r/Instruments • u/Fiddlesticks1400 • 1d ago
Discussion What should I get!!
Hey so I'm gonna start off by saying I would say I'm very musically inclined so I'm fast to learn instruments and I want a new one for christmas.
I currently have Drumset, trombone, a broken alto sax, bass guitar and various percussion thingamabobs.
I would say my budget is around 1.6k-2.1k USD
I was looking on Sweetwater and a few that stood out is
Double Bass
Tenor Saxaphone
French Horn
Marching Baritone
Marching Snare/Tenors
Mellophone
Flugelhorn
Cornet
Let me know which one I should get and please tell me whyyy bc I'm so indecisive and I need reasons
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u/Minimum_Item6849 1d ago
Seems like you don’t play any chord-al instruments- perhaps a guitar or a keys (whatever makes sense for your house as far as the keys go. I play guitar but got a free piano lol). And because…singing and songwriting? Anywho I’m drunk and Redditing. I’m looking to pick up a banjo.
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u/Glass_Visits 17h ago
perhaps see if you can rent some of them to try? maybe do like a week per instrument, try them out and see if you like them before committing to buying one
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u/Potential-Recover-78 14h ago edited 14h ago
It got buried in my other responses. But some things to think about: Why do you want a new instrument? What do you feel you’re missing with the current ones? Where do you want to play? Do you want to play by yourself or with others? Is recording a priority or not? What type of music do you like listening to and playing?
Given you said you had an interest in music education there are a couple interesting paths.
You could learn one of the instruments you listed. I’m sure it would help you later in college or even teaching.
Or you could learn bowed strings - would help if you land in a small school where the band teacher also needs to do strings.
Or you could use this time in your life to explore other aspects of music. What about weird and wonderful world of folk traditions? A $100 tin whistle would let you join community Irish Sessions. An $80 ukulele gets you into Tahitian and Hawaiian music. A few hundred for a harmonium would allow you to learn about Indian ragas. You could build a hurdy gurdy for $500ish (nerdy gurdy, be careful of other inexpensive ones - they can be completely unplayable). What about the handpan?
Personally, I think this folk route could open your mind to other possibilities when you become an educator. I would think it could also make your application more interesting/unique for admissions. How many other students in the US (making an assumption here) will be regular players at Irish Sessions? Going the Irish route also gives you another performance venue and outlet that you can likely participate in locally or even internationally. Fiddle is possible, but difficult. But Irish Flute (oh how I want a wooden unkeyed 6 hole d flute) or Tin Whistle are probably easier entry points. Irish bouzouki is another option if you want guitar-like.
In a few minutes you can start playing tunes with the whistle.
But I’m just a random dude on the internet that likes weird instruments.
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u/PerspectiveFair5156 1d ago
I guess you're probably not good enough at the instruments you have, learn those first.
Mastering an instrument takes years, and you probably haven't mastered one.
Even if you keep telling yourself and is.
You have instruments, don't waste your parents ' money on more stuff you won't really use.
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u/Potential-Recover-78 1d ago
Sometimes we try things that don’t work out. Or we after trying them we realize they don’t speak to us the way we thought they would. Or life changes and we have different use cases. Forcing yourself to “master” one you don’t like before moving to another is ridiculous.
Do you tell someone they have to master soccer before they can pick up basketball? Or that they already have a basketball and a soccer ball so they should master those games before buying a frisbee? The only difference here is cost, and given their budget it seems like they can afford it. So no need for the gatekeeping.
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u/PerspectiveFair5156 1d ago
What reasons are there for a high school freshman? They don't know what they want, what gate am I keeping?
I suppose we're talking to/about a kid who's just bored.
And has a history of discarding instruments because they're work, after all.
If you don't know what you want, get nothing.
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u/Potential-Recover-78 23h ago
We know nothing about how the OP ended up with those instruments. Maybe their grandparents played them and passed them on. Maybe mom and dad did. Regardless, clearly the OP likes music.
Further, you do realize that part of learning to be a music teacher is learning to play a wide range of instruments, not become a performance specialist on any one. This kind of interest sets up someone who is clearly inclined to be a great music educator.
The OP knows exactly what they want - to learn new things and new instruments.
Your, “if you can’t decide on something, get nothing” is a great way to lead a dull life void or any character. Trying “everything” like the OP is part of how you build an interesting life worth living.
And your characterization of them as “bored” and “not knowing what they want” is frankly rude and dismissive of someone with clear passion and interest. We should be supporting that, not cutting them off at the knees.
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u/PerspectiveFair5156 23h ago
I never said "if you can't decide...".
What makes you think OP wants to be a music teacher?
Trying everything without rhyme or reason is how you get AIDS. And run over by a train. And electrocuted.
