculars – football four times a week, plus another sport for five hours a week plus regular tournaments, and now school sports too. I know that we’d want to encourage daily instrument practice in order to make the most of music lessons, but how much would be recommended? The school also encourage all school musicians to attend after-school music theory lessons.

In terms of support at home, I played clarinet to grade 8 but have seriously let it lapse since school, plus about grade 2 piano. DS2 (7) has piano lessons and is making great progress, so I do feel a bit guilty that DS1 hasn’t had the same opportunity.

Would taking on an instrument from scratch seem doable, and if so, would any instrument be an easier route in than the others?

I'm a grandad and a drummer.

Drums. I believe that rhythm is inbuilt in humans.

To practice sax or trumpet, you really need a sax or a trumpet there with you. Drums? I'm frequently trying out timings and rhythm with hands and feet anywhere and everywhere.

(Although I don't like or have one (any more)), an electronic drum kit can be fairly quiet (headphones are your friend) and can be tucked away in a fairly small place.

Drums appear in most styles of music in one form or another. Sax and trumpet don't.

Don't take any notice of those trumpeters or saxophonists out there. Drums is the way to go.

Any of those would be fine.

Drums are tricky to practice at home - would you have a drum kit? You can get electronic ones which are ok for the early grades.

Acoustic drum kits do tend to piss if neighbours (my son is a professional drummer).

Trumpet and sax both need breath control and are good for asthma.

In terms of opportunities for group playing, trumpet is probably best as there is orchestra, brass band and wind band. Sax is wind band only really and the repertoire leans towards jazz. Orchestras don't have drum kit (although they do have orchestral percussion) but wind and brass bands do.

He’s as young as he’ll ever be, so yes, start now.

I vote sax but that’s because I want to play the sax 😄 drums is a good shout and would give him a great base for music going forwards. Trumpet’s pretty cool when you get really good. If you could I’d say drums AND piano purely because piano is so super handy and you can see all the notes laid out before you so great for assisting with theory.

Amazed at football 4x a week and another one 5 hrs! Busy boy! It’s hard when you have keen kids but it’s a really good thing, for a lot of kids getting them interested is a battle in itself! Good luck.

What ever it is make sure he can carry and set it up by himself. Someone at my school learnt the harp and their mum had to get a van

Not everyone can be good at playing the drums but they’re definitely the easiest to play.

The problem with drums is that there is only
one in each group/ ensemble, and there is a huge glut of kids who do drums. But if it’s something you’re going to enjoy doing for its own sake then go for it!

Also with a trumpet you can always join any orchestra or ensemble - they won’t have a limit to the number of trumpeters.

Trumpet is probably the most portable of those. There will be pportunities for playing in orchestra, wind band, jazz band, brass group etc.
Sax - not too different to a clarinet so you'd be able to help. I wouldn't worry about his size. An alto sax isn't exactly huge and he'll grown soon anyway. Limited orchestral repertoire but good for band.
Drums - will you have room for a set at home for personal practice?

Not true. Orchestral music isn't often scored for more than 3 trumpets and it's usual (in good orchestras anyway) to only have one player per part.
Bands tend to be a bit 'more the merrier'. And that would apply to sax as much as trumpet.

Sax is not too heavy - my DS started playing his in Y4 and managed fine.

Sax is probably the easiest of the three to get started on

Drums are great but a pain in the ass to transport

Trumpet is great too, but you need a good ear (there are only 3 valves and pitch is controlled by the facial muscles)

Sax teacher here - I started lessons myself in year 8. An alto sax weighs around 4 kilos and (in the case) is more bulky than heavy to carry. Gig cases are great, lightweight and sax-
shaped rather than rectangular, but ££. Maybe see if he enjoys playing it first! Schools usually have storage cupboards etc they can be left in during the day. They’re easy to make a sound on (probably not a lovely sound to start with!) and are used in all kinds of ensembles - jazz, Big Band, funk, soul, pop, classical.
Practising 3 or 4 times a week for 20 minutes would see him make good progress.
In our county, it’s more beneficial to have private lessons if possible - £16 for a 20 min lesson at school, or £20 for 30 mins privately. Might be worth checking out. Plus then they don’t have class work to catch up on when they leave for the lesson at school.

DS started the guitar in year 7. Despite missing huge amounts of lessons due to lockdown, he's just started college, is in a band getting regular paid gigs and is considering a music career. Any music is music, regardless of what he chooses. The music department is often solice in a secondary school.
Drums are a complete pain from a practice point of view. The band drummer has an electric kit and a full kit set up in the conservatory. They let the neighbours know when there is rehearsing going on.
Trumpet is excellent and opens up the way to other brass if he wants. Sax opens up to other woodwind like the clarinet if he wants. Both of these can be more sociable in terms of playing with groups.

