Kids music lessons - (merged)

prettypennies

My two seven year old sons are about to take violin lessons at school. Violins are £10 each per term to hire from school. I have seen a few violins online that look reasonable. If I were to buy what sort of price should I pay and what size should I be looking at?

Broken_hearted

Hire first he might hate it.

bobsa1

Hire first and then ask the violin teachers advice

TIGs

When my daughter had clarinet lessons she hired a clarinet from school, this was free didn't cost us anything but we had to sign a contract saying if it was damaged or lost we woud have to replace it. I don't think it was hired from the school but from the music section of the eduactio authority. Might be worth contacting them.

And as for buying i have a brand new guitar in my wardrobe upstairs as my daughter wanted to learn to play it but once started lesson didn't like it so hoping now that my son might like to learn to play it .

Alikay

I'd stick to hiring violins for the first year or so as they're not the easiest instruments to get on with. If either of the boys really enjoy playing, then I'd get advice from their violin teacher as to what kind to buy. They'll grow a lot in the next few years too, so a hired instrument can be swapped as they outgrow them. Two of our children started on the violin, but later gave up/changed to a different instrument, so hiring was the right choice for us. £10 a term is pretty cheap too! And if you buy one later on, it won't have been subject to the abuse a novice will give it - they'll be used to handling and playing a violin, so it'll stay in better condition.

Emms

I bought a violin from ebay a couple of years ago. I played viola at school to quite a high level and I wanted to train up to start teaching both but I was so much out of practice that I gave up very easily. Didnt want to annoy the neighbours too much

If the boys do like it their teacher would be able to advise what size to get. For the price your paying to hire them you could pretty much buy one that that you would then be able to sell on when they need to move up a size.

Emma

muddled_midget

The other option is to contact your local music shops, when I was playing the clarinet a local shop had a scheme where you hired the instrument from them, but if at a later stage you wanted to buy it, they deducted the amount you'd already spent hiring it and the deposit you'd paid from the total amount. On the other hand if you got bored you could just hand it back.

Fiona11

I hired for a term for my daughter, because the school had 1/4 size, and I knew she wouldn't be playing that size for long. When she grew and needed a 1/2, we brought one for her from our local music shop. they buy back ( half original price) when finished with it, if in a good condition.

prettypennies

I decided to hire for the first term and if they take to it I will buy them one. They have brought their violins home for the first time this week. The hair on one of the bows it not joined to the 'frog' I think you call it. Can anyone tell me how to connect them. I never got past elementary recorder lessons so know nothing about instrument care. Any other useful tips would be appreciated. Cheers

Counting_Pennies_2

I agree hire first, as if your sons haven't had enough of it within a few months, I am sure you will.

I grew up in a house with a sister who felt she was musically talented, but the rest of us secretly felt otherwise. Violins played incorrectly are worse than a finger nail scratching a chalk board.

Prudent

I bought my daughter a cheap violin when she started lessons. I saw some on the bay shops and got the local music shop to price match (minus the postage of course). She was very keen though and waited over a year on the waiting lists for lessons. After about another year it was obvious she was both very keen and talented. She then got a good quality second hand violin.
I didn't hire becuase they are so cheap on ebay and I was a bit worried about replacement costs if she lost or damaged the school one.