Incoming Students

Welcome to the Cupertino Middle School Music Department. This page is designed to provide incoming 6th graders (and new to CMS) students information about Band at CMS!!!

Click here to email Mr. Yaeger, Band Director.

Beginning Band:

Beginning Band is a year-long course that meets everyday. Students will learn to read music and play an instrument in a team environment. No prior experience is necessary - we all start from scratch! Students will take part in several performances throughout the year. Even if students have previous experience, playing in a a middle school level ensemble is different and they should take beginning band. Home practicing is required.

Choosing an instrument:

Once a student decides to take band, one of the most important decisions to make is what instrument they will play. The two main considerations for choosing an instrument are student interest and ease of making sound. First, students must consider what sounds they like or dislike, as they will be spending a lot of time with that sound! Second, the student must work with their band teacher to try out several instruments to find which instruments they find easy or hard to make a beginning sound on. This is affected by things out of the student's control, such as facial structure or left-right hand coordination. If the student and teacher find an instrument where 1) the student likes the sound and 2) they are able to make that sound easily, that is likely the best instrument for that student. Once you sign up for band, your teacher will give you more information on how the instrument selection process will work at your school. DO NOT GET AN INSTRUMENT UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO DO SO!

CMS has instruments to loan students who need them. Details will be provided at the start of the school year.

Instruments offered in Beginning Band (Don't forget to scroll all the way to the bottom!):

Flute:

Flute is a woodwind because, while they are made of metal, they used to be made from wood. The sound is made by blowing air across the tone hole. The flute plays higher notes and requires moving a lot of fast air. Click the image below for a demonstration!

Oboe:

Oboe is a double reed instrument, which means it has two reeds bound together instead of one. Oboists blow directly into the reed instead of an attached mouthpiece. It is a unique instrument that is good for students who are independent learners. Click the image below for a demonstration!

Clarinet:

The clarinet has a single reed that attaches to the mouthpiece. The player changes notes with a combination of covering holes with their fingers (like the recorder) and pressing keys. It has a wide range, which means can play higher and lower notes. Click the image below for a demonstration!

Saxophone:

The alto saxophone has a single reed like the clarinet, but the instrument is larger and the mouthpiece comes into your mouth at a different angle. It plays higher and lower notes, and often plays supporting harmony parts. Click the image below for a demonstration!

Trumpet:

Trumpet plays the highest notes in the brass family. It often plays melody parts. Different notes are sounded by changing valves to change the length of the tube and buzzing higher and lower. Click the image below for a demonstration!

French Horn:

French Horn is a unique brass instrument! is an instrument that works well for an independent, self-motivated learner. It has a mellow sound, often plays harmonies, and frequently teams up with the saxophone. Click the image below for a demonstration!

Trombone:

The trombone plays lower notes and reads bass clef. Instead of valves, the trombone uses a slide to change the length of the tubing. Click the image below for a demonstration!

Euphonium:

The names "baritone" and "euphonium" are interchangeable for this instrument. It plays the same notes as the trombone, but has valves like a trumpet or a tuba. It has a more mellow sound than the trombone. Click the image below for a demonstration!

Tuba:

Tuba is the largest brass instrument that plays the lowest notes. The sound of the tuba is the foundation that the rest of the group's sound is built on, and therefore is one of the MOST IMPORTANT INSTRUMENTS IN THE BAND!. It requires moving a lot of air. Click the image below for a demonstration!

Percussion:

Percussionists play a lot of instruments, from triangle to timpani. You probably have some experience playing percussion instruments in elementary music. Eventually beginning percussionists get to play a lot of things, but they first build their skills on two main instruments - snare drum and mallets. It is expected that percussionists are well-rounded and perform on both of these instruments equally, so keep that in mind when making your choice!

Snare drum requires hand independence between left and right and a good sense of rhythm. When first learning, students may use a practice pad before playing on the actual drum. Mallets require good music reading skills and left-right coordination, because they have to look back and forth between their hands and the music. Piano experience helps with learning the mallet patterns, but is not a requirement. Beginners usually start with the bells (or glockenspiel) before adding the larger mallet instruments such as xylophone, marimba, chimes, and vibraphone. Click the image below for a demonstration!

What dose the band sound like when we put all these instruments together?

Want to learn more? Check out Be Part of the Band