9 Essential Factors to Consider When Choosing an Instrument

Factor #1 – Your Musical Goals and Commitment Level

First and foremost, reflect on why you want to play music and what you hope to achieve long term. This self-reflection helps guide your priorities and narrow down the list of suitable instruments.

Casual Interest vs Serious Study

Do you envision playing music as a casual hobby to destress and have fun occasionally? Or do you hope for intensive training and practice to potentially join a band, enroll in a music conservatory, or even become a professional musician? Be realistic and brutally honest with yourself here about the level of effort and dedication your goals dictate both currently and in the years ahead.

My middle school friend Emily wanted to casually learn piano to play pop songs at parties. She lost motivation with daily practice. Meanwhile, my college roommate Ryan aimed for a career as a concert violinist, dedicating hours each day toward his ambition. Their contrasting outcomes underscored the importance of choosing instruments that align with innate priorities.

Available Practice Time

Tangibly, how much time can you consistently devote to daily instrument practice while balancing your other responsibilities? Remember, measurable music skill progression requires regular, focused practice sessions. When selecting your first instrument, take a personal inventory of your current daily schedule and obligations, as well as potential changes like sports or academics ramping up. Determine a realistic, sustainable amount of dedicated daily practice time for an instrument.

For example, a casual commitment of just 30 minutes a day may lend itself better to learning easier instruments like guitar, ukulele, or piano. However, tackling more complex instruments like violin, cello, clarinet, bassoon, oboe or trumpet generally requires an hour or more of daily work to build proficiency. Be honest if your packed schedule only affords occasional practice sessions so you don’t overcommit and burn out.

Short vs Long-Term Goals

It’s easy to feel overeager about progress and overestimate your abilities as an excited beginner. When evaluating instruments, heed this tendency by mapping out both short-term skill benchmarks over the next 6-12 months as well as longer 5+ year aspirations. Ultimately select an instrument aligning with both timelines.

Maybe you hope to reach proficient sight reading skills on piano to play holiday songs for family gatherings by next Christmas. Or perhaps you envision joining a competitive high school orchestra or marching band within the next couple of years. These nearer goals help you choose an instrument you’ll stick with over time.

Factor #2 – Age Appropriateness

Physical developmental attributes like lung capacity, hand size, and arm length along with cognitive benchmarks shape what instruments are ergonomically suitable at different ages. Kids and teenagers with still-growing bodies must select appropriately sized instruments to support their changing needs over time.

Physical Factors

A child’s lung capacity, hand size, arm length, finger strength, and overall stamina dictate appropriate wind, brass, string, and percussion instrument recommendations. Remember, youth must anticipate their bodies growing in sometimes unexpected spurts! Instruments like violin, cello, bassoon, saxophone, or harp purchased for an eager elementary student will likely require upgrades to larger sizes over the years as they physically mature.

Take the time to consult with music teachers or stores about instrument sizing based on a child’s current measurements, while allowing room for anticipated growth when possible. Keep tabs on fatigue during practice sessions too. Just like trying on shoes, instruments should feel comfortable to hold and play, without strain. Pay attention to any complaints like finger cramping or neck soreness as potential indicators to size up.

Cognitive Development

Additionally, variables like attention span, practice focus, hand-eye coordination, and music reading comprehension skills vary greatly between younger versus older novice musicians based on cognitive development. Recognize the attention limitations of a wiggly first grader versus the abilities of a disciplined high schooler.

As these mental capabilities and focus skills evolve throughout childhood and adolescence, youth become equipped to undertake more complex instrumentation. For example, most seven-year-old elementary students would likely struggle attempting sight reading sheet music on the clarinet or French horn before building foundational music literacy skills through recorders or percussion first.

Factor #3 – Cost Considerations

Beyond pure enjoyment, playing an instrument requires an investment of both money and time. Lessons, sheet music purchases, accessories like reeds or strings, and the instrument itself carry expenses that can add up quickly, especially for children almost constantly outgrowing their equipment. Think critically about your budget and financing options when weighing instruments.

Purchase vs Rental Comparison

Due to the combination of frequent sizing changes and uncertainty about long-term commitment, many parents of beginners opt to rent instruments first rather than purchasing them right away. This is especially common for instruments frequently used in school music programs, like flutes, clarinets, saxophones, violins, or cellos.

After a year or so, once the child’s commitment solidifies, parents might upgrade and purchase a full-size, step-up quality version of the instrument if continuing. While more economical short term, instrument rentals often don’t emphasize maintenance and repairs. The quality can vary widely too. Weigh benefits like trying out an instrument before buying with potentially accruing more in rental fees long-term.

