Kids, band & instrument rental fees

[SoarinMom]

A baritone usually is rented from the the school. They are way to expencive to buy. If you let them play what they want to play they will practice more and enjoy it.

 

[sksjasams]

My DS11 will be in 6th grade this year. He goes to parochial school where band is offered beginning in 4th grade. Almost all the kids sign up for band the first year and he wanted to join too. He narrowed it down to clarinet and trumpet and chose trumpet. I discouraged clarinet because he has an overbite and will need braces soon, and a clarinet would be counterproductive to the braces.

Anyway, we decided to rent for the first year. We paid I think $300 for the rental and $450 for being in band/lessons for the school year. I did require a commitment from DS to stick with it the whole year and to practice 3 times per week for 20 minutes. I told him if he didn't like it, he wouldn't have to sign up again next year. Well, he complained through most of the year, but by the 4th quarter, he thought it wasn't so bad afterall. So he signed up again for the following year.

That summer, I used searchtempest.com to search a wider area of craigslist and found a very nice getzen trumpet in another state and arranged with the seller to have it shipped. He still enjoys trumpet and was invited to join honor band in 6th grade.

On a separate note, DS's best friend did not sign up for band in 4th grade. The next year, he decided he really wanted to sign up in 5th grade, but he found out he would have to start out with the 4th graders in beginning band. So, he never joined.

I would say let them try it for 1 year and rent. Many kids did not sign up again in 5th grade, but you both may regret it if you don't give them the chance to try it. I never would have thought DS11 would like band, since he hates music class (singing), but he really does enjoy it.

 

[Kae]

At our school all kids start on Clarinet for Reed type instruments. Ds is playing trumpet, yep because we have one, but his 2 choices were Drum or trumpet. But he likes it, thank goodness. We will see how far he goes because of Soccer he won't be able to do Marching Band.

Kae

 

[Sadie22]

My DS11 will be in 6th grade this year. He goes to parochial school where band is offered beginning in 4th grade. Almost all the kids sign up for band the first year and he wanted to join too. He narrowed it down to clarinet and trumpet and chose trumpet. I discouraged clarinet because he has an overbite and will need braces soon, and a clarinet would be counterproductive to the braces.

Anyway, we decided to rent for the first year. We paid I think $300 for the rental and $450 for being in band/lessons for the school year. I did require a commitment from DS to stick with it the whole year and to practice 3 times per week for 20 minutes. I told him if he didn't like it, he wouldn't have to sign up again next year. Well, he complained through most of the year, but by the 4th quarter, he thought it wasn't so bad afterall. So he signed up again for the following year.

That summer, I used searchtempest.com to search a wider area of craigslist and found a very nice getzen trumpet in another state and arranged with the seller to have it shipped. He still enjoys trumpet and was invited to join honor band in 6th grade.

On a separate note, DS's best friend did not sign up for band in 4th grade. The next year, he decided he really wanted to sign up in 5th grade, but he found out he would have to start out with the 4th graders in beginning band. So, he never joined.

I would say let them try it for 1 year and rent. Many kids did not sign up again in 5th grade, but you both may regret it if you don't give them the chance to try it. I never would have thought DS11 would like band, since he hates music class (singing), but he really does enjoy it.

Did the orthodontist say choose trumpet rather than clarinet? My son's orthodontist said the opposite.

The reasons many kids do not continue with band is that it is harder to learn with only group instruction and many parents complain about the cost of renting or buying instruments and force practice to get their money's worth, further turning the child off. If the child has the desire to play well private lessons can be a great investment.

 

[LipglossAndLetdown]

I didn't know so many schools charge to rent out insturments. When I was in high school (10 years ago LOL) I played flute, piccolo and clarinet in band but since there was always an over abundance of woodwinds wanting to play in the orchestra, I decided to take up a string instrument and started viola and got touse a school viola as my own and take it home whenever I wanted for completely free the whole time I was in HS. Guess we were lucky at my school.

 

[skysmom99]

I'm doing rent-to-own through the instument company the school uses. We got a used clarinet which costs us less to rent and less to buy in the end. Is this offered to you or have you talked to the company rep about a used instrument?

I have a flute which I played for 8 years but my dd didn't do well on the testing for flute, of course.

 

[mrsklamc]

I discouraged clarinet because he has an overbite and will need braces soon, and a clarinet would be counterproductive to the braces.
.

Um, no. You don't push down on the teeth with the clarinet, the weight is supported with you hands. A trumpet, though, will be painful because he will be holding the instrument directly against his lips, which will press the back of his lips against braces. Ouch!