I started an instrument from scratch at the end of yr7. I got good quickly (advantage of starting older) and took grade 8 (and did music A level) within about 5 years. So def not too late to start. As to which one - whichever he most wants to do.

Practice will be 30-60 mins a day ideally, at least 4-5 days a week. Progress is directly related to practice. Sax is fairly easy to pick up, my dd picked it up in a term to be able to play band pieces though she already played other instruments

Weight of sax will be fine - my small 8 year old manages fine with a neck strap. Even a slight 11 year old won’t have a problem. Sax is cool!

@Paisleydad

Totally hijacking this thread sorry

Just about to buy a drum kit for 15yo - any tips, recommendations? Some sets seem to have more drums than others? Tossing up between a second hand kit and going new but sticking it on interest free payments (this is what I did for a digital piano for her sister a few years back). Bit clueless and not sure what to look for!

Without a musical bone in my body I would also vote drums of the three listed - definitely the coolest! Can play in a band. Only have to carry sticks to school rather than lug an instrument around. But do need somewhere for a drum kit...which appreciate won't suit everyone.

Re carrying drums round.

Rehearsal rooms usually have a drum kit in situ. Just bring breakables. (Snare drum, cymbals and sticks).

Festival stages almost inevitably have a stage kit. Changing kits over between bands is a PITA.

Supporting bands will often use the headliner's kit (but check - rude to assume and it ticks the main band's drummer off).

You don't need a kit to practice all the time. A practice pad provides a surface to practice and improve speed and technique.

A (very) basic drum kit is likely to cost more than a basic sax or trumpet.

Ask if it’s possible for your child to try the instruments. It’s all very well choosing one, but it’s great to see if there’s a ‘click’. My eldest played brass - she really enjoyed her baritone lessons, until she went to a taster day and fell head over heels in love with trombone. She played in the youth orchestra for a decade.

I hope he finds ‘his’ instrument and enjoys lessons and playing.

The trumpet is light, portable and affordable and there are parts in bands and orchestras. The trumpet doesn't require the ongoing expenses of reeds or sticks. The saxophone is heavy around your neck and can mess up your lower back too as it's odd to suspend weight from your neck to the side of one thigh. Saxophones are expensive and the taller children who play alto can be pressured into playing tenor which is really bulky and bad for your back. I don't know much about the drums but space for a drumkit must be an issue! So I vote trumpet.

Thanks so much to everyone who has replied - it's hugely appreciated! I've really enjoyed reading all of the comments.

I'll discuss all this with DS when he gets home today. I like the suggestion of possibly being able to give the instruments a go and will ask the music teacher in case that is an option.

Rock bands often bring in a sax player. I would go with that as it's portable and versatile. My son picked up an instrument in year 9, self taught to a reasonable standard then spent a year formalising his knowledge in year 12. He has a very good reputation as not going thru the grades, plus some later formal jazz training means he can improvise.

Picking up an instrument for it's own sake is worthwhile, so I wouldn't overly push grades especially early on. We saw academic improvement alongside and playing with people brought in some soft skills too.

How long has he been playing?

Experienced players basically have their own set up, and their own preferred brand and style of drums.

Assuming he is a relative beginner:

You can get acoustic or electronic kits. The electronic are ok to practice some stuff on but are not a full replacement for the acoustic.

Most shops that sell them will have a standard "beginners" set up that's fine for grades 1-5 or so.

If he wants he can then replace/add drums as necessary after that.

I think you need to think about when he could practise. DD also does a lot of sport but not as much as yours (5 x training a week plus at least one day at a weekend) and finding time to practice is a huge issue now she's started Yr7 and occasionally has homework. Her teacher expects her to do 30-40 mins 5 times a week. She never wants to when she gets home from training as she's tired and it's late. Does he genuinely have half an hour every day when he can practise regularly?

The other thing to think about is band commitments. The children in our music school have to join the band after two years of lessons. The concerts clash with her upcoming tournaments and I don't know how we're going to resolve it...

PS Sax! But you need to let your DS decide.

I wouldn’t start with drums but with either of the others - you’ve played, so you know that what the school is really offering here is the chance to get a practical-based introduction to music skills that will complement yr 7 - the two big ones are reading music, and basic ensemble playing.

Piano and drums can both be quite lonely instruments to learn.

Will they provide an instrument?

Oh and for portability, ease at the start and all round flexibility I’d say trumpet. Probably also the widest set of options in terms of groups he can join - classical from orchestra to ensembles, brass band type, and jazz to rock re bands.

Having had a trumpeter and drummer in the family, I'd go for trumpet

Drumming is fun, but not so much on their own, and takes up a lot of spaces. And something else is it doesn't use the same music notation as the rest of the instruments so it's easier to take up another instrument from the trumpet than drums.
You move pretty quickly to playing tunes with the trumpet, and it's not as ear splitting as the sax.