Budget for Ongoing Expenses

Remember, the cost of the instrument itself represents only one portion of the overall expenses related to playing music. Also anticipate costs down the road for supplementary items like private or group lessons, method books, sheet music purchases, strings, reeds, drum heads, and necessary repairs. These ongoing costs enable continual skill development and playing opportunities.

As a parent, discuss these anticipated expenses for your child’s instrument ideas openly before committing. Review what costs align with your family’s budget both in the immediate future and longer term. Renting first can help gauge a child’s level of interest and talent before investing heavily.

Factor #4 – Music Genres and Styles

While most instruments have versatility across some genres, every instrument has certain types of music that it is best suited for based on qualities like its sound production, role, and technique style. Make sure to select an instrument that aligns with the genres and musical styles you wish to play as you advance.

Classical, Jazz, Rock, Folk, Pop

For example, classical pianists invest years perfecting the challenges of sight reading ornate scores full of harmony and counterpoint lines. Meanwhile, a guitarist in a high school punk rock band diligently practices basic open chord shapes and power chord riffs from tablature. Similarly, saxophonists pursuing jazz mastery immerse themselves in the language of bebop scales and improvisation skills.

As you explore instruments, listen to recordings and watch performances to identify your favorite musical styles and which instruments are integral. Do you see yourself playing traditional Irish fiddle tunes at folk festivals or laying down funky bass lines in a pop group? These preferences help match potential instruments.

Complementary Instruments by Genre

Certain families of instruments naturally pair together within bands, orchestras, or other ensembles based on their complementary sound qualities and roles within each genre or style. For example, saxophones arguably form the core foundation of traditional and modern jazz groups alongside rhythm section instruments like piano, guitar, bass, and drum set.

Meanwhile, in orchestral settings, violins, violas, and cellos make up the string section, blending their sounds together harmonically. Horns like trumpets, trombones, tubas, and French horns add power and regal elegance to the brass family. Consider what ensembles you’d like to collaborate in someday and which instruments lend themselves to those groups.

Melodic vs Harmonic Parts

In most musical genres, certain instruments generally carry the melodic themes and lead lines that a listener’s ear follows as the main tune. Meanwhile, other instruments occupy supporting harmonic and rhythmic accompaniment roles, forming the musical foundation.

Instruments like flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, or violins often play sweeping soaring melodies in ensemble arrangements and solos. On the other hand, instruments like rhythm electric or upright bass, cello, piano, or tuba largely provide the underlying chords, countermelodies, bass lines, and rhythmic pulses.

Determine whether you envision yourself playing the main lead melodic lines that stand out or whether you’d rather contribute supporting harmonic accompaniment as part of a larger musical collective. This distinction helps narrow suitable instruments.

Factor #5 – Ensemble vs Solo Playing Environments

One major consideration as you choose your first instrument involves whether you want to primarily develop solo playing skills or participate as part of larger musical ensembles. While truly skilled musicians can do both, assessing your temperament helps provide focus.

Determine whether you crave the freedom and independence of solo work or if you yearn for the camaraderie and blended sound of bands, orchestras, or chamber groups.

School Bands, Orchestras, Rock Groups, Chamber Ensembles

For students hoping to participate in musical collectives, especially in school programs, familiarize yourself with the various groupings and their instrumental needs. Concert bands typically include families of brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments like trumpets, clarinets, flutes, saxophones, and drums. Meanwhile, orchestras focus primarily on string instruments like violins, violas, cellos, and basses, with select woodwinds, brass, and percussion.

Rock bands feature electric guitars, bass, keyboard, and drum set players. More intimate chamber groups utilize combinations of strings, winds, and sometimes piano or harp. Investigate what musical crews inspire you and which instruments populate those ensembles before deciding.

Capability for Solo Work

On the other hand, some instruments lend themselves better to playing as a soloist rather than in groups because of their unique range and capabilities. Certain instruments like piano, acoustic guitar, vibraphone, or panflute allow skilled players to fluidly cover both melody and harmony simultaneously in solo contexts. This contrasts with instruments more specialized for melodies like violin, flute, oboe, or trumpet which have limited ability to provide their own accompaniment.

If you envision yourself as a soloist sharing intimate musical stories, instruments that enable fleshed-out harmony in addition to melodies might resonate most. Identifying your temperament as part of an ensemble, soloist, or both steers suitable instruments.

