How good is good enough?

Learning to play music for the first time is hard enough without having to deal with a faulty instrument! You wouldn’t hand your new teenage driver the keys to a Porsche, but you also don’t want them taking the risk of driving an old rust bucket. That’s a great mentality for selecting a first instrument — skip the best and the worst and get something in the middle that’s reliable.

Renting

The most common way to get started on an instrument for band or orchestra is to rent it from a music store.

This is a great short-term solution as it doesn’t require a huge investment and gives you some time to make sure your child is progressing and enjoying the instrument.

You can expect to drop $20-$50 a month for the rental depending on the type of instrument. After the first year, if your child plans to continue, stop renting and move on to one of the options below.

Note that renting is usually not an option for pianos (too expensive) or guitars (too inexpensive). You will have to purchase or borrow those.

Borrowing or buying used

You may find yourself in a position to borrow an instrument from a family member or friend or find a deal at a yard sale or online auction.

While using a pre-owned instrument is a great way to save money, remember there will still be an upfront investment. Instruments need to be serviced on a regular basis, especially woodwind instruments like saxophones, flutes, clarinets, etc.

Getting a used instrument back into playable shape might run anywhere from $50-$500. For example, if you got a hand-me-down drum set you can plan on replacing all the heads, which could cost $200 or more.

And as you might expect, the older the instrument, the more expensive the repairs might be — sometimes more than the instrument is worth, especially for instruments older than 20 years. Be sure to take that into account, and do your homework.

Buying new

You can buy new musical instruments now from many different retailers, including the big box stores. And online your options are even more plentiful. Even still, I definitely recommend going to a dedicated music store. There are a few in Utah County, but my favorite is Summerhays Music in Orem.

Even though instruments are produced in factories, many of the processes involve hand-finishing or imperfect systems. That means that while quality is the most consistent it has ever been between instruments, there will still be some that play better than others.

If you have decided to buy new, have an expert test drive the new instrument since your child doesn’t have the ability yet. This can be your child’s music instructor, a friend, or an employee at the store. They want nothing more than for you to leave happy with your choice.

Even though there are some exceptions, I would stick with name brand manufacturers. These vary for each type of instrument, so again, be sure to get some help from an expert. If no expert is available, the Yamaha brand is a safe bet across all types of instruments.

Instruments are usually divided into three categories – student, intermediate and professional. Student models will be the cheapest but will lose their value quickly. Intermediate instruments will wear better and sound better. The pro models will be significantly more expensive. In addition to playing better, the big plus is that they will retain much of their value if they are properly cared for.

Unfortunately, even the best intentioned young musicians will have a hard time caring for a professional instrument, so choose a student or intermediate model until they hit the advanced level and show some serious commitment. The one exception to this is the piano, but many families are not in a financial position to get a pro level piano, which can run in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Don’t skimp on accessories

Unlike accessories for your electronics, musical accessories aren’t luxuries. In fact, they ultimately control the sound of the instrument. And, they can wear out very quickly.

Some common accessories include strings (guitar, violin, viola, cello, bass), reeds (saxophones, clarinets, oboes, bassoons), drum heads, and mouthpieces (almost any instrument you blow air into). This is not the place to skimp!

In most cases the premium accessories will cost 30-50 percent more. However, they usually last much longer and sound better, so in the end, it just doesn’t make sense to go the cheap route. For accessories, I recommend premium offerings from D’Addario (strings), Rico (reeds) and Evans (drum heads).

Think about the sport you enjoy most. It is probably the one you are best at. It is no different with music. Young musicians will enjoy playing music and practicing if they are experiencing success.

A broken or cheap instrument can’t deliver that and will quickly put a stop to your child’s interest in learning music. Investing in the right equipment is the first big step to ensuring your child’s success in music.