Which orchestral instrument?

[Fonedyou]

Ds is in year 3 and would like to learn an instrument, his school have a little orchestra, he could join. He doesn't know yet what he wants to learn, any tips?

Double reed instruments like the oboe are always more sought after in orchestras, and then when he's older could play basoon. There's much more competition for violin, flute and clarinet (I'm a flautist and you have to be really good to get a spot!).

From a purely practical point of view, something he can carry, so not a cello or double bass (even though he'd start on a smaller one I remember a scary moment when a friend was blown into the road as a tall teenager carrying her cello, it was like a sail in a sharp gust of wind!)

Instruments are expensive, do you have the opportunity to hire from school or county music service? My kids are adults now and we were able to hire to begin with, though I'm thinking school music service could well no longer exist due to cuts.

Is there the chance of him trying out strings, brass and woodwind, trial lesson or two, see what he likes the best?

Yes I had the same issue as a clarinet player, always had a spot in the school orchestra and wind band, but was third string for years as were so many players better than me!

There’s also fewer of the, needed and the standard and competition is higher after the early years.

French horn/ viola/ bassoon can be a way to go. Or percussion.

Try to find whether brass/ ww or strings appeal. Always need lots of strings.

Was also going to suggest oboe. Sought after and not too heavy. (Also not as annoying)

As a flautist, I'd say not the flute.I loved it as a young child (it's relatively easy, so you can feel you're improving fast) but now wish I'd chosen something else. My reasons:
1 (this probably stands for other non-string instruments too) I spend a lot of time sitting around in orchestra rehearsals counting bars rather than actually playing.
2 There are way too many of us, so no one is very grateful for our presence and conductors would really rather most of us weren't there.
3 It's not that adaptable - it just always sounds rather the same, compared to the different types of sound/music you can get out of strings, guitar, piano etc.

I'd always vote for piano and guitar as go-to instruments, but if you want an orchestral instrument rather than a band instrument, I'd go strings. Our orchestra (for crap players, not elite ones) always has a chronic shortage of violins and violas. They are playing pretty much constantly so they can't get bored, and they can play basic chords so it's not just one note all the time.

Small and portable! Oboe, flute, too much competition on clarinet maybe? Nice thing about the flute is that in the early days when he's not very good it's still pretty inoffensive on the ear, whereas trumpet, violin etc, can take years for you not to want to throw yourself out the window during practice time!

Millions of second hand flutes on ebay too - I got my daughter a very good flute on Ebay for £150, but you can do even better. Pick an entry level one from a specialist instrument website, and then search for that model on Ebay and you'll clean up.

I'm not sure if this is an update of a book I once read, or a different one. But the one I read on this subject was really interesting.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Right-Instrument-Your-Child-ebook/dp/B007RG9KB0/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3BLW54324X5QA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fRf3-N3HPY_gTzLZK0Y7ozQH9aeQXzmBt1wqw-i2tm_R9sVbjyAsKMccZ4f38u-E1bxL_ORkkv2NhdCSYukSdiKp8NBVOrYvy2CIZMN7X4UxMdB29I8zqdiLLlt1usHJEzf2NiwrbeV_tjVBIZaTrb8PofUtSuCBDqExpzacEVqpeJHXCPpfi9elyU79_Yx1n315psfB7dJwxLdkqRixZUsV16RsFD2itINx1fk2Hto.vCv7TEs0h1euwzfGCL4T7KofjpZuDLHcISqsjsATl_U&dib_tag=se&keywords=choose+your+instrument&qid=1719824787&s=books&sprefix=choose+your+instrument%2Cstripbooks%2C56&sr=1-4

I’d say brass, probably trumpet. My reasoning is the number of different opportunities to play. With the exception of string quartets, just about every type of music group has brass. There’s also a thriving brass band movement, so he’d never be short of groups to join and the social life that goes with it.

I've played violin, piano, clarinet, briefly flute. My brother played oboe and trumpet. I don't know what's most sought after. I'd choose something practical and enjoyable. Rather than worrying about competition, aim to be really good. Find out what he likes the sound of. Personally I dislike oboe, my brother didn't like flute.

I'm not convinced by the oboe/bassoon thing (maybe just because I don't love the sound!) - when I was at uni I played a stringed instrument in lots of groups. I wasn't the best, but I had the relevant standard and you always needed lots of my instrument so if you didn't get into one concert or ensemble another one would come along. But I remember meeting a bassoon player in the Gilbert and Sullivan society and she said that because you only normally needed ONE of them, it was pretty much impossible to get a spot and she'd had to join this (pretty low standard, to be fair) group just to get enough performance experience. I think she was actually studying Music too.

Actually though I think your DS should pick an instrument he likes the sound of; he's much more likely to carry on if he's motivated.

As another flautist I second this wholeheartedly!
I wish I'd chosen something else & steered my dd away from the flute for pretty much the reasons above.

String instruments will give most opportunity for orchestral/ chamber music playing later on. There are many more violins in an orchestra than oboes! But it’s horrible when they first start… Or brass? Our local brass band is doing a big recruitment drive at the moment and doing free lessons in the local schools to drum up more players.

But ultimately unless they enjoy it they won’t stick with it. So let them choose?

Agree completely re flute and clarinet - they are nearly as popular as violin but there are only 2-3 of them in an orchestra compared to up to 40 violins.

The rarer instruments are: viola, double bass, oboe, bassoon, horn, trombone. If he plays any of those he is likely to have more opportunities in the future.

