Like many people, you’ve probably dreamt of becoming the next American Idol or belting a song on the piano. Perhaps you’ve been inspired by a guitar god like Eric Clapton or Jimi Hendrix. Maybe you went to a concert at the symphony and witnessed Yo-Yo Ma fingers effortlessly play the Bach Cello Suites.  However you’ve gotten to this stage you’ve arrived at the moment where you want to learn how to play an instrument. What are some of the things you should consider and do before purchasing an instrument?

Research

Prior to buying any instrument, it is imperative that you do your homework. With the advent of the internet, smart phones and other digital devices there are tons of free online resources at your disposal. These include all of the big brand music sites such as Guitar Center, Sam Ash (yes it’s still around), Sweetwater, Reverb, Zzounds, and many more.  Also, sites such as YouTube, Facebook and other social media platforms have product demos and reviews.

Additionally, depending on the instrument you decide to play there are still more important considerations. For example, if you’ve decided to purchase a guitar one of the first things to determine is the type of music that you want to play.  That alone will dictate the type of instrument you purchase.  Do you want to play rock, folk, classical, jazz or blues? Acoustic or electric? The point is educating yourself through research will make the buying process more enjoyable.

The Feel/Size

Every instrument, regardless of whether it is a Steinway, a Fender Guitar, or a Stradivarius violin will feel differently.  Instruments come in all shapes and sizes.  In the case of guitars, there are parlor guitars referred to as O, medium sized guitars (00), full sized guitars (000) and even jumbo sized. The important thing is to be able to have the instrument fit comfortably to your specific body frame and type. The point is an instrument that fits well is one that you will want to play often.

Even if you decide to purchase an instrument via the internet, make sure you have a fairly decent trial period that will allow you and your teacher sufficient time to properly test an instrument.  Another point to reinforce is instrument set up.  The set-up of an instrument whether it is a properly tuned piano, filed guitar frets, cello sound post adjustment etc. are all critical to the playability of the instrument

The Sound

Remember why you wanted to learn an instrument.  Typically, it is because of the sound that it made and if an instrument looks great, feels great but sounded horrible…then never purchase it. One of the biggest mistakes that people make when purchasing their first instrument is to simply rely on an online product demo and sound samples to determine if they want to buy it.  There are so many factors that affect online sound samples including the player’s ability, other equipment used (amp, bow), recording set up etc, your own play back equipment etc…that it is close to impossible to get a realistic assessment of the instruments tonal qualities online.  Only when you have the instrument in hand will you and your teacher be able to get a true appreciation of the tonal qualities of an instrument.

The Look

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and instruments are functional devices that produce sounds. However, in many cases, they are beautiful pieces of art and can help add class and enhance your physical surroundings. Hence, the way an instrument looks visually, can and should be considered. In many instances, it is also an expression of the artistic value and the genre you are trying to play

The Price

No discussion on things to consider would be complete if the subject of price is not included. Although everyone based on their own specific financial circumstances will have a different budget…I always recommend spend as much as possible to get a reasonable instrument.  The British have a saying “Buy cheap and buy twice.”  This is something along with buyers remorse that you want to avoid.  If you view the purchase of an instrument as an investment in yourself then you will arrive at the appropriate budget to allocate.

Hope this helps you on your musical journey and don’t forget to practice!