Beginning Band

Instrument Descriptions

Flute Flutes are made of metal.  If you have ever made a sound by blowing across the top of a bottle, you know how to make sound on a flute — you blow across the tone hole.  If you have an overbite or large front teeth, you might have trouble getting a good sound.  If you are very small, you may need a special head joint that curves around.

Needed Accessories: cleaning rod & cotton swab, key oil, microfiber or polishing cloth 

Clarinet Clarinets are made of wood or plastic.  The clarinet has a mouthpiece and a single reed.  The reed is made of natural cane and will need to be replaced regularly.  When air is blown into the mouthpiece, the reed vibrates and the sound is made.  Almost anyone can produce a good sound on the clarinet, and even very small beginners find it easy to hold.

Required Consumables: reeds, cork grease, key oil

Needed Accessories: cleaning swab, mouthpiece brush

Saxophone Saxophones are made of metal.  The saxophone has a mouthpiece and a single reed.  The reed is made of natural cane and will need to be replaced regularly.  When air is blown into the mouthpiece, the reed vibrates and the sound is made. It is bigger that the clarinet and students use a neck strap to support the weight of the saxophone.

Required Consumables: reeds, cork grease, key oil

Needed Accessories: cleaning swab, mouthpiece brush

Trumpet Trumpets and French Horns are made of metal and use valves to change pitch.  The sound is made by the buzzing of the player’s lips.  Any fingering on the trumpet can make five or more different notes.  You need to have a good ear for music to know if you are playing the right note.

Required Consumables: valve oil, slide grease

Needed Accessories: cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

Trombone Trombones are made of metal and use a slide to change pitch.  The sound is made by the buzzing of the player’s lips.  If you can sing in tune, your ear for music is good enough to play the trombone.  If you are small, you may at first find it almost impossible to reach all the slide positions.  All you need is some patience until your arms have grown long enough to reach all positions.

Required Consumables: slide oil, slide grease

Needed Accessories: trombone cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

Baritone and Tuba Tubas and Baritones are made of metal and use valves to change pitch.  The sound is made by the buzzing of the player’s lips.  Good baritone and tuba players find it easier to be accepted into honor bands because fewer people learn to play the tuba or the baritone.  Almost anyone with a good ear for music can play the tuba and the baritone.  The size of the player is not nearly as important as the desire to play.  Lip size really doesn’t make a difference, and proper breathing is learned as the player develops.

Required Consumables: valve oil, slide grease

Needed Accessories: microfiber cloth, mouthpiece brush

Percussion Percussion instruments are shaken or hit to make a sound.  Some percussion instruments play melodies.  These are called tuned percussion.  You need a good sense of rhythm to become a good percussionist. Students who are taking percussion in beginner band rent a bell kit.  The bell kit includes a practice pad so that you can practice both melodies and snare drum parts at home. Drum sticks and bell mallets should be provided as part of the bell kit.

Note: Some bell kits come with very inexpensive bell mallets which may need to be replaced at some time during the school year.