Why They Choose: Understanding the Instrument Selection Choices of My Own Elementary School String Students

The choice to study an instrument is an important decision for a child and family. Research shows that children select instruments because of preferences for sound, to be in community with friends, because of family influences, physical factors, perceived ease, timbre, and gender influences. This study investigated selected instrument choices of my own 3rd grade string students. Children and their parents completed a questionnaire, and this constituted the primary source of data. Open-ended response provided further insight into how children arrived at their instrument selection. Results indicated that string students considered the sound of the instrument most important when choosing, though social influences such as family and gender were also at play