Anyone got kids in band?

[Sky-Knight]

We've got a new school year cranking up, and all the fun stuff that goes with it. But if you have kids in the band and you need instruments, please take a peek at Jean Paul USA. https://jeanpaulusa.com/

Now to be clear, I'm not affiliated with this company, I get nothing for this plug. I'm putting this here because I'm a parent of two, soon to be three kids in band and I rolled the dice on a clarinet and a trumpet from these guys three years ago and have been utterly floored by the results.

These guys are importing stuff from the same factory Yamaha builds in. These are basically relabeled Yamaha instruments, and as such lack the price tag of that name. For me, these things have been amazing tools for my kids to use, and they didn't come with the absurd sticker that comes with purchasing "real" branded instruments. And all this made possible by a Florida based family owned music store.

If there is anyone here that does the tech for them, take good care of them please. Because they've taken excellent care of two of my kids, and soon a third.

 

[Blues]

My girlfriend's son is starting band this year we have to buy or rent an instrument and initial looks on the buy side it is far from cheap I think low end was still over $300.

 

[Sky-Knight]

@Blues My son has a Jean Paul TR-430 Intermediate Trumpet. That's $350 brand new, and it's does wonders. But if money is an issue, the TR-330 Student Trumpet is there too, and that's $200.

I paid an extra $150 for the rose brass lead pipe, which helps with corrosion. That's the primary difference between the two instruments, the latter should last a lifetime whereas the former should only last 10 years or so.

The TR-330 is a direct match for the Yamaha YTR-2330. Which goes for almost $900 on Amazon. So for $200 you can get the same trumpet with a different name on it.

So yeah, when we live in a world where a "student" trumpet is sold new for $1000, being able to get a middle grade trumpet for $350 is a steal. A steal I might add that I've seen professional trumpet players rave about on Youtube. But that's also why renting one is $20 a month. That's about $180 a school year. For that you can buy the basic model in a year, if the boy is going to continue for more than a year it's cheaper to buy even the intermediate horn.

And that's the deal with my kids, we buy the instrument you're stuck in band until the end of high school... no if's and's or but's. They start in 5th grade, so that's 8 years of music. If you rent through that you'll fork over $1400 in rent. I'd rather buy two of these horns, but from the looks of things I'll only have to buy one.

 

[britechguy]

we buy the instrument you're stuck in band until the end of high school... no if's and's or but's

I would seriously ask you to rethink that policy.

It's a fine one if music turns out to be even "kinda their thing," but is sheer torture if it's not.

Music was actually "kinda my thing" and in later years I went on to sing in choruses and choirs, but my first experience with an instrument, the trumpet, was an absolute disaster, and almost entirely because the teacher I had (who was the only option at that time) was just plain awful. My parents very wisely let me drop out, as they knew, even at that young age, that I very seldom quit something I'd started without good reason.

 

[Sky-Knight]

I would seriously ask you to rethink that policy.

It's a fine one if music turns out to be even "kinda their thing," but is sheer torture if it's not.

Music was actually "kinda my thing" and in later years I went on to sing in choruses and choirs, but my first experience with an instrument, the trumpet, was an absolute disaster, and almost entirely because the teacher I had (who was the only option at that time) was just plain awful. My parents very wisely let me drop out, as they knew, even at that young age, that I very seldom quit something I'd started without good reason.

My kids are exposed to this long before they make the call. The only choice of concern is which instrument. They are not required to start, but I do require them to finish. And yes, that can be torture... but that's sort of the point. It's about commitment, and meeting obligations. The music is almost secondary.

My daughter doesn't even play her clarinet anymore, but she's a drum major now. So evolution is encouraged too. I suppose if they really wanted out by the end of Jr High I'd be OK with it too... but we haven't had a kid do that yet.

 

[britechguy]

Well, as much as I value commitment, and I do, if you want it to be "real" and you actually want to encourage its development, forcing someone who's absolutely miserable with something just because they started it isn't the way to do it.

By the way, that is a general observation. It doesn't sound to me like you're doing that, but I know of far too many parents who do. Part of maturing, and actually developing commitment when it should be there, is training the recognition of "throwing good effort after bad" and "knowing when to quit" as part of it.

Those latter skills were ones I didn't learn until far too late, in my personal opinion, in my adult life because stick-to-it-tiveness, above all else, was a quality my father, in particular, pushed hard, but did not truly force. He never bothered with the other two, and they're equally important. Also knowing yourself, too. Doing anything, strictly to please someone else, is at the very core of nurturing unhappiness, and deep unhappiness.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Yeah, if I was cracking a whip on it I'd agree but my efforts are no where near that harsh. I'm just trying to squish the "it's too hard" level excuses. I take a really dim view of quitting or giving up. Changing course with a good set of reasons is encouraged. But if the child doesn't understand what's going on, that opens that can of worms until they do.

Diabetes makes sports and physical activities more difficult. So I try to steer those two into activities more mental. But if they want to play ball they can do that too, just means more ice cream for them! But the older two haven't taken that path, we'll see what the younger two do.

 

[Blues]

@Sky-Knight I forget the name of his instrument but it isn't a trumpet however we recently found out that he won't need his own instrument just a mouth piece and a few other things so cost is going to be around $60 which ain't a concern.

$300 is just a lot for a first time band experience he may or may not enjoy and stick with was more where my mind was at when viewing the costs.

 

[onduck]

I know this doesn't help for kids in band, but we are encouraging our boys to learn the ukulele as their first stringed instrument. It's inexpensive, good for small hands, not too challenging, and you learn the fundamentals. Just what I thought of