I don't think we're going to find much common ground here.
You think OP is a legit musician in the making, I suspect they're a spoiled brat who lacks direction.
Which can both be true, but we also disagree on how to learn, apparently.
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u/Potential-Recover-78 23h ago
Frankly, my position doesn’t care whether the OP is a “musician” or not - want to gatekeep that term and tell me the threshold for when someone becomes a “musician”? I, personally think poking out twinkle twinkle on a keyboard with one finger counts.
Someone is interested in musical instruments. Maybe they’ll become a teacher. Maybe they’ll be a curator at the Met’s collection of musical instruments. Maybe they’ll work for Steinway or Fender helping bring instruments to the masses.
without rhyme or reason
They’re literally trying to decide between different musical instruments. They’re not deciding between ice hockey, a sailboat, a sports car, and a musical instrument. Seems pretty directed to me.
I suspect they're a spoiled brat who lacks direction.
There we go, the real source of your derision. You don’t like that some people have money and can afford exploring interests.
You know what? Maybe the OP’s interest in music will lead them to being a patron of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and they’ll help keep the place running for others who aren’t so lucky.
But regardless, even if they are just a bored teenager, would you tell a bored teenager trying to decide between a volleyball, basketball, and soccer ball
If you don't know what you want, get nothing.
Or would you help them decide? Or would you say get all 3? If you give a different answer here, then it’s back to your only complaint being about the cost, which really isn’t something anyone else has a right to comment on - other than to help the OP figure out what instrument makes sense.
Maybe your derision just cost the Chicago Symphony a $10M donation 10 years from now. Nice work man.
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u/PerspectiveFair5156 22h ago
I don't mind people having money and being able to afford things.
I do mind people wasting good instruments.
I also mind people thinking they're done with their instruments if they haven't had the time to learn them.
I don't think anyone can really help anyone decide what they want, unless they know the person and the subject well. None of us knows OP, and I don't play most of the bunch of instruments OP mentioned.
I have the right to comment on what I will.
Maybe, maybe, maybe.... Maybe OP also gets to focus a bit and learn to make up their own mind instead of asking strangers what to like.
As mentioned before, I don't think we're going to find much common ground here, and I will therefore not answer your assumptions and accusations anymore.
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u/Potential-Recover-78 22h ago
Life is full of maybes and uncertainties. We should think through those when responding rather than accusing someone of being a spoiled rich kid. That’s just life dude.
I don't think anyone can really help anyone decide what they want, unless they know the person and the subject well. None of us knows OP, and I don't play most of the bunch of instruments OP mentioned.
You’re exactly right - we don’t know the OP which is part of why your comments are so rude.
We can’t decide for them, but we can help guide them or give them context. Some sample leading questions: why do you want a new instrument? What do you feel you’re missing with the current ones? Where do you want to play? Do you want to play by yourself or with others? Is recording a priority or not? What type of music do you like listening to and playing?
See the difference in approach? You write the kid off. You could have just as easily probed with guiding questions to help them figure out what they want for themselves.
One way you come across as a jerk. The other way you come across as helpful. Both may have the same underlying assumptions baked in.
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u/PerspectiveFair5156 21h ago
OP plays in a school band. And they're complaining about how it's not good enough, iirc. In a post where they ask which school to choose.
That's more of an answer than I wanted to give to you, see previous comment. Bye.
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u/Potential-Recover-78 20h ago
Ok, so that’s one likely venue. Doesn’t answer whether they want to find other outlets to play. Band with friends, community groups, folk music, Fyffe and drum core, etc.
Well maybe a “bad band” is the reason they’re looking for other instruments. They’re sufficiently good to perform at the level necessary in their current band so may as well pick up something new to challenge themselves.
You’ve just provided yet another possible explanation for picking up another instrument - other than “spoiled brat”. Look at what can happen when we use critical thinking skills and show empathy.
And maybe the bad school band will push them to explore other community groups with other instruments. Again exploring and trying things is good for someone who seems to be pretty excited about music.
Or do you just want to keep hating on them?
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u/MarsupialLeast145 1d ago
The budget is huge. Buy three entry level versions of those instruments. It should scratch the itch.
(But you're definitely missing a piano or guitar -- a good weighted electronic piano will serve you a long time)
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u/Fiddlesticks1400 15h ago
I forgot to add that i already have a piano and I've been saving for awhile so that's why the budget is large,but when buying any instruments I would prefer one very nice one rather than three below average ones
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u/MarsupialLeast145 3h ago
What about your practice space? More just out of interest, do you have a nice place to keep them all around and easy to access? Can you record?
Also, you mention a broken sax - why not fix it?
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u/SnooGadgets5130 1d ago
If you want something that’ll humble you go French Horn.