Buying a bassoon for your child can be a daunting process. Bassoons are high value instruments and whether you are buying a new or second hand bassoon, there are risks involved - not all bassoons are good bassoons, and even a good bassoon won't necessarily be the right bassoon for your child. However, with a little guidance this process can be made simple and your child can look forward to many happy years of bassoon playing. This blog is Part Two in a series written for parents or anyone else buying a bassoon for someone else.
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| by Artist Gek Tessaro |
The Keys to a Successful Bassoon Purchase
Begin by considering the size of bassoon your child needs. How old is your child? What size hands does he/she have? The bassoon is a large instrument that requires relatively large sized hands to play (note that there are also many adults with relatively small hands so the same advice applies). This is partly due to the large size and weight of the bassoon, but also due to the large stretch between keys and open holes for fingers. In order to facilitate those with smaller hands bassoon manufacturers have designed bassoons and key work to fit people with different hand sizes, from very small to large.
For those with small hands the options are:
- Mini bassoon / tenoroon (roughly half sized) up to the age of about 9 or 10. The Ludlow Mini-Bassoon is in the key of G and has a brighter sound than a full sized bassoon. It is a fantastic tool for getting your child started at a very early age on the bassoon. It's tiny size and key work mirroring that of a full size bassoon make it a great instrument to start a child on. The mini-bassoon has been utilized with great success by bassoon teachers at schools for some time now and has become something music services cannot do without
- Short reach bassoon - often ages 10 to 13 - these are full sized instruments but with extended key work for those with smaller hands. Short reach bassoons have been around for quite some time with just an extra key for the left hand third finger (the traditional open hole can be hard to reach), but these days there is a lot more help than just one extra key. This help comes largely in the form of 'stretched' or elongated key work that falls within easier reach of the fingers, in particular the left hand thumb.
For those with larger hands the option is:
- Full size bassoon - This is the standard size bassoon for adults and young people with larger hands. Usually once most children have reached the age of twelve or thirteen they are beginning to outgrow the short reach bassoon they have been using. Upgrading to a full size bassoon is then necessary to allow the fingers to spread out so they can keep playing comfortably.
The best way to decide which size bassoon is most suited to your child is to let your child have a go on his/her teacher's bassoon or alternatively speak to us.
Consider your Budget - New or Second hand. Once you have decided which size bassoon your child needs, your next step will be to consider your budget. Buying a second hand bassoon can cost you significantly less but you need to know what you are doing. In our next blog in this series (Part Three) we will discuss the 'dos and don'ts' of buying both new and second hand bassoons. Follow our advice and you won't go wrong! Part Three coming soon
