Choosing An Instrument

I remember hearing about a girl student who came home from her first day at High School (Grade nine). She was dragging a sizeable music case through the door when her mother blurted out in astonishment (perhaps in horror) "Let me get this straight. You said you chose a baboon?" (Bassoon)

When a music teacher has to form a band that opening week and has to interest students in playing and studying a particular instrument a lot of the decision making is left to "chance." Sometimes a teacher has only limited resources (which always seems to be the case) and a variety of instruments are not always available.  Sometimes a student has in mind what instrument he or she would like to play, that is if they want to play one at all. 

One prominent player here in London (a trumpet player) was interested in the instrument because of its interesting shape.  That fateful day, he didn't have any idea what the French Horn even sounded like. The shape of all the tubing wrapped in a circle intrigued him. He eventually learned to play the trumpet and later became a successful career musician.

The new generation of students know what guitars and those instruments used in rock bands sound like.  However, after those considerations, the choice is a little more basic and less sophisticated.

Girls seem to gravitate towards playing the flute. It's a smaller instrument and the case fits neatly into the packsack. Besides, it's a less obtrusive sound. The clarinet is a nice compromise (also because of it's size) and is a popular instrument of choice. It seems the "size" of the instrument becomes significant at this stage of the game.

The guys naturally crowd around the drums the first day, eager to learn to play that instrument or other related instruments (electric guitar or bass) with "rock" music in mind.  You can't blame them.  It's a sign of the times. Besides their girl friends will be pleased with their choice.

I remember talking to some of my colleagues that teach at Berklee School of Music in Boston.   The same situation exists at that school.     A trombone player at Berklee will find himself in all the bands, meaning the "A" Jazz Band and so on. There just aren’t enough horn players to go around to fill the required sections. The primary instruments now being taught at that school are keyboard, guitar, bass and drums.  Again, it's a sign of the times. (For example, I understand there are now over 30 drum teachers at Berklee.)

Girls now play some of the instruments they wouldn't have touched some years ago.   Many of them turn out to be world-class players and that is the way it should be. Without a doubt this change in attitudes has enriched the world of music.

In the initial stages, how do you get a girl to play tuba or euphonium or any of the other lower brass?  Sometimes that works out in the long run and the girl (who reluctantly had to play that instrument) became very proficient at it and now holds down a chair in some prestigious Symphony.  

A High School music teacher has to be quite persuasive or that teacher will not end up with a full compliment of instruments to be considered a Wind Ensemble etc. Eventually it all comes full circle. The teacher may ask, "Does anyone here want to play the Glockenspiel? (no takers). What about the Baboon ...I mean Bassoon?"

I guess some instruments are an acquired taste.