Instrument/Materials

Daily Needs and Instrument Recommendations

Daily Needs

All Hawk Musicians will need the following items daily:

Pencil
1" Black Binder with sheet protectors.
Instrument and accessories listed below
Class Book: (can be purchased on Sweetwater) I have a classroom set of these books but it is nice for students to have their own.
- 6th Grade Orchestra: Habits of a Successful Young String Musician Book 1
- 6th Grade Band: Habits of a Successful Beginner Band Musician
- 7/8th Grade Orchestra: Habits of a Successful Young String Musician Book 2
- 7/8 Grade Band: Habits of a Successful Middle School Musician

Instruments are an essential piece of equipment for our classes! Taking good care of your instrument is an excellent time to learn responsibility. Ensembles require balance of instrument types, 6th students will pick a first choice and second choice instrument after doing some testing! If you can not afford an rental instrument, we have a good amount of instruments available at Horizon. First Day of Instruments for 6th grade is 9/15. There is a rental night at Evergreen Middle School at 6 PM on September 2nd.

7/8th Grade Students please have your instrument ready for check on Wednesday, September 3rd.

A few important things for instrument care:

Always wipe down string instruments/swab woodwind instruments and put in their case after practing or playing in class.
Never leave your instrument in a vehicle unattended (both for weather issues and property theft!)
Your instrument is for your use only, don't allow friends or younger siblings to use it.
Always take your instrument to either Mr. Newbill, or a local music store for repair.

Brands and Local Stores

Please connect with Mr. Newbill before making an instrument purchase for your student! Oftentimes the cheapest instruments can not be repaired, and end up being useless after a few months. Many local places have rent to own programs, with a lot of features to get the most for your money. A functioning instrument is the first roadblock to success for a young student

Strings: Yamaha, Custom Strings (local), Fiddlershop, Shar Music, Shen

Woodwinds/Brass: Yamaha, Selmer, Backun, Jupiter

Local Stores: Clearwater Valley, Hoffman Music, Amends Music, Custom Strings

Strings

All String players need to have trimmed fingernails at all times. It is essential to playing a string instrument and building correct muscle memory.

Violin/Violas:

Functioning instrument, bow, case, cleaning cloth, rosin, and a shoulder rest.

Cello/Bass:

Instrument or School Instrument (potential for at home cello - school cello if you connect with me), bow, case, cleaning cloth, rosin, and rock stop.

Students who need a school instrument will connect with Mr. Newbill in the first week of school.

Woodwinds

Flutes:

Functioning instrument, case, cleaning swab.

Clarinet/Saxophones:

Functioning instrument, case, cleaning swab, cork grease, and neck strap for saxophones.

Reed recommendation:

6th Grade: Orange Box Rico: 2, 2.5 or 3

7/8th: Blue Box Rico Royal: Clarinets: 3, Alto/Tenor: 2.5-3 (depends on you and your mouthpiece)

The best upgrade you can make to your clarinet or saxophone is mouthpiece. I highly recommend Clark Fobes Debut for all middle school musicians!

Brass

Trumpets:

Functioning instrument, case, mouthpiece, and valve oil. Stay consistent with the brand of valve oil, I recommend blue juice, but if you mix different types it can create a "glue" like effect.

French Horns:

Functioning instrument, case, mouthpiece, and rotor oil. Stay consistent with the brand of rotor oil.

Trombone:

Functioning instrument, case, mouthpiece, spray bottle w/water and slide oil/cream. Stay consistent with the brand of slide oil/cream.

Baritone/Tuba:

Functioning instrument, case, mouthpiece, and valve oil. Stay consistent with the brand of valve oil, I recommend blue juice, but if you mix different types it can create a "glue" like effect.

The best upgrade you can make to your brass instrument is a quality mouthpiece.

Trumpet: 3C

Baritone/Trombone: Bach 6 1/2 AL

Percussion

Percussionists play a variety of instruments. Most of these are already at HMS! A percussion student is expected to provide:

SD1 drum sticks Vic Firth or Promark

Practice Pad: Evans RealFeel is the best option that combines price/quietness/feel.

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