Which instrument would your child like to play?
Which instrument would your child like to play?
The clarinet is a member of the woodwind family and was originally made of wood. The sound is produced by a small, thin piece of cane called a reed. It is fastened firmly in the mouthpiece and vibrates when you blow it. The notes are changed by covering different combinations of holes which effectively make the pipe longer or shorter. The name Clarinet means 'little trumpet' and they are found in woodwind groups, concert bands and symphony orchestras, as well as big bands and jazz groups. Famous clarinet players include Benny Goodman and Richard Stoltzman, and you will instantly recognise the classic clarinet piece "Stranger on the Shore" performed by Acker Bilk.
The Clarinet has a beautiful, mellow sound. Click here to listen to an example.
Because of its size, the standard Clarinet is best suited for children in year 4 upwards
Some children are too small for the standard Clarinet. That's OK, the Mini Clarinet is played in exactly the same way and you can get a loan instrument until your child is big enough to swap to the standard one. For more information check out the Mini Clarinet section below.
Looking after your Clarinet is really easy. For more information click here.
Reeds will need to be replaced from time to time as they are fragile and wear out eventually.
Which instrument would your child like to play?
The Mini Clarinet is a member if the woodwind family and allows smaller children to learn to play the Clarinet without having to wait until they're bigger. It's easy to blow and children make progress quickly. It even sounds exactly the same as a Standard Clarinet. Starting with the Mini Clarinet makes it easy to swap to a Standard Clarinet and then a Saxophone later on. It's easy to assemble and carry around. The name Clarinet means 'little trumpet' and they are found in woodwind groups, concert bands and symphony orchestras, as well as big bands and jazz groups.
The Mini Clarinet has a beautiful, mellow sound, just like the standard Clarinet. Click here to listen to an example.
The Mini Clarinet is ideal for children from year 2 onwards.
The next step is to move to the standard Clarinet.
Looking after your Mini Clarinet is really easy. For more information click here.
Reeds will need to be replaced from time to time as they are fragile and wear out eventually.
Which instrument would your child like to play?
Although a member of the woodwind family, modern flutes are mostly made from metal. The earliest flutes date back over 35,000 years making them one of the oldest instruments in the world. They have been made out of lots of different materials including wood, bone, ivory, silver and even gold. The sound is produced by blowing across the hole in the head joint, similar to how you make a sound by blowing across the top of a bottle. The notes are changed by covering different combinations of holes which effectively make the pipe longer or shorter. Flutes are found in woodwind groups, concert bands and symphony orchestras, as well as big bands and jazz groups.
The Flute has a beautiful, soft sound. Click here to listen to an example.
Because of its size, the Flute is best suited for children in year 4 upwards
Some children are too small for the Standard Flute. That's OK, the Curved Head Flute is suitable for children from Year 2 onwards. For more information check out the Curved Head Flute section below.
Flutes require very little care. For more information click here.
There are no extra items to buy for the Flute.
Which instrument would your child like to play?
The only difference between the Curved Head Flute and the standard straight Flute is the inclusion of the curved headjoint. The Curved Head makes the instrument shorter and was invented to make it easier for smaller children to play. They sound exactly the same. The earliest Flutes date back over 35,000 years making them one of the oldest instruments in the world. They have been made out of lots of different materials including wood, bone, ivory, silver and even gold. Flutes are found in woodwind groups, concert bands and symphony orchestras, as well as big bands and jazz groups
The Curved Head Flute has a beautiful, soft sound. Click here to listen to an example.
The Curved Head Flute is ideal for children from year 2 onwards.
The Curved Head Flute is supplied with an additional "Straight" Head. So as your child grows you simply remove the Curved Head and replace it with the Straight Head which turns it into a standard Flute.
Flutes require very little care. For more information click here.
There are no extra items to buy for the Curved Head Flute.
Which instrument would your child like to play?
The Alto Saxophone is a member of the woodwind family and was invented in 1846 by Adolphe Sax, a Belgian instrument maker. He wanted to develop an instrument loud enough to compete with brass instruments but to be played like a woodwind instrument. The sound is produced by a small, thin piece of cane called a reed. It is fastened firmly in the mouthpiece and vibrates when you blow it. The notes are changed by covering different combinations of holes which effectively make the pipe longer or shorter. One of the most iconic saxophone solos is in "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty.
