My son is 7 today and he is very interested in playing the trombone ever since he heard his brother's band play The Stripper. Can you get smaller versions? as I would like him to learn but he can only get to 4th position on a the one we current have.

Any advice..... will be asking my other's son brass teacher as soon as term starts again.

Hey, Pleased to hear your son wants to start trombone, it is a great instrument. If you son is struggling with a standard trombone then you could perhaps get a childs model. Yamaha do a model which is lighter and has a shorter slide length, also it has an ascending C valve which means that you do not need to use 6th and 7th positions, making playing less of stretch. If this is not an option then you could look at a slide trumpet as they are commonly known, though these are not as good as they do use a trumpet mouthpiece and therefore switching to a standard tenor trombone could take a while getting used to the new embrochure.

Hope this Helps

Ben

Yamaha Trombone

My son's trumpet teacher told me he should start on the Euphonium or Baritone Horn for 2 years then transfer!!

Which is better or do I go for the Yamaha Trombone

Well personally i would go for the choice that your sons trumpet teacher recommends, as he/she has more knowledge of these matters.

A few months ago me and my trombone teacher were talking about the child trombones and she said she does think that they are that good.

Out of the baritone horn and euphonium:

The euphonium mouthpiece is closest to that of a trombone so switching between the two should not prove to be too much of a problem, as a lot of players do double on euphonium and trombone, whereas the baritone has a smaller mouthpiece.

Although the euphonium is rather large and could be heavy for a young child, if this is the case, then the most suitable and practical option would be the baritone horn as it is smaller than euphonium.


Where is your son having lessons?? If at school could you not wait until september and speak to the trombone teacher to see what they recommend?

Hope this helps

Ben

Hi there,
great news that your son would like to play trombone - don't be put off by his size as you do have a few options.

Firstly, Jupiter make what is known as an ergonomic trombone which has been designed to sit more comfortably on a childs shoulder - I think the slide is shorter and wider than many student model trombones too. They also makes a student model Bb and F trombone (which has a valve which can be used for 6ht position etc.) and again, these are quite light so need not a problem if you son is comfortable with the weight of the instrument. The only real problem with the Jupiter's is resale value as they do not hold their value. If you think of it like a citroen car for example you won't be far off - good value for money, lots of car and extras for your money when buying but you might as well run t into the ground as you won't get much back if you sell it or trade it in.

Secondly, Yamaha do indeed make a trombone then has got a little "button" to avoid 6th position. Again it is ligher and shorter than a regular trombone but the main problem with the smaller instruments are they are not quite so well in tune (and the resale value!) The Yamaha's are also quite pricey.

Thirdly, Conn make a small person sized Bb and F trombone which is the 52H - this is a very nice little trombone but would set you back a fair whack of money!

You could aslo consider an alto trombone (smaller, lighter and avoids the problem of the length of slide0 but these are NOt pitched in Bb and are not too easy to fit into a brass band or orchestra.

personally, i would try out one of the Jupiter's as the build quality of these instruments is really rather good for price (not too like a citroen after all!) I would NOT go with a slide trumpet as these are mostly novelty instruments and are unlikely to be what you are looking for.

I don't think you need to start your son on a baritone or Euphonium. Without wishing to criticise you son's trumpet teacher, it might be that they would be more comfortable teaching valved instruments rather than slide so that's why they suggested it. Or, of course, they might know better than me and be totally right! As a teacher myself, if a parent comes to me and says their child is desperate to learn a certain instrument I always try to start them on the instrument of choice and would expain to the parents the difficulties that the child may encounter on the chosen instrument if I fell that it is perhaps too big for them. Often, they do change to a smaller instrument but you get one or two who really stick it out because they are desperate to play that instrument.


Good luck in your quest!

My son's trumpet teacher is actually a trombone player himself!! He just knows that no.3 is just a little too small at just 7 to start on a full size trombone?

Still dont know what to do as he is very eager to blow all holiday ready for Sept. Waited so long for him to decide what to play and now I want to capture it.

Maybe if you son has to wait until september it will be a good test to check his commitment of the intrument. If in September he is still as eager then great!!

My daughter is going to start trombone lessons in September and had two trial lessons before the music school broke up for the summer. She is nine and tall for her age and when I saw her actually holding the trombone I thought it looked enormous and she said it was heavy. The teacher (a trombone player) explained that his trombone (which she was holding) was unsuitable for children and that she would be using one which was made specifically for younger children but he didn't have one with him. He said that it had two main differences - it is made of a lighter metal and has an extra thumb rest to make it possible to hold the instrument comfortably. I didn't think to ask what make it was as she will be hiring it from the music school for at least the first year.

At the music school's end of term concert I saw/heard a very slight seven and a half year old girl playing the trombone. She had been learning for about six months and didn't seem to have any problems holding the instrument.

My daughter has been given a mouthpiece to practice on over the summer (which she nearly drove everyone made with for the first week 'till the novelty wore off a little).

He has a full size trombone from school at the moment for the holidays to get his mouth used to buzzing. He hasnt been allocated lessons but he has been playing 5 minutes everyday and can get 3 open notes now. My other son has been teaching him to tongue.

He still likes it after 2 weeks but it does look huge.

when i was 4 i wanted to play the french horn but it was bigger than me so the schoool brass teacher suggested i tried the cornet (more my size ). we disnt have a cornet, but my granddad had an old trumpet lying around so i started on that...intending to change as soon as i was big enough...but i never did, and now i've done my grade 8, and only have a teeny bit of regret for never changing back to horn... so be careful that if you want him to start on a different instrument that that doesnt change his enthusiasm because it might stop him wanting to play altogether if he thinks its the only option... good luck!

Just to update you No.3 has started group tuition lessons. There are 4 kids in his group all playing trombone and no.3 has ended up on an old school euphonium which is smaller than modern day Baritone. He can now tongue and is very pleased he can get C D E F as he has Valves!! and not a slide. BUT he still loves the trombone.

Glad to hear they are enjoying it

And to update you on my daughter. She has got a yamaha trombone with a key (or a valve I'm not sure what the English name for it is) instead of the seventh position. We are renting it from the music-school but they bought it especially for her so it is brand new. After two lessons with the trombone (and two with only the mouthpiece) she can know play Bb and F in first position, C using the key/valve and one note in 4th position. (I have been away for a few days and can't remember what it is). She is loving it - particularly its loudness compared to the cello (her other instrument)!

Great News! Hope she has fun.

I bet she loves the power of it and the sound it produces - I know I do !