The time has come for my 8 year old son to pick an instrument in school. He wants to play the bassoon, but that may not happen for awhile due to availability of a short-reach bassoon.

Anyhow, he could start on the clarinet or oboe to work towards a bassoon. l took him into a music store to try them out, and he was blowing REALLY hard into the oboe (l guess it takes some getting used to), and so the guy let him try a clarinet for awhile, which was not as ha.

The guy told me that my son is lip shape (teardrop) and teeth (right now there is a space) would probably rule out brass and flute. (I am not sure l buy that).

He has a mild narrowing of his pulmonary valve or pulmonary stenosis with a heart murmur. Although he is been cleared for activities, l think that the doctor means that exertion is ok.I am not sure if purposely blowing hard into an instrument could harm him, and l believe the school will be deciding instruments before l can see the doctor.

Anyone dealt with this?
In relation to some posts: He love to play violin, but the school does not have strings. l may still let him do that outside of school, but l really think that participation in school band is important too. So he is agree to pick something at school, which is limited to woodwind, brass, and drums. Figures he likes bassoon, but he is too little physically yet. So he has to start on something else and work up to that.

Trust your doctor. And do not trust the salesman at the store about brass and flute. l played trumpet for 7 years and i've never heard anyone make a claim like that.

Thats a very peculiar problem. l am no father, but l say that if your kid wants to play that instrument, let him. Playing an instrument can really help a kid out, l know because it helped me. Music is my life now because l felt like trying drums in 6th grade.

Listen to your doctor is advice. The great trumpeter Louis Armstrong had a big space between to his top 2 central teeth and was a great player. Have you considered other band instruments besides the brass or woodwinds - such as strings (violin) or percussion (drums or piano). Could he try two different instruments?