Step-Up Instruments

What is a Step-Up Instrument? [The Ultimate Guide to What, Why, How, and When]

What exactly is a step-up instrument?

A step-up instrument literally helps musicians level up their skills to improve their technique and performance. A step-up, which produces sounds that better suit the needs of intermediate, advanced, and professional musicians, is made from higher quality materials, has a more complex design, and often includes features not found on a beginner instrument. There is a step-up for each type of instrument and they can range from intermediate to custom-made.

As a quick background, most new musicians start on a beginner or student-level instrument. An important feature is the instrument’s durability, which helps it withstand the wear and tear of someone who is learning how to handle, assemble, and care for their instrument. In addition, student-level instruments are designed to foster the early stages of tone development while also being available at an affordable price point.

Why is a step-up instrument helpful?

Learning an instrument is not unlike mastering any other skill, it requires building a foundation to set you up for consistent and sustained success. Think of it like training for a marathon; you don’t immediately jump headfirst into running a full 26 miles. Instead, you’ll likely start by completing a 5k, then a 10k, then a half, and eventually build up the stamina and strength required to complete a full marathon.

Similarly, it takes time to build strength and stamina when mastering an instrument. A step-up instrument allows students the opportunity to progress in phases, first mastering the crucial basics necessary for a strong foundation, and then progressing on to more advanced skills and keeps the process enjoyable instead of frustrating or overwhelming.

Step-up instruments offer:

Advanced functionality - which allows students to begin exploring and mastering more expressive and complex sounds
Improved tone - largely due to advanced construction and better quality materials such as gold, silver, and wood
Improved response - upgrade mechanisms that allow students to achieve a better response time, allowing them to tackle faster, more advanced and demanding music
Additional keys and/or tubing - necessary to perform intermediate and advanced music and more dynamic expressions of sound

When is it time to step-up my instrument?

Once a musician has mastered their current instrument and wants to advance their skills to the next level, it is time to consider a step-up instrument. Think of upgrading to a step-up almost like leveling up in a video game, it’s a new level that allows you to take on new skills, techniques, and challenges.

It’s important to understand that every musician’s path is different, below are a few things to consider to determine the best time.

Who to ask for guidance:

Band or orchestra director: With a familiarity of your skill level, your band or orchestra director is a great resource to help you identify when the time is right. They may also provide some brand recommendations for you to test out.
Private teacher: Based on your performance during your lessons, your teacher is an invaluable resource in helping you identify when to step up. Many are also happy to go to the store with you to help advise on what instrument would be a good match to meet your new goals.
- ProTip: If you don’t have a private teacher, getting a few lessons with one, with the goal of getting a recommendation from them on when to step-up and what instrument would be the next right step, could be very valuable.
Future professor: If you are getting ready to go to college, ask your future professor for their opinion. Many professors help their students find instruments that will serve them well professionally and may also recommend helpful resources to guide your decision.

Timing is everything for string players:

It is smart for string players to not only identify when they are ready for a more advanced instrument, but to also consider their step-up timing based on their physical size in relation to the instrument. For this reason, many younger musicians rent orchestral instruments initially, and once they are done growing, they then look to invest in an advanced instrument.

When you’re ready for more:

Beyond school groups: As you advance your skills and increase your passion for music, you may consider continuing to hone your craft by joining a regional youth symphony, jazz ensemble, all-state honors group, festival camp, or even decide to form a group of your own! As these types of groups often perform more complex pieces and are composed of advanced players, this can be a good time to consider a step-up instrument to help you contribute at a higher level.
Playing in college and beyond: This is a key time to consider stepping up your instrument as it could help you better enjoy and handle the demands of the more advanced music of a college or post-college ensemble.

Eight questions to ask yourself when upgrading to a step-up instrument.

How does the instrument sound to me? Trying out multiple instruments, from the same brand or different brands can be really helpful. Much like people, no two instruments are exactly the same, so playing each instrument and finding the sound that meets your needs is an important part of your search. Take time to experiment by playing different pieces and different styles of music as well as running through typical practice routines.
How does the instrument feel to me? While most instruments don’t vary dramatically in terms of weight, some are strategically engineered to be lighter or heavier in specific places to accentuate different sound characteristics. The feel of an instrument is very personal, and this is very important to consider when testing different instruments. You’ll be spending a lot of time with this instrument, so make sure it feels good to you.
What is my budget? The pricing for instruments has a huge range. Determine what you are able to spend to help guide you on your step-up journey. It’s important to keep in mind, many stores offer payment plans and financing.
- ProTip: While sticking to your budget is important, trying a range of instruments is valuable in order to understand your options. In some cases, people wait and skip over the intermediate level to save up for a pro instrument, or sometimes people are surprised to find they prefer the sound of an instrument that is less expensive than the one they thought they wanted.
Do I want a new or used instrument? You may have your eye on a particular brand that is outside your budget, if this is the case, a used instrument might be an easy way to get a specific instrument within your budget.
What kind of music do I want to play? Each instrument is built for different uses. A jazz horn is often very different from an orchestral one. Make sure you are clear on the types of sounds you want from your instrument when selecting your step-up.
Is there a specific design element that is important to me? Many step-up instruments vary in terms of their overall design. An example might be the type of bend in the tubing of a brass instrument. Bring a list of any important designs with you when exploring a step-up which may quickly help narrow your search.
Do I want any added keys, valves, or other features? A big differentiator for step-up instruments are the features they offer that are not found on beginner/student-level instruments. It’s important to understand what new features a step-up instrument offers that can help you do things like make certain notes easier to play or make notes accessible that weren’t on your beginner instrument.
What is the instrument made out of? As you explore step-up instruments, you’ll see that what they are made out of can vary greatly. It’s important to know the different materials your instrument can be made from and how it changes the sound. As an example, intermediate and above clarinets are either wooden or a hybrid of wood and another material, brass instruments can often be made of different brass alloys, and flutes can be made of anything from silver-plated nickel to solid gold.

Where should I purchase my step-up instrument?

Most musicians visit their local instrument retailer when ready to upgrade to a step-up instrument.

There are many benefits to working with your local instrument store, here are a few:

Easy way to try out the instruments in person
Work with a knowledgeable salesperson who has been trained to guide you through figuring out how to meet your step-up goals. The salesperson can discuss in-depth design characteristics and features for each type of instrument.
Compare the sound and feel of multiple brands and models from various price points

ProTip: For brass and woodwind musicians, remember to bring your mouthpiece when testing a step-up instrument!

PM Music Center’s Step-Up Instrument Program:

With the help of the experts at PM Music Center, selecting a step-up instrument is easy and will leave you confident that you have found the best instrument to support your new goals.

Step-Up Instrument Program highlights:

Work with an expert one one-on-one
A wide selection of instruments from top-name brands like Yamaha, Buffet, Bach, Conn, Lotus Trumpets, Maple Leaf Strings, Revel, and more
Test multiple instruments
Professional inspection and set up of all instruments by trained repair technicians
Up to six months of accrued rental fees go towards the purchase price of a step-up
Competitive and affordable pricing
Financing plans available
A 7-day no-questions-asked return policy
1-year warranty coverage on all new step-up purchases

Ready to Step Up? Contact us at [email protected]