 

[luvmy3]

If renting is is going to cost you that much for the year I would buy the instruments outright. You do not need the best of the best, and quite frankly I found dd's rental violin to be awful.
Those fees are astronomical, I pay $200 a year ($100 every 6 months and that includes the extra maintenance/repair coverage). My ds will be playing in the fall but instead of renting 2, I will be purchasing one for my dd since this is her 3rd year playing and she wants to continue until HS.

 

[StephMK]

If renting is is going to cost you that much for the year I would buy the instruments outright. You do not need the best of the best, and quite frankly I found dd's rental violin to be awful.
Those fees are astronomical, I pay $200 a year ($100 every 6 months and that includes the extra maintenance/repair coverage). My ds will be playing in the fall but instead of renting 2, I will be purchasing one for my dd since this is her 3rd year playing and she wants to continue until HS.

Both of the quotes I got were rent to own programs. That's all the music stores offer and these are all used instruments. I asked about buying a baritone - $1700! Um, no, unless she becomes a proficient player & sticks with it.

The problem is that 6th grade is middle school here & band becomes a full year elective. I'm not sure if either will choose to take up their electives. DD has been looking forward to art class. I'm jealous of those with such inexpensive rental programs! We're waiting to hear what the school can offer & will go from there.

It's been good to hear the opinions, I hadn't thought about them not wanting to practice if it's an instrument they aren't interested in. DD's good friend is playing baritone too so we'll see.

 

[BabyTigger99]

I was just dealing with this today. DS starts summer music session during summer school on Monday. He is going to be doing the saxophone. I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to have to go rent one ($60/month). I decided to send out an email in my office, to see if someone had one we could borrow to make sure he likes it, and lo and behold, I got 3 offers (not a huge office either, only probably 30 people). So I am going to pick it up tonight, so he is already to go for Monday. However, I did have to go to the music store on my lunch hour and pick up the music book he needs, and reeds, and I ended up spending $25 on that!

 

[sorul82?]

A trumpet, though, will be painful because he will be holding the instrument directly against his lips, which will press the back of his lips against braces. Ouch!

That's what the wax is for!

 

[mrsklamc]

That's what the wax is for!

Sure, I was just saying that between the two the trumpet will be worse with braces. Sometimes it still hurts, no matter how much wax- but no instrument properly played is going to interfere with orthodontic work. Well maybe headgear if you play the tuba

 

[PHXscuba]

I also agree with the PP who said dislike of the "basic music class" offered in lower grades doesn't translate into whether they will like band/orchestra. My straight-A DS LOATHED the general music class -- it was the only class he ever had any behavior problems in. He started band in fifth grade on trumpet, and is now a freshman playing French Horn and in the marching band, both which he LOVES!

Most elementary bands seem to have a limited number of the small instruments to borrow, but I would be surprised if they had too many baritone players for the OP's child not to be able to use a school one. Although I do hope you have a big trunk if one plays cello and one plays baritone!!

PHXscuba

 

[Kriii]

If the kids enjoy playing an instrument, I say let them play! Their brains will develop better as a result of learning to play music which will benefit them academically. Giving them a positive activity such as band helps keep them from engaging in less positive activities! You can always find a used instrument that is less expensive than renting. Rent awhile and if the child enjoys the instrument, you can then purchase it.

 

[richmond282]

I've worked in 4 different school systems and every single one has school owned baritones (Sorry don't know about cellos). I've never heard of a student buying a baritone in 6th grade. Just call the band/ orchestra director(s) and ask, that way you'll know for sure before running around everywhere looking for instruments.

 

[sorul82?]

Sure, I was just saying that between the two the trumpet will be worse with braces. Sometimes it still hurts, no matter how much wax- but no instrument properly played is going to interfere with orthodontic work. Well maybe headgear if you play the tuba

After spending the rest of the school day picking wax out of my braces, I decided wax was for the birds. It didn't take long to get my mouth used to playing without wax.

My DS ortho said they have something new now.

 

[sorul82?]

AT our middle school, we got a brand new band teacher last year. He is absolutely awesome! In just his first year, he started a jazz band (which must practice after school) and he took the kids to Carowinds for a competition.

The jazz band is fantastic! I can't believe how quickly 2nd year students were able to come together, not to mention that this is a year round school, so one track is always out.

Anyhow, they toured around every Thursday afternoon to different coffee shops and book stores.