Factor #6 – Sound Production and Technique

Every family of instruments generates sound differently, which profoundly impacts physical ergonomics, the learning curve, and sound quality potential over time. Understand these key differences among brass, woodwind, string, and percussion instruments.

Brass, Woodwind, String, Percussion Traits

Brass instruments like trumpet, French horn, and tuba produce bright, brilliant tones using buzzed lips on a mouthpiece. Woodwinds like clarinet, oboe, or saxophone require complex fingering patterns covering holes or keys to alter pitch, combined with refined oral embouchure control directing the airflow. String instruments like violin, guitar, or cello use horsehair bows drawn across the strings or the plucking motions of fingers to initiate vibrations. Percussion instruments create sounds by physically striking surfaces with sticks, mallets, or hands. Recognize each category’s unique physicality.

Learning Curve and Skill Building Timeline

Due to these varied physical techniques, each instrument family features differences in the steepness of the initial learning curve and the subsequent timeline for measurable skill building. Generally, woodwinds and brass have very steep initial hurdles requiring weeks or months of focused practice before tones sound decent and skills start clicking. But once embouchure and fingering fundamentals lock into place, young students often leap rapidly from basic notes and patterns to successfully performing scales, exercises, and complete melodies.

String instruments tend to have a more gradual incremental skill-building curve. For example, violin students progress slowly from open strings to basic bowing patterns before venturing into basic melodies. Over years and decades though, string instruments have enabled incredible nuance and refined artistic interpretation. Percussion skills also start quickly with satisfying rhythmic patterns, but mastering advanced rudiments, reading notation, and controlling tone colors across various instruments poses endless challenges.

Achieving a Pleasant Sound

Furthermore, brass and woodwind instruments rely completely upon the player’s oral embouchure formation and air support for tone production. This means the initial sounds can range from ear-piercingly awful to tolerable within each practice session! Set realistic expectations that even with consistent diligent effort, most beginners will only produce decent, controlled tone quality after perhaps 6-12 months of play. However, some temperamental instruments like oboe or bassoon are notorious for resisting even skilled players’ attempts at coaxing out pleasant sounds frequently.

Factor #7 – Physical Attributes and Ergonomics

Mastering any musical instrument requires refined fine and gross motor skills combined with solid body awareness and postural control. Carefully consider your current physicality and musculoskeletal health to ensure you can hold and comfortably play potential instruments for extended periods without pain or strain. This prevents injury down the road.

Hand Size and Arm Length Considerations

For example, children with smaller hands struggling to nimbly stretch fingers across the black and white keys’ full octave spans when learning piano often feel fatigued, and frustrated and may even develop wrist pain. They might build better finger independence and strength starting out on a smaller keyboard. Similarly, for larger instruments like trombone or tuba, short arms restrict comfortably extending slides or valves through the instruments’ full range.

When trying instruments, pay close attention to strain or limitations in fingerings, slides, bow movements, or key reaches. Be wary of discomfort as this increases injury risks with continual playing. Consult teachers to try similar instruments more suited to your current physical proportions if needed. Kids can always size up as they grow.

Sitting vs Standing Instruments

Additionally, ergonomics vary widely among instruments that necessitate sitting versus standing while playing. For example, the large physical size and weight of instruments like double bass and cello make plucking the strings while seated with the bass held securely between the knees the only feasible position. However, smaller instruments like violin, flute, saxophone or trumpet require standing for effective diaphragmatic breathing and freedom of motion through bowing or fingering patterns.

Consider your current stamina and back strength if assessing a larger instrument played seated, especially for longer rehearsals and performances. Conversely, if drawn toward a standing instrument, ensure you can maintain an upright posture and proper instrument hold for extended musical passages during practice sessions at home.

Lung Capacity Requirements

Playing brass and woodwind instruments requires tremendous air capacity and breath control to produce tones, shape musical phrasing, and fuel technique. Especially for smaller beginners, ensure the physical demands of an instrument don’t push beyond reasonable endurance limits. Controlling airflow while maintaining composure requires development.

When trying out woodwinds and brass, pay attention to feelings of lightheadedness, dizziness, or desperation gasping for breath as warning signs an instrument might be too taxing presently. Sustaining long, smooth musical lines through melody and accompaniment passages should feel comfortable, not like you sprinted a race afterward! Don’t overwhelm developing lungs.

Factor #8 – Injury Prevention

While musical instruments can feel liberating as extensions of our voices and creative identities, playing does demand repeat physical motions that can strain muscles and joints. Select an instrument supporting good posture and technique to avoid repetitive stress injuries and allow lifelong enjoyment.

