maize Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 DS8 is taking a break from cello lessons right now, and has expressed an interest in playing a wind instrument. He tried several at the music store yesterday and really likes the French Horn. Here's the problem: French Horn is expensive, even to rent; and generally I prefer to buy our musical instruments so I need some time to save up. There are inexpensive group classes at the music store that might be a good way to get his toes wet with learning a brass instrument, so I am thinking of having him take a trombone class using his dad's trombone. Here is what I am wondering: can an 8 year old really play a trombone well? He is on the tall side for his age and turning 9 this summer, but I imagine there are slide positions he will not be able to reach. Also, if he then transfers to French Horn, will the trombone experience be helpful? Or will it actually be confusing because of different types of mouthpieces etc.? The trombone plays in a similar range to the cello, which I think would make it a little easier for him to pick up. Does anyone with experience in brass instruments want to help out a clueless string player mom here? Yes, I am planning to talk to the French Horn and Trombone teachers, I just thought I'd come here and pick the brains of the Hive first ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Not a brass player, but a former elementary band director. hopefully some brass players will weigh in. Trumpet to French Horn is a more common transition because it's easier to go small to large mouthpiece size than the other way around, and for an 8 yr old, trumpet would be easier to play, and is much less expensive to buy or rent than horn. It can be hard for kids who love the darker, mellow sounds, though. Since he's a cellist, that would also give him the opportunity to learn treble clef. Trombone can be hard for small kids, even in 5th grade, which is when my students started. Baritone horn is in the same range and is easier for smaller kids to manage. French horn is one of the better instruments for getting selective music opportunities! college scholarships,etc,and I could see horn/cello being very desirable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I have a trumpet player and a French horn player. Wine and earplugs, my friend, wine and earplugs. Or Bose noise canceling headphones. They play well, it's just when they try an outplay each other that it gets hairy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 Not a brass player, but a former elementary band director. hopefully some brass players will weigh in. Trumpet to French Horn is a more common transition because it's easier to go small to large mouthpiece size than the other way around, and for an 8 yr old, trumpet would be easier to play, and is much less expensive to buy or rent than horn. It can be hard for kids who love the darker, mellow sounds, though. Since he's a cellist, that would also give him the opportunity to learn treble clef. Trombone can be hard for small kids, even in 5th grade, which is when my students started. Baritone horn is in the same range and is easier for smaller kids to manage. French horn is one of the better instruments for getting selective music opportunities! college scholarships,etc,and I could see horn/cello being very desirable. He didn't much like the trumpet, and I don't really want to invest in another instrument since I am trying to save up funds for the French Horn. I thought of trombone because we already have the instrument, but you bring up exactly the points I was concerned about--size, and transitioning to a different type of mouthpiece... If you were able to successfully teach fifth graders though he might be able to manage. He is about as tall as an average 10 year old. Thank you for your insights! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 I have a trumpet player and a French horn player. Wine and earplugs, my friend, wine and earplugs. Or Bose noise canceling headphones. They play well, it's just when they try an outplay each other that it gets hairy. I hear you. DS is marching around the house blowing the trombone right now, and the littles are following him with a hand drum and recorder. Earplugs sound like a good idea... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I played French horn from 5th grade through college, and I also filled in when our pep band was short of trumpet players. I think learning trombone would be a much bigger transition than moving between F horn and trumpet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I learned trombone first, then easily learned trumpet and mellophone later (well enough to play with groups in public). I have never played a French horn though. I found the transition to be quite easy. In fact, I originally wanted to play trumpet, but the band director discouraged me because I was going to get braces in high school. Guess when I learned trumpet? While wearing braces! :D It wasn't a problem either. :tongue_smilie: My DH plays tuba, and I can hardly make a sound out of that, but I also always did best playing 1st part (the higher part) on trombone. Bass trombone player I most definitely am not. Reaching the 6th and 7th positions on a trombone shouldn't be an issue if you get one with an F attachment ("trigger"), though it's typical to teach kids on a horn without one first, so they do learn 6th and 7th positions. ;) Once you have an F attachment, you typically become lazy about those positions. :lol: Not sure what to recommend for you, as I have no experience starting that young. I started at age 11. My DH started at age 10. My oldest son is 9, and I haven't started him on a brass instrument yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mschickie Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Dd started playing the trombone when she was 9 1/2. The only position she could not reach was 7th position. Right now at 11 she still struggles with it but her teacher said that is normal and she will eventually be able to do it. Her teacher is actually using the Suzuki Cello book with her (along with her trombone book) since the cello and trombone music is very similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petepie2 Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 I played trumpet in middle school, and then moved to French horn through high school and a year of college. It's a very smooth transition. And as someone mentioned, playing trumpet->French horn will give him experience reading the treble clef. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 More than size, it's the breath support that is usually the concern with young wind players. It is possible, of course, particularly if they are a serious runner or swimmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatHomeschoolDad Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 I started trumpet way late....7th grade...but DD started F horn in 4th. IMO, F horn needs a kid with a good ear, because it's so easy to slip between notes on that sucker, or at least easier than on trumpet. 4th grade is when ps kids would start tbone, so I don't think it would be a problem per se. There are these new plastic tbones that actually have an ok sound (pbone, i think?). Granted, the one I heard was played by my cousin the trombone major, but at 150 bucks, it's not tragic if it doesn't stick for a new student. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stars Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Agreeing with everybody who thinks it would be easier to switch from trumpet to horn than from trombone to horn. All my arguments are already here: stay in treble clef, similar fingering... the only thing I want to add is that horn mouthpieces are tiny, the smallest in the brass family, I think. In my opinion, you'd want to start your child with a mouthpiece of the closest size to a horn's in order to ease the transition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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