The Alto Saxophone has a vibrant, rounded sound. Click here to listen to an example.
The Alto Saxophone is quite heavy so is best suited to children in year 5 upwards.
Some children are too small for the standard Alto Saxophone. That's OK, the Mini Saxophone is played in a similar way and you can get a loan instrument until your child is big enough to swap to the standard one. For more information check out the Mini Saxophone section below.
Looking after your Alto Saxophone is really easy. For more information click here.
Reeds will need to be replaced from time to time as they are fragile and wear out eventually.
Which instrument would your child like to play?
The Mini Saxophone follows traditional saxophone fingering patterns and enables children to develop saxophone embouchure and playing skills at an early age. It has a surprising mellow sound and is a lot of fun to play even for an accomplished amateur sax player. For beginners with small fingers there is a set of plugs (training wheels!) which can be used to help seal the tone holes in the early days of learning. The Mini Saxophone is lightweight and super-durable and is 100% waterproof. Colours may vary subject to stock availability.
The Mini Saxophone has a vibrant, rounded sound. Click here to listen to an example.
The Mini Saxophone is ideal for children in Year 2 upwards.
The next step is to move to the Alto Saxophone.
Mini Saxophones require very little care. An occasional bath in warm soapy water is all it needs. For more information click here.
Reeds will need to be replaced from time to time as they are fragile and wear out eventually.
Which instrument would your child like to play?
Trumpets were first seen over 3,500 years ago and were even found in Tutankhamun's burial chamber in Egypt. The earliest examples were made of wood or shell and have no valves as these were not added until around 1820. Trumpets and Cornets are quite similar. They both belong to the brass family and are played by blowing into a mouthpiece and pressing down valves to change notes. Trumpets appear slightly bigger although the tubing is exactly the same length. Trumpets can be found in a wide variety of groups, including concert bands, big bands, jazz bands and orchestras.
The trumpet sounds bright and vibrant. Click here to listen to an example.
The Trumpet is best suited for children in year 4 upwards
For younger children the Cornet is an alternative Brass instrument. It is played in exactly the same way as the Trumpet but is more compact making it ideal for younger children. For more information about the Cornet see the section below.
Trumpet maintenance is fairly minimal. Periodically you will need to oil the valves to keep them moving freely. From time to time wash the instrument inside and out with warm soapy water and rinse thoroughly. For more information on looking after your trumpet click here.
The only extra item to buy is valve oil which lasts a long time and is inexpensive.
Which instrument would your child like to play?
Cornets sound more mellow than Trumpets and consequently are often asked to play melodic passages. The earliest cornets were made of wood but modern versions are now usually made of brass. Cornets and Trumpets are quite similar. They both belong to the brass family and are played by blowing into a mouthpiece and pressing down valves to change notes. The Cornet is more compact than the Trumpet meaning it is often chosen by smaller pupils. There is no requirement to swap from Cornet to Trumpet when pupils grow, as Cornets are played in many types of band in their own right including concert bands, military bands and probably most famously brass bands as featured in the film 'Brassed Off'.
The Cornet sounds warm and mellow. Click here to listen to an example.
The Cornet is ideal for children in Year 2 upwards.
As your child grows there is no need to swap the Cornet as they are played by adults too. If your child prefers the Trumpet they can swap at about Year 4 upwards. Cornets are played in exactly the same way as the Trumpet.
Cornet maintenance is fairly minimal. Periodically you will need to oil the valves to keep them moving freely. From time to time wash the instrument inside and out with warm soapy water and rinse thoroughly. For more information on looking after your trumpet click here.
The only extra item to buy is valve oil which lasts a long time and is inexpensive.
Which instrument would your child like to play?
The recorder is a member of the woodwind family and is ideal for small children to begin their musical journey. Recorders were first seen in the Middle Ages but didn't become popular until much later. They are often heard playing music from the Baroque era (roughly the 1600's). King Henry VIII was a big fan and had several different kinds that he played very well! To produce a sound we simply blow in the mouthpiece. The notes are changed by covering different combinations of holes which effectively make the pipe longer or shorter.
The recorder is quick and easy to learn. Click here to listen to an example.
The recorder is ideal for children in Year 2 upwards.
The recorder is an ideal introduction to music and paves the way for playing any of the other instruments listed above.
The most important thing to remember when looking after your recorder is to dry it inside and out after use.
There are no extra items to buy for the Recorder.
