Information for New Band Parents
Your new musical instrument needs regular service

 

Playing music is fun. Your child's success can be helped with these details. The last thing you want is for your child to get frustrated and want to quit music over an instrument that isn't functioning properly.

Renting an instrument is a very typical way for a student to try music without the initial expense of an instrument. Ask your music teacher where they recommend you to find a place for a rental.

Unless you are not an expert with these instruments, you're best off dealing with your local specialty music store, where in the long run, you're likely to save time and money. Try to buy at a place where the instrument can be traded in later for a better model. Be careful about return policies and off-brands and ask your local teachers about this when in doubt. If you are an expert in this field, you may be considering eBay, pawn shops or discount stores to buy an instrument., but many well-intentioned parents have made expensive mistakes buying what they thought was a good deal. Be very careful. Make sure you can return any instrument that isn't good.

Musical instruments are delicate and require care and regular service to function property. We recommend that you bring your band or orchestral instrument back to the place where you purchased it every 90 days while the instrument is being played. Reputable musical instrument stores, or their employees, can quickly check the instrument to make certain that everything is okay and that your child isn't struggling with an instrument that might not be working. Most stores will do this check at no charge.

If the instrument does need to be repaired, many stores can do a quick adjustment on the spot. If the store needs it for longer, some stores can offer you loaner instrument.

Here is a letter for parents from the Irvine Unified School District, Irvive, CA, that may answer some more questions.

Here is an article that helps local teachers keep instruments away from big box stores.