BUT it is also easy to move from say flute to bassoon, violin to viola, trumpet to horn, so if he is really drawn to one of the more popular instruments then there is no harm in starting one and keeping options open for a move later.

The most important thing is that your son enjoys the feel of the instrument physically and is drawn to the sound it makes. They are all very different so it’s worth trying out different ones and listening to lots and seeing what he likes.

From experience (former pro musician here) I’d say it’s easier to start woodwind and brass than strings (progress will be quicker), and (especially for woodwind, less so for horn) you don’t need as acute a sense of pitch as you do for strings.

It is very exciting - I think of it like the wand choosing process in Harry Potter! Let us know how you get on.

Mainly best to get him to try and see what he likes - low notes or high? Things with strings or things you blow into?

If you really want to be strategic though.....

I have a bassoonist who started as a flautist. She's still a really good flautist (got her g8 distinction at 13) but there are just so many of them that she gets very few opportunities to play. There are many more oppportunities on bassoon - though I take the earlier point that you don't need many in an orchestra (usually two though).

Little ones can start on a mini bassoon if that's your bag. DD2 actually chose the bassoon because she loved it, but many people I think are rather more 'forced' into it because parents think they might get a music scholarship- if they are it usually shows though and they often give up.

Oboe is more portable, and I think, more sought after. Clarinet surprisingly unpopular nowadays so a good choice - and most also play sax which is so much fun.

With strings I'd say viola (which is what my older daughter plays) if you want to be welcomed with open arms everywhere. She's been the principal in her saturday school symphony orchestra this term- every single other instrument has a principal who is way above grade 8, and she has just scraped her grade 6!

Thirding this.

You need to let your child pick. DC1 plays violin and DC2 trumpet. DC1 has tried clarinet and tenor horn with school music service but settled on the violin. She didn't like woodwind or brass. DC2 loved the trumpet the first time she tried it. She has also done a year of clarinet. She has no interest in strings. Both plays the piano.

If they aren't sure at all, pick the instrument you can play.

The oboe is a great instrument to play as a young person if you can cope with the reeds! But it's not great as an adult if you want to play it more casually. Firstly it's not very versatile, because of the reeds you can't just pick it up and play it in the same way as a flute or violin. Secondly if you don't practise a lot your embouchure goes and you have to play on soft reeds which can sound rubbish. And linked to this it's generally quite physically challenging to play. When I learned you weren't allowed to start on it until secondary school because of the physical demands. A reasonable oboe is also a lot more expensive than a reasonable flute too. It definitely gave me amazing opportunities I wouldn't have had as a child if I'd played the flute etc., but then there's also far fewer kids playing instruments now than there were then in terms of competition.

When I learned you weren't allowed to start on it until secondary school because of the physical demands

Agree, it’s worth checking up on this aspect with your local music service; DD is 6 and we’ve been considering starting her on an instrument for a year or so, but at her age the only instruments you’re ‘allowed’ to do via the school music service and our local Saturday schools are recorder, violin and piano (we’ve signed her up for piano from September).

Flute/clarinet/guitar seem to be recommended from Year 3ish and voice from Year 5/6, but for many of the brass instruments, plus oboe, saxophone, larger strings etc, advice is to wait until secondary school age due to a combination of physical demands and the prior musical grounding required.

I loved hearing DS play the flute at home, we had a room with very good acoustics and it was a joy to listen to him practise. I so agree that the flute can sound good from an early stage.
But he never wanted to perform and gave it up entirely after grade 6 so the orchestral competition aspect was never an issue. (He still liked to boast that he was the only flautist in the 1st XV (rugby.)

Interesting about brass @TempsPerdu. We are in Hampshire and brass lessons from the music service is from Year 3. DC1 started trumpet in Year 3 with the county music service. Both DC1 and DC2 had whole year music classes with brass in Year 4. DC1 had a tenor horn (can’t remember what other brass they had in the class as it was while ago. DC2 class had trumpet and trombone.

They also have saxophone in her primary. No cellos or oboe but I think they are just unpopular.

@SummerBarbecues Yes, it does seem to vary and our local service seems to be particularly ‘cautious’. We’re currently in a London borough but I’ve looked at the Hertfordshire music service too as we’re considering moving out, and they seem to be much more relaxed!

I’d broadly agree with this. String instruments including guitar can be learned from any age as they come in small sizes.

Trumpet and trombone can be started at 6 or 7 (you can get mini plastic trombones) though it is better to have the adult front teeth in place which does vary by age. Horn is ideally a little later but easy to move from trumpet.

Recorder is an excellent starter instrument for all the woodwind but flute and clarinet can be started from 6 or 7. I think you can get mini bassoons as well but with bassoon and oboe later primary is better.

Year 2 or 3 generally is a good age to start most instruments, as concentration spans are longer and most children are reading (words) fluently and so ready to learn to read music.

Piano is an odd one as it’s such a lonely instrument for so long. Yes it is easy to make a sound but it quickly becomes complex as obviously need to read 2 lines and use both hands independently. I would usually recommend it as a second instrument from about 8 or 9 unless the child has a deep desire to learn it. With something like recorder or trumpet they can be playing in a little ensemble almost from
day 1 and starting to experience the joy of making music with others.

Trumpet-opens up other musical ensembles like jazz, big band, also easy to switch to cornet/sop to play in a brass band. Nice and small to carry too.