Supporting Instrument Weight

Larger instruments like tuba, euphonium, doublebass, cello, or percussion equipment can strain the backs, shoulders, and neck without proper weight distribution assistance. Use straps, harnesses, and carriers to share the load across core body structures. Learn how to hold and rest these heavier instruments safely.

For example, my tuba teacher corrects my tendency to slouch my shoulders under the tuba’s weight by curing me to balance the dense instrument on my lap while keeping an upright but relaxed spine. These adjustments prevent strain. Develop awareness of posture and tension points. Stop playing if any discomfort arises and check positioning.

Avoiding Repetitive Stress Injuries

Additionally, poor physical form coupled with repetitive motions over months and years can unfortunately lead to painful joint inflammation, tendonitis, or nerve damage. For example, violin students often overextend their left wrists leading to debilitating inflammation. Guitarists clutch necks too tightly causing hand nerve issues.

Prevent these problems by learning neutral, balanced techniques from the absolute beginning under a teacher’s supervision. Posture, hand positions, and motions should feel comfortable without tension or reaching. Speak up about discomfort immediately and modify your approach before injuries occur and hinder beautiful music making.

Factor #9 – Your Interests and Personality

Beyond purely physical or technical considerations, an instrument matching your innate personality traits, passions, and individual quirks can help sustain motivation through the steep learning curve before skills click. Seek instruments complementing your nature.

Accommodating Sensory Needs

For example, certain physical sensitivities may limit instrument choices. Students highly sensitive to loud sounds may wish to avoid boisterous brass and percussion options in favor of gentler strings or woodwinds played at softer volumes. If you dislike handling new objects or textures frequently, string instruments requiring regular rosin application across horsehair bows may prove challenging.

Alternately for sensory seekers, big booming drums’ intense vibrations could provide satisfying feedback lacking with quieter instruments. When making decisions, recognize sensory processing tendencies that may influence comfort practicing long-term.

Complementing Personality Traits

Additionally, certain instruments tend to attract detail-oriented, analytical personalities while others lure free-spirited creatives. For example, playing harp involves meticulous pedaling and string changes best suited for disciplined students. Improvisational instruments like piano or guitar match creative students who think divergently.

What are your strengths and preferences? Do you crave structure or enjoy spontaneity? Are you extroverted or introverted? Matching instruments to your temperament can make practice feel more natural and rewarding. An outgoing, energetic student might thrive playing trumpet solos, while a reflective introvert may prefer the rich depth of cello tones.

Trust your instincts and what excites you. The instrument you feel magnetically drawn toward is often the best fit. Your intrinsic passion will motivate you through the challenging beginning stages until your skills flourish. An instrument complementing your personality sets the stage for a fulfilling, lifelong relationship with music.

Conclusion

Choosing your first instrument is a momentous decision that shapes your musical journey for years to come. By carefully weighing these eight essential factors from personality fit to physical demands to genre preferences, you can thoughtfully select an instrument aligning with your goals and interests.

Remember, renting instruments initially allows you to experiment with a few strong contenders before purchasing. Consulting with music teachers provides expert guidance to find your best match. Trust your instincts about what inspires you to put in the hard work of daily practice.

Most importantly, approach the process of selecting an instrument with patience, curiosity, and an open mind. Each instrument offers unique challenges and rewards. As your skills progress, you’ll discover new depths of expression and musicality. Embrace the learning process, knowing that with consistent effort, you’ll make the instrument you choose truly sing.

The instrument you commit to now will become a cherished partner through the ups and downs of your musical adventures. Choose wisely, but know that with dedication, you can make beautiful music with whatever you pick. Here’s to finding your perfect instrumental match!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key factors when choosing a first instrument?

Consider musical goals, physical attributes, budget, preferred genres, and personality traits.

How can I tell if an instrument suits my physical abilities?

Watch for strain or discomfort when playing. Consult teachers to assess fit.

Which instruments are best for beginners?

Piano, ukulele, percussion, and some woodwinds often have gentler learning curves.

What is a typical budget for a child’s instrument?

Expect at least a few hundred dollars for a decent beginner instrument, plus ongoing costs.

Should I rent or purchase an instrument?

Renting allows trying before committing. Purchasing provides a lasting, quality instrument.

What size instrument should a child start with?

Children should use smaller sizes that match their current physical proportions.

How can I prevent injuries from playing music?

Maintain proper posture and technique. Stop if pain occurs. Take breaks and stretch.