Choosing An Instrument

It's not uncommon for people to want to take up instrument lessons without really being sure about which instrument they want to play. The Adeo School teaches numerous different instruments and there's nothing wrong with experimenting a bit to see which would suit your interests.

Renting

There are still a lot of places out there that will let you rent an instrument to study with. This is a great idea if you're not sure what you want to do with your musical pursuits, even to the point of not knowing what you want to play! You may also want to try going to a music store and sitting down with a few different instruments. There are plenty of musicians in the world that chose their main instrument just because it felt right in their hands the first time they picked it up.

Buying

Beginner level instruments exist for a reason. You don't want to go out and spend thousands on a concert-quality instrument if you're not sure that it's the instrument you want to play. There is a happy medium here.

There are good beginner instruments that are affordable and that are still of a high enough quality that you'll be able to get good sound out of them with the right technique. There is a real hazard in purchasing instruments that don't make the grade. The hazard is that the playability may be so low that you'll never really know if you're improving or not. When the strings on a guitar sit an inch above the neck or the valves on a woodwind instrument don't close properly, you cannot be sure if anything lacking in your playing is really you or whether it's the end result of playing on a cheap instrument. You may want to ask your instructor for some advice in this regard.

Maintenance

If you're buying a used instrument to start with, you can do very well. Some players will sell off their old instruments at very good prices and some of these instruments will actually be of a professional quality. Make sure that the instrument has been maintained, however. Where wooden instruments are concerned, inspect them closely for cracks and other flaws in the body and neck. Make sure the neck is straight and the intonation is true before you buy it. You may want a more advanced player to go with you when you look at used instruments.

If you're buying a woodwind or wind instrument, make sure that all of the individual pieces match up quickly and that the finish isn't destroyed. You'll also want to check all of the valves to make sure that they have a good action to them and that they close and spring back correctly. If there are issues with an instrument that is of otherwise good quality, try to get the seller to come down in consideration of the repair costs or have them repair it before you buy it. This is the best way to make sure you get the most out of your experience with a used instrument