October Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

Hello, I just fell asleep in front of a very long film that DH wanted to watch, and woke up in October! I couldn't resist starting the new thread before going to sleep properly.

The monthly music threads are welcome to ALL, and we really like hearing from new contributors and beginner musicians. We have all levels on here. It's a good place to discuss instruments, lessons, practice, exams, auditions and anything else that you want to.

I am a teacher of recorder, clarinet, saxophone and flute, and have two daughters. Goo is 11 and plays the flute and piano. She is planning to do exams on both next year, but none just now because she's just started at the secondary school 2 miles down the road, which has a great reputation for music and sport, and is extremely academic. They study four languages in Year 7 - Goo has just finished her unit on German (by the end of three weeks, they could write three substantial paragraphs - I couldn't believe it!) and is now embarking on Mandarin.
She's thrown herself into choir, orchestra, steel band, flute group and the gym. Rara is 9 and has been playing the cello since the age of 5, and clarinet for a year. She enjoys both, but is happiest when she's reading or cutting up paper/ making things out of paper! Rara has plenty of free time because she attends the village school five minutes away, and hardly gets any homework.

Goo attends South West Music School, which is the nearest thing we have to a JD in the south west. Rara is just about to join! Not too much on musically this term (and not a lot of practice taking place, quite honestly) apart from auditioning for the NCO. Goo has been in it for the past three years, and is hoping for Under 12s. After a wobble about even auditioning, she seems quietly confident now.

We have had to buy a new cello, flute and clarinet this year. Girls would love to go abroad like their friends, but I am well aware of the reason why we can't... music!!

se22 she doesn't NEED a 3/4 yet, does she? Rara's half size cello is still a bit big for her. I'm hoping it will last until she's 11/12.

No she doesn't Need one but some of her friends have just up-sized and she thinks she should. I will hold out until her teacher says otherwise, can't see that before March as her 1/2 fits perfectly.

waffle: We have had to buy a new cello, flute and clarinet this year
se22: That's £500 spent on Instruments this week

drummers Also, my piano lesson is my single "me" thing. I don't have any social life, at all, I can't remember my last salon trip. And I have a teacher who cuts me an insane bargain on my fees. But every other bit of me goes on her. Like waffle says, no big holidays because it all goes on dance/music! In fact, even our "holidays" are generally London for one or other or both activities. I feel it's the best I can give right now in terms of investing in her future though and wouldn't do it any other way!

se22 she's going to be made up!

Right now all time and spare cash goes to making his dreams possible.

I'm totally with you, drummers. And, while I am so looking forward to the day when DS becomes a man and I gain my own life back, I am also so loving my life now. Good and bad, I'm loving and enjoying all. I become so good at enjoying my life with little money spending on myself too!

Can I ask a flute question here? Im nowhere near the league your children are all playing in!

Our school previously has hired instruments on behalf of their students learning new instruments but that has suddenly stopped. My daughter has played a year of piano so far and is enjoying it and has fallen in love with the flute - only a few lessons in but playing morning noon and night on a borrowed one.

Our local second hand music store has a flute that's a yamaha 211s for £325. Googling suggests it's a good instrument that can take them through the grades. Is that a good idea?

Music teacher has found some ex hire ones for £100 that shes tried as she's aware parents are scrambling around for flutes.

I can see also see much cheaper flutes online but presumably they'd need to be replaced a couple of grades in?

I feel so out of my depth as Id planned to wait a year or two before buying one!

Any advice?

Sorry I have no knowledge of flutes.

Thanks Waffle for the clarinet advice, I think we will hold off buying a mouthpiece for now at last until after Grade 5, though I'm putting my foot down that this won't be for a while. I'm thinking that at the end of this year we may change teacher and that will be enough to concentrate on rather than exams. I have rather rashly said that if we get a new clarinet then I will learn on her beloved Colin and she can teach me!

It is likely that the bassoon will be staying with us for a while as a rental rather than buying one, they are astronomical in price!

G1raffe that is an amazing flute and a bargainous price. 211s usually cost much more. It's not a usual place to start, as it will go to grade 7+, but I am sure your DD will be delighted! My daughter Goo used to have one, but it was her 3rd flute. She started aged 6 on an unbranded curly one, moved to a straight Jupiter around grade 1, got the Yamaha 211 after grade 4, and and open hole, solid silver Yamaha after grade 7. Yep, she's on her 4th flute already!! My 9 year old is on her third cello (a half size, which is a little bit big) but that is because she outgrew the 1/8 and 1/4.

Waffle - if you don't mind me asking - would it be silly to leap in with that kind of flute? I think I've got the choice locally of the second hand 211 at 325 or a second hand ex hire for £100. Obviously £ 100 seems better on my wallet but if id just have to replace again in a few years time it would make sense .

Will the yamaha be any harder for her to play (I'm displaying my complete ignorance here!) She's got an unbranded one from a friend but it needs money spent on it which presumably would be better spent towards something else!

And I'm impressed at all the instruments in your family!

I don't have a musical background, and lowish income so trying to navigate so the possibilities but wanting to weigh up money spent over time/suitable flute feels way out of my depth!

October already!

DS2: Enthusiastic clarinet player hoping to do G8 next year. Sings but at that age where voice is unpredictable.

DD: Plays the flute when she feels like it. Gradually working towards G5. Beautiful singing voice; having lessons to increase confidence.

I'm a former choral scholar. I currently sing in a choir which is good but much larger than I'm used to. This term I seem to be mostly singing in German.

Yamaha will be easier to play!! I'd get that if you can afford it and reckon she is going to stick with it.

Thanks Waffle. Hopefully it will be me posting on these threads when shes a bit further on!

kutik for us, me playing is also part of me supporting her dream. I don't have in depth musical knowledge, I am learning with her to try support her better. And for both of us, it brings extra pleasure to it all as we love doing duets, she really likes now I can sometimes learn the accompaniments etc. So it's a partially selfish expense but also part of the expense of her love of it all!

DD has the Yamaha 211 and it makes a nice sound. She'll be doing G5 on it.

She started on the Yamaha from when she was a beginner. It was easy to play, and a flute that makes a nice sound encourages them to continue playing and increases their enjoyment. We paid just under £300 for it (second hand) five years ago. It will retain some value, so you can resell it further down the line.

Mini, that's a wonderful win-win solution! Your little girl benefits from what you enjoy, and you can support her with what you love.

As I said, I am loving this supporting role. I don't think I can be like that all my life as I am a normal human being and I have my own desire to fill in my life. But at the moment, I'm enjoying it and loving it. I feel grateful the opportunities and experiences I can share with my DS. It's been a beautiful ride so far (lots of scratching and pulling my hair moments also, but that's also part of deal). So, I'm also having a win-win solution!

Just realised I used 'also' million times...

Thankyou. Hope it's still there Saturday!

kutik all these things in life are seasons! This one is (extremely) time, money and energy intensive.... there'll be different pressures and needs of us as they get older.... probably more money and eventually less time... til then its quite a journey!

g1raffe fingers crossed for you, sounds a good purchase!

TheSecond how did Singet dem Herrn go?

Nothing to report from here, just wanted to say hello to the new faces and good luck to every one's NCO audition.

Good luck to everyone auditioning from me, too!
Not much to report here either except the sixth-form viewing cycle is nearly over - one more next week - and DS1 has an interview with the sixth form college so they definitely got his application!

@raspberryrippleicecream is your son applying for organ? Or brass and piano? If organ I think the main teacher is the choirmaster who has a recital in the cathedral at 11am, then bacfad so he won’t be in the school much but after the recital at 11:45 would be the ideal time to say hello.