Virtual Instrument Tour
Learn about the instruments!
Flute
Physical Considerations:
Student needs all ten fingers to work independently.
Can be difficult to make a sound at first because it is held off to the side. It takes some coordination and lots of practice and experimentation.
Lots of air required to make sound. May not be appropriate for students with asthma or other upper respiratory difficulties. Can often experience dizziness while playing at first until they get used to using enough air.
Because of the lip muscles need, may not be appropriate for students with cleft lip.
Sound Quality:
Soft and delicate sound.
Often has the melody and plays the highest notes in the band.
Until students learn to control their lips, it may sound "airy."
Other Considerations:
Light and easy to carry.
Students must carry their music book separately because the case is small.
Can take a while for students to make a sound on flute. It requires patience, commitment, and LOTS OF PRACTICE!
CLARINET
Physical Considerations:
Student needs all ten fingers to work independently.
Held in front of the body.
Must be able to cover the “tone holes” completely with the pads of their fingers. Students with very small or thin fingers may be better off starting on saxophone or flute.
Can be a good choice for students with asthma because it does not require as much air as some of the other instruments.
Upper lip is not used as much as with other instruments, so this is a good choice for students with cleft lip.
Sound Quality:
Sweet and gentle sound.
Large range of notes, but typically plays mid to high notes in the band.
Plays melody and interesting harmony parts.
Common to hear “squeaks” in the beginning until the student learns to harness the air and lips. This is normal and part of the learning process.
Other Considerations:
Needs a reed to produce sound. A single reed costs about $3, and a box of 10 reeds costs about $18. Students should go through about 2 boxes of reeds per year.
Beginners should start with a reed strength of “2” and move to a “2 ½ “ by the middle of their first year.
ALTO SAXOPHONE
Physical Considerations:
Student needs all ten fingers to work independently.
Uses a neck strap to support the weight of the instrument (largest of the woodwind instruments). Hangs to the right side of the body while sitting or standing.
Requires more air than clarinet, but not as much as flute. Therefore, it’s an acceptable option for students with asthma.
Use of the upper lip is similar to clarinet, making it a good choice for students with cleft lip as well.
Case is heavier to carry, but manageable for students.
Sound Quality:
Louder than the other woodwind instruments with a beautiful and rich sound.
Mid-range in the band, and plays some melody as well as interesting harmony and countermelody.
Students looking to play in jazz band in high school may be interested in this instrument as it is a great jazz instrument.
May be difficult to control the volume of the saxophone at first.
Somewhat common to hear “squeaks” in the beginning, but like the clarinet, this is part of the learning process.
Other Considerations:
Needs a reed to produce sound. A single reed costs about $4, and a box of 10 reeds costs about $22. Students should go through about 2 boxes of reeds per year.
Beginners should start with a reed strength of “2” and move to a “2 ½ “ by the middle of their first year.
TRUMPET
Physical Considerations:
Held in the left hand and played with the first three fingers of the right hand.
Held in front of the body.
May not be appropriate for students with cleft lip as it uses lip muscles.
Works best with slightly smaller or thinner lips but can be played successfully with almost any lip size.
Requires the use of a stead air stream but does not use as much air as the other brass instruments, making it a better choice for students with asthma.
Sound Quality:
High and brilliant sound.
Louder than woodwind instruments, and are easy to hear in the band.
Plays a lot of melody and is the highest sounding brass instrument.
Requires buzzing of the lips to make sound. It takes time and patience to build these lip muscles, but it is usually possible to make some kind of sound during the first lesson.
Other Considerations:
Requires use of the ear to hear different notes and buzz the lips accordingly. Therefore, students with a “good ear” and who can sing “on pitch” tend to be more successful with trumpet and other brass instruments.
Nice compact size and weight.
Trumpet students may be good candidates to switch to the french horn in middle school.
TROMBONE
Physical Considerations:
Held in the left hand while the right hand holds the “slide” and moves it to one of seven positions.
Because of its size, it may not be appropriate for smaller students (trumpet and baritone would be better choices).
Takes a bit more coordination to hold than other instruments. Most students are able to handle it though.
May not be appropriate for students with cleft lip as it uses lip muscles.
May not be appropriate for students with asthma as it uses a lot of air.
Good choice for students with slightly fuller lips, although it can be played successfully with almost any lip size.
Sound Quality:
Full and low sound.
Has a large range. It can play low bass lines, exciting counter-melody and harmony parts, and even the melody.
Only instrument that can make a “sliding” sound called a glissando.
Other Considerations:
Reads in bass clef, which is new to some students, but can be learned quickly with CONSISTENT PRACTICE!
Piano students or cello students who know bass clef already have an even easier time learning trombone.
Because of the slide, students with a “good ear” and the ability to “sing on pitch” are more successful on trombone.
Long case, but it is manageable.
BARITONE
Physical Considerations:
Cradled in the left hand against the body and played with the first three fingers of the right hand.
May not be appropriate for students with cleft lip as it requires buzzing of the lip muscles.
May not be appropriate for students with asthma because it requires a lot of air.
Larger and heavier and works best with larger and taller students.
Good choice for students with slightly fuller lips, although it can be played successfully with almost any lip size.
Sound Quality:
Full and low sound that is similar to the trombone.
Plays low bass lines, exciting counter-melody and harmony parts, and even melody in the band.
Other Considerations:
One of the easiest instruments to begin making sound on.
Larger and heavier than most of the other instruments, especially when in its case.
Baritone students may be good candidates to switch to the tuba in middle/high school.
PERCUSSION (Snare Drum and Bells)
Physical Considerations:
Requires the use of both hands, and students stand to play (however arrangements can be made for students unable to stand).
Learn to play multiple instruments with different techniques, so it is a good choice for students who pick things up quickly and have good coordination.
The idea that “anyone” can play percussion is somewhat of a common misconception. Percussion instruments are actually some of the most difficult instruments to learn properly.
Students with a good steady beat and good hand-eye and body coordination are the most successful at learning percussion.
Sound Quality:
Typically the loudest in the band, although a convenient and quiet practice pad and bell set make practicing at home no louder than any other instrument.
Start on bells and transition to snare drum, although students may play other instruments in the concert such as triangle, crash cymbals, and slapsticks.
Other Considerations:
Due to the nature of playing in the percussion section, certain learning styles and personality traits tend to be better suited. Because it's common to have “down time” in the percussion section, students who are excellent at following directions, can remain attentive even when not playing, can organize their music and instruments without guidance, and who are not easily distracted will be the most successful.
Students who are easily distracted, have difficulty following directions, and need lots of supervision to stay organized may find percussion to be overwhelming, confusing, and difficult. These students may find one of the other instruments to be more enjoyable because you play on every piece.
Students who “just want to play drum set” may be better off taking private drum set lessons. They will not likely learn to play drum set in band.