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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

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Original poster

Flute and trumpet lessons

27 replies

Hopemore · 07/10/2013 21:49

Hi.

My 6 years old has been asking for trumpet lessons. I think this is because they do it at school at some point (not sure if it is in Y3 or 4).
Apparently she can't wait.
She also likes flute.

So I just want opinions if she is in the right age, if it is worth paying for private lesson for her to try out and where I can buy a flute for her to play at home (not a toy one). I have seen few ones on eBay, from Germany and China, but I am not sure if I should buy it or not.

TIA

OP posts:

GoAndDoSomeWork · 07/10/2013 23:18

I think for both you need adult teeth front teeth to have come through. flute you need long enough arms although curved headjoint resolves some of this most 6 year olds would probably not be big enough. You could get her a plastic fife to start playing around on if she is keen on wind/ brass instruments and doesn't fancy starting on recorder. Otherwise she could start on violin and/ or piano to get her understand in musical notation and move on to wind/ brass instrument of her choice in a
year 5 or 6.

TheOneWithTheNicestSmile · 07/10/2013 23:25

agree about curved-head flute; younger children have very short arms!

you can get outfits with both curved (for now) & straight (for later)

DD2 started out with piano lessons at 6-ish but got stuck when it became more complicated - she then started flute at 7-ish & did very well with that (went up to Grade 7 iirc)

TheOneWithTheNicestSmile · 07/10/2013 23:26

it is possible to rent instruments initially, then buy them later if the child is keen to continue

Original poster

Hopemore · 07/10/2013 23:31

Do we have to have a piano at home for practice?

OP posts:

Original poster

Hopemore · 07/10/2013 23:31

I mean, practicing>

OP posts:

TheOneWithTheNicestSmile · 07/10/2013 23:39

to practise flute? no. as they progress they need accompaniment for exams (I think ) but not at the start

BackforGood · 07/10/2013 23:41

If she's keen on the flute, then get her a recorder until she is a bit older. That way she can learn the fingering (same as flute) but also be learning to read music, count beats, count rests, etc., and have a good grounding to move to flute when she's a bit bigger.
As a boune, recorder is a lot cheaper, and it's a lovely instrument to start on as you can get a recognisable tune within a couple of lessons

bsc · 07/10/2013 23:50

I echo what BFG says- she can begin recorder straight away, 6 is a god age for it, and she'll be producing tunes pretty quickly, which is very motivating for small children. When they learn, there a books that have CDs to do the accompaniment so they can get used to keeping corect time etc.

Most schools (all perhaps?) have instruments to hire, or can arrange it. It is possible even to hire pianos too.

bsc · 07/10/2013 23:50

Obviously 6 is not a god age, sorry!

Original poster

Hopemore · 07/10/2013 23:51

Can anyone link a recorder for me please as I am eBaying it and can't see a difference between flute, recorder, fife.....

( No Clue emoticon)

OP posts:

BackforGood · 07/10/2013 23:55

Images of a descant recorder

BackforGood · 07/10/2013 23:55

Amazon selling recorders

Original poster

Hopemore · 08/10/2013 00:00

Thanks all.
I ordered a fife on eBay and will buy a descant recorder for Christmas from a musical instrument shop.

OP posts:

craftycottontail · 08/10/2013 00:17

Trumpet and flute need very different mouth formations (embouchure) and she might find she's more naturally suited to one or the other. Trumpet needs relatively thin lips, but other brass instruments (normally the bigger, deeper ones) are good for thicker lips.Get her to blow over a bottle to imitate the kind of mouth formation she needs for flute. The trumpet is more difficult to describe but this (cheesy!) video will give you an idea from about 1 min 40 secs -

She can have a go by sort of trying to blow through a relaxed fist instead of a mouthpiece (or see if the school/local music shop will let her have a go with a mouthpiece).

It's not so much of an issue for her just starting out but it's best to go with one or the other rather than both eventually! I played cornet (similar to trumpet) and flute and had to drop the cornet because the different embouchure was interfering with my flute playing.

Oh and depending on her tenacity/commitment to practise etc, flute is MUCH easier to get a nice sound out of very quickly! Trumet needs a bit more determination and throat/mouth control (but don't let that put you/her off, it's still very much do-able)

Sorry if that's TMI, hope it helps!

Original poster

Hopemore · 08/10/2013 00:27

Thanks

I just want a start at musical instruments somehow, as this is the only area we haven't covered yet and she is saying what she likes/wants.

She never was interested in piano though, thank you God as we live in a tiny flat.

Her friend has started violin so will see what she thinks about that too.

OP posts:

noteventhebestdrummer · 08/10/2013 06:23

Most schools do not hire instruments!

Wafflenose · 08/10/2013 09:59

My DD started on a curved flute at 6, and a straight one a year later. At nearly 8, she's doing well. She is tall for her age. I would try recorder first and see if your DD likes it and shows commitment before shelling out for a flute.

bsc · 08/10/2013 15:43

Sorry noteven- all the ones my DC have attended have, and all the ones I've worked in, or arranged it through the LA music service.

BackforGood · 08/10/2013 19:43

noteven - in our authority, if you have lessons through the Schools Music Service, you can borrow the instruments for free.

bsc · 08/10/2013 20:00

For free? Even better! (because you'll need every penny for lessons...)

FWIW hopemore my DD did recorder in Y2, then has switched to clarinet. She did want to do flute initially, but we pointed out that clarinet has more overlap with sax which is what she wants to play when she's big enough!

She's kept her recorder though (was bought for about £16, not hired) and still plays it lots, as she did really enjoy learning it.

Original poster

Hopemore · 08/10/2013 23:09

backforgood just seen your amazon link , it is now already in mh shopping basket. thanks

OP posts:

Original poster

Hopemore · 08/10/2013 23:10

backforgood just seen your amazon link , it is now already in mh shopping basket. thanks for all the great replies.

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BackforGood · 08/10/2013 23:15

RaspberryLemonPavlova · 08/10/2013 23:23

We can hire from the LA Music Service through school too. Wish it was free here!

My god daughter plays trumpet and flute, currently heading to Grade 8 on both and consistently achieves Distinctions. It is possible to to well o both but I think it doesn't suit everyone.

ErrolTheDragon · 08/10/2013 23:41

DDs primary didn't offer wind lessons till year 3 - the teeth and size thing. They let kids who were interested to tryouts to see what they could get a note out of and physically manage - my small DD could just stretch far enough for the flute and get a nice sound out of it. I can't get it to make any noise at all! She couldn't hold it for long to start with - I used to support the end for her.

So.... second the advice you've had to start your DD on the recorder - cheap, cheerful and an appropriate size.

If she wants to do flute when she's big enough, get a decent one such as a Yamaha - DDs cost about £300 back then - cheaper ones are harder to get a decent sound out of apparently. I'd guess that a good one would hold second hand value better too.

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