The Need For An Orchestra Instrument Upgrade
When students are at the beginning of their musical journey, they usually start with a fractional-size, student grade orchestra instrument. These instruments are ideal for helping young musicians become accustomed to playing and caring for a new instrument. However, within the first two years of learning, most students reach a point in their development where they are ready to upgrade their orchestra instrument.
Performance level orchestra instruments match a student’s musical development in both quality and size. The ideal time to upgrade is when a student is ready for a full-size instrument. Upgrading an instrument allows students to continue progressing in their musical journey, building confidence and skills needed for the future.
Stop Compromise Before It Happens
At a certain point in their musical development, usually when the student is ready for a full size, many find they’re ready to upgrade to a high-quality, performance level instrument. The most obvious difference between a student grade instrument and a performance level orchestra instrument is the size. As your student grows physically, they need an instrument that will match their height and arm measurements. Playing an instrument that is too small or too big negatively affects musical development and introduces bad habits.
Playing an orchestra instrument that is too small will affect posture and contribute to a poor playing position. Students may experience limited tone quality, challenges with finger placement, slower musical growth, fatigue from cramped playing positions, and frustration with the instrument’s playability.
Due to these challenges, students may compromise good playing posture and position to accommodate the smaller instrument. This stunts musical growth and introduces bad habits that may take additional time to break. By upgrading to the proper sized instrument, these compromises and bad habits never have a chance to form.
Experience Quality and Craftmanship
Beyond the difference in size, students will discover a noticeable difference in the quality of a performance level instrument. These instruments are crafted from higher quality materials and undergo more hand craftmanship. Students experience improved sound and tonal quality, better feel and response, and enhanced playability. These improvements impact confidence and growth, helping them to continue progressing on their musical journey.
Are You Ready to Upgrade Your Orchestra Instrument?
As you and your child are exploring instrument upgrade options, Menchey Music is here to help! Schedule an appointment with our string specialist to discuss upgrade options, or visit our Orchestral String Gallery in Hanover, Pennsylvania.
For further information on care and maintenance of your orchestra instrument, visit our Orchestral String FAQ page.
