Music is not only entertaining to listen to, but it also helps kids to learn. Research has shown that being involved in music can enhance children’s language development, fine motor skills, and spatial intelligence. With these benefits in mind, it’s only natural to want to get your kids involved in some sort of musical training.

Of course, it’s hard to know whether or not your child will take to playing a particular instrument. This is where ‘Mini Maestro’ beginner instruments come in. Traditional instruments are kind of pricey, so it’s understandable that parents might not want to jump right into such a commitment. Beginner instruments come at a much lower price and give you a good idea of whether or not your mini maestro is going to enjoy playing a particular instrument.

If you have a budding musician in the family and want to assess his/her interest level, a beginner instrument is a wonderful place to start. Here are some options to consider.

Allora ATB100 Aere Series Plastic Trombone

This fun to play beginner trombone is priced under $100 for Black Friday and has everything your student needs to get started with the instrument. Made from durable and lightweight toughened ABS plastic, this trombone can stand up to a lot of knocking around from inexperienced players. Allora also makes high quality brass instruments, but now you can allow your student to get his/her feet wet at a fraction of the cost of a brass trombone. Also, because these plastic instruments are so lightweight, they’re much easier for small hands to maneuver.

Not to worry about performance either. The Allora ATB100 Aere Series Plastic Trombone is designed with True Note Technology. The design process involves combining metal and ABS plastic, which results in instruments that are structurally sound and have blended brass instrument tone. They not only sound great, but they look great too. The exclusive plating process gives a gleaming metallic finish in a range of lively colors.

Allora ATR-1301 Aere Series Plastic Bb Trumpet

Just like the Allora ATB100 Aere Series Plastic Trombone, the ATR-1301 Bb Trumpet is under $100 for Black Friday and has True Note Technology and the same sturdy construction. The instrument comes in 11 different colors—with fun metallic finishes. This trumpet is a wonderful starter instrument for mini maestros as it weighs in at only half the weight of a brass trumpet. A lot of people question the quality of a plastic instrument, but the truth is that even experienced players enjoy playing these horns. Those who want the complete Aere Trumpet Package get a mouthpiece, deluxe in bell stand, maintenance kit and custom carrying bag.

Yamaha PSR-E263 61-Key Portable Keyboard

If tickling the ivories is more up your mini maestro’s alley, then the Yamaha PSR-E263 61-Key Portable Keyboard is the instrument for you. This keyboard is great for beginners as it comes with the Yamaha Education Suite with a nine-step lesson function for onboard lessons. Students can select from 100 preset songs to learn. 100 styles and 385 instrument voices are also available to play around with and learn to create unique music pieces. Your student can even use the Aux Line Input to use the instrument as a speaker system for an MP3 player and play along with that music. For Black Friday you can get this beginner instrument for only $99.

Emedia My Violin Starter Pack

No violin experience? No problem. The Emedia My Violin Starter Pack comes with everything students need to get on their way to learning how to play the violin. Even better, it’s selling for only $79.99 for Black Friday. The pack includes a quality violin and bow, carrying case, rosin, and cloth.

You don’t even need to hire an instructor. The set also comes with the award-winning eMedia My Violin CD-ROM to teach your mini maestro all the fundamentals. The educational CD contains 160 lessons, all taught by the appealing Val the Violin. The lessons walk students through correct finger placement, proper bowing technique, instrument tuning, reading music, and rhythmic playing—all in a fun, interactive manner. The violin has a spruce top and maple back and sides. Other parts are a dyed hardwood with a metal alloy. To accommodate different aged students, the instrument pack comes in ⅛, ¼, and 4/4 sizes.

Buy Beginner Instruments at Music & Arts 

Budding musicians often need some time to test out and experiment with instruments. Spending a lot of money on a traditional instrument for a beginner is probably not the best course of action. That said, not all inexpensive instruments are high quality. Fortunately, some of the makers of conventional instruments have started to create excellent beginner versions that work well for mini maestro who are just starting to test out their abilities. 

If your child plays something besides the above instruments, not to worry–we have tons of instruments, accessories, and Black Friday deals for you.