Hello musicians!

I`m thinking about getting a trombone for my son, who will entering sixth grade this trimester and I`d like to get him a nice horn rather than a starter horn. Is there a significant difference? Is a pro horn more difficult to play than a newbie horn? I just figure that it`s better to get something nice from the start rather than buying two horns. Let me know what you all think.

T-MOM

for a beginner id recomend a getzin intermediate horn there a good horn for a beginer and resonably priced. Getting somthing like a pro horn for a 6th grader is a waste because (and ima horn teacher so this is my expert opinion) the dont take the best care of them. doing things like forgeting to lock the slide and then it falls off the horn. seting it on a chair and it again falls off. letting (personal experience here) a drumer friend use the bell as a symbol(a long time ago).

The point is dont spend a tun of cash on somthing till he is really comited and is really good at taking care of his stuff.

Another thing dont get him somthing with an f atachment, his lungs will have a hard time filling the horn with air so for a model number id recomend somthing like a getzen 351 or 451 and maby get him a rose brass bell with nikel slide ( i think that looks great just an opinion though)

I really just want to tell him to borrow a loaner horn from the band hall, but he wants to have his own horn so badly. And I guess it`ll be worth it if he sticks with it.

What are the chances of him getting into an orchestra anyhow? What kind of salary do professional trombonists command? These issues will become important the closer he gets to college-age. Aw, heck, he`s just a toddler right now, I don`t what I`m worried about.

Orchastra? easy he is in. There are comunity groups that dont pay any thing that any one can pay in. Now getting in to like the new york phill Yea dont try unless you have a phd in bone and went to a school like juliard.

Salery any thing from 0 a year (been there) to 1st chair ny phill and teaching (not been there) good cash. Steve treau ( i think i spelled that wrong it is pronounced tray) makes really good money had the gig on the tonight show i think and has a bunch of cds.

At his age, you should be hoping your son can learn to enjoy, love, and appreciate making music. The rest will follow if it is meant to be. But he`d have a better shot as a banker or lawyer, and play in his local amateur symphony ;-)

notsh0rt,

You claim that you`re a musician, but you can`t even spell "orchestra" or the brand of your trombone "Getzen" correctly. You`re probably some little kid who thinks he knows what he`s really talking about. Sorry to have to be so blunt, but if you want people to take you seriously, you have to at least make an effort to make your preaching presentable.

I thank everyone for their interest in my son.
Why is it that artists find it so hard to live in our
present-day world? Why are we all reduced to becoming
"financial technicians," who just go the corporate compound, work for nothing, go home and get hypnotized
by crappy tv that gets crappier the longer you`re alive?

I`m for wealth re-distribution. Take all the capital and give everyone $65,000 a year. The housewives can properly take care of their kids and kids who have serious dreams don`t have to worry about achieving the skill to meet their dreams but not having reality "fit."

The reality is we live in a consumptive society, where we are bombarded with advertising and cultural media that makes us dissatisfied with what we have. In our quest for the next thing or for more "stuff" we become trapped in debt. Essentially we become enslaved to and serve money as our "master."

In my adult married life, I have made as little as $30,000 and as much as $350,000 a year and I am no more or less happy in either scenario. Being comfortable is nice, but I get far more pleasure out of life`s other activities. Work is a means to an end for me.

We teach our kids that they should seek wealth, when we should teach them to seek happiness and fulfillment. Financial security is only one small part of that. When it come`s time for curtain`s close, you want to have been proud of the show, and have enjoyed your time on life`s stage.

The best thing your son can get out of the trombone or any instrument is the joy of music, discipline, feelings of accomplishment, looking into the audience during a band concert and seeing his family and feeling loved.

So God bless, Trombone Mom. And good luck!

Guy,

I always thought of $30,000 as not too bad. You sound like you`re faring quite all right.

I`m still looking at horns, and have even more questions.
What`s the difference between an "open wrap" and normal F-attachment? There even seems to be differences in what kind of F-attachments you want to go with your horn (Thayer, etc.).

Nobody that I`ve asked seems to have a bad impression of the Conn "88-H" trombones, so I`m looking at those right now.

I`ve noticed that some trombone makers offer an option to turn the F-attachment trombone into a "straight" trombone. I`m thinking about perhaps getting my son one of these. That way he can practice non-F for a while, then when he gets the lungs for the F, he can do that, too.

Still trying to convince him to go for the loaner horn. Perhaps I can have him invest in a better horn from the beginning by committing some of his own "money" in the form of chores, which should automatically make him want to take better care of his "investment."

You know at this point it doesnt matter what brand or style he gets. The thing is as a beginner good equipment isnt going to make a FLAKE of difference. i suggest laying down the law(because you are his mom you can do this) and tell him to use a school horn. BUT if you REALLY want to get him a horn get a NICE LOOKING horn for a good price. Thats all the matters at this point. Student model horns are GREAT horns for beginners, because thats what they are their for!! These horns will last thought EVERYTHING and in the end if he hates it, you wont feel bad for spending a few hundred dollars opposed to the 1200 you are looking at right now.

So forget all the trigger/valve business and get a good student model he likes!

Oh, get him a teacher. A GOOD private teacher is 100000000x better than a pro model horn will ever do for a musician.

happy hunting!!

Tom im a musician not an english teacher. So i have a little trouble with the english language. It is really a messed up language. Things are pronounced phoeniticaly and spelled diferently. I learned to read when i was 4 using the self taught phoenitic mode and well i just have never been able to spell.

What i can do is walk in to a studio and cold read somthing while recording it. One shot in and out. just so you know im 26.

notshort it sounds like you have something to prove... where you located?

You`re right. I`m going to "put my foot down" and exercise my tyrannical powers as ultimate matriarch of this household. My son WILL be using a loner his first year. I`ll get him something nice if he decides to join the marching band when he gets into high school. I`m sure the confusing array of F-attachments and this and that valve will have increased exponentially by then. In which case, you`ll see me right back here. Thanks all!

MAS nope nothing to prove. Just want people to not asume. Just because i cant spell, doesnt meen i cant play. If you email me direc ill tell you where i live anser any questions you might have about me(with in reason of course)

Trombone mom GOOD JOB!!

One thing i STILL recommend when your kid reaches the High School realm is to NOT buy some nice horn for him to march with. because well.. its going to get DESTROYED. Pro model horns are NOT meant to be taken on the field and put in danger. So still when you get there get a GOOD student model horn. If you son takes up a concert band and gets serious a good horn will then be needed.

GOOD luck! And keep em practicing!