Selling, taking apart and putting back together
Working Hard
Playing Music is Fun!
Band provides a fun and excitement for both your child and you. There are parades, concerts, contests, athletic events, etc. which can be experienced by the entire family.
Watching your child perform will bring you pride as well as validate your child’s persistence, dedication and talent in music.
It gives the family an opportunity to do something together, a unity worth pursuing.
Band also gives your child the opportunity to learn an musical instrument and be a part of a wonderful organization of talented students.
Both of you may experience the many advantages offered through music.
Why Upgrade Your Student’s Instrument
Students put in hours of practice time, incited your cheer at concerts, and love making music as much as they do listening to it. Now is the time to reward their hard work with a higher quality instrument that will build their confidence and help them to be more successful.
Clarinet Players
…When your child plays in Concert Band, you should strongly consider a step up to a Wood Clarinet. It will allow them to progress their ability to play and the tone with be much improved. Keep that beginning plastic clarinet for marching band in high school!
Saxophone Players
…All sax players should progress to a High F# key to allow them to play like a professional. Student horns do not offer this option which can inhibit them from advancing.
Trumpet players
…Trumpet players look for a step-up horn for a big bold sound, better response, and better intonation!
Trombone Players
…All trombone players should consider buying an F trigger trombone! This is the next step in their progression for advancing their ability. You can always use that beginner tenor trombone for marching band in high school!
Flute Players
…Need an Open-Hole flute – Most prefer an open-hole flute with a B Foot and a solid silver head allowing them to play better than ever!
Give Your Child a Fair Chance
If you request your child to play an instrument that is available in the family, there are a couple of points to consider.
First
…your child may have no desire to play this particular instrument, or may not be physically able to handle it.
Second
…the instrument probably needs a professional cleaning or overhaul because of the long storage period, and if it is in less than top playing condition, the student will become discouraged quickly and possibly give up.
So, invest in a quality instrument in which your child shows interest in playing – it could lead to a life long love for music.
The Challenge of the First Few Months
The first few months of learning to play an instrument are the most challenging; therefore, equipment should be of quality that offers the greatest assistance. Too many beginners fall in the early stages of learning because the instrument supplied is not in good playing condition or does not have the necessary properties to make it respond with ease. Using instruments that students have difficulty with can cause the student to become frustrated and give up.
Music Allows Self – Expression
Children need opportunities for self-expression. They require an avenue for their energies and creativeness. It is better that these creative releases be obtained through music than other, often harmful, means. Possibilities for self-expression and creativeness through the playing of an instrument are endless. The joy of creating music with friends in school band is so much more rewarding than playing on their iPod or Game box!
We Offer Educator-Approved Brand Name Instruments
At Southeastern Musical Services, parents & students are able to choose from quality American, Japanese and European-made brass and woodwind instruments, from such brands as Selmer, Bach, Yamaha, Leblanc, Holton, Emerson, Gemeinhardt, Artley, Armstrong, King, Conn, Benge, Besson, and Buffet. While most of our instruments are gently used, we offer reconditioned like-new instruments for rental, making this program available to all of your students. To accommodate the growing needs of students, we offer upgraded intermediate instruments in our rent-to-own program.
Bargain Instrument Quality Issues
Our repair technicians are receiving an increased number of poorly manufactured instruments. In general, these products are often sold by retailers who do not specialize in musical instruments. While the price tags on these instruments are irresistible to parents at times, keeping them in proper playing condition (if possible) is a costly challenge.
Low quality instruments are commonly manufactured from “pot metal”, which is defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as:
1. A copper and lead alloy, formerly used in making plumbing fixtures
2. A cast iron used especially in making pots
3. An inexpensive alloy of poor quality, usually containing lead, used especially in making castings: cheap jewelry is made from plated pot metal
1. A copper and lead alloy, formerly used in making plumbing fixtures
2. A cast iron used especially in making pots
3. An inexpensive alloy of poor quality, usually containing lead, used especially in making castings: cheap jewelry is made from plated pot metal
Due to the comparatively low melting temperature of “pot metal”, it is very difficult, often impossible to perform repairs that include solder work. Further, the craftsmanship of poor quality instruments usually does not respond to adjustments for any reasonable length of time.
The bitterness of costly repair bills & never-ending performance problems remains long after the sweetness of a low purchase price. While we will try to meet the service needs of every customer, we continue to stand behind the brands and models offered by our business as well as others that are repairable by normal practices.
Music Provides Unlimited Opportunities
One of today’s serious problems is lack of communication. Music provides unlimited opportunities for closer communications because it is truly a universal language. Have you ever stopped to think that a member of any school band could sit in a comparable group anywhere in the world and instantly be an important contributing member of the organization , even though that student could neither speak nor understand the spoken language? Even the printed terminology on the music sheet would be familiar. In how many other academic subjects would this be true?
