Before elementary school children are able to start learning their instrument of choice in school, their music teachers will have them start with the recorder.
There are plenty of reasons why the recorder is the perfect introductory instrument for young children learning to play. Here are some reasons why the recorder is the perfect starter instrument.
1. It’s inexpensive.
Most band instruments cost hundreds of dollars, and parents do not like the idea of spending all that money with the risk of having their child quit within a few months. With the recorder, they can spend about $15 to test out their child’s interest before making a larger investment.
2. It has no moving parts.
If you drop a modern day plastic recorder on the ground, it may bounce a little but it probably won’t break. Kids who are learning a new instrument may be clumsy at the beginning, and it’s great to have an instrument that you won’t need to replace.
3. It produces a sound with minimal effort.
When kids are learning a new instrument, it’s nice for them to only have to focus on the notes and they melody, and not how they are producing the sound with their mouths as well. There is no set technique for blowing into a recorder like there is for a flute, trumpet or clarinet. The students can focus on their fingering and the melody alone, and that boosts their confidence.
4. It’s small—perfect for small hands and fingers.
Because of it’s compact size and light weight, a recorder is very comfortable for a child to play. Again, this is one less thing that they have to worry about while they’re learning. Starting off with a large, heavy instrument could discourage more kids than a recorder will.
Recorders are a starting point for young children learning to play music all over the world. They are a great tool for teachers to gauge a student’s interest and aptitude in playing music before moving on to the band instruments. As a music teacher, you want to encourage kids at a young age, and a recorder does a great job at doing that.
For more tips for music teachers, follow The Yankee Collection on Facebook and Twitter, and be sure to take a look at our collection.
