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Rentals
Rentals
Percussionists must have a bell kit, snare or practice pad, mallets, and sticks at home to practice.
Centerville MS uses SweetwaterMusic and Allegro Music for all instrument rentals.
Both organizations have a "pure" rental model AND a "rent-to-own" model. Pure rentals are month to month payments and the rent to own model means that a portion of your rental fee goes towards buying the instrument. If you choose the rent to own model, the amount that goes towards your first instrument can also be applied to a step-up or new instrument down the road as well.
Allegro Music Rental Information
https://www.allegromusic.net/instrument-rentals
Sweetwater Music Rental Information
https://www.sweetwater.com/shop/735113-horner-middle-school/
Don't be shy, make sure to compare prices!
Buy Used
Buy Used
Percussionists must have a bell kit, snare or practice pad, mallets, and sticks at home to practice.
Personally, I have used musicgoround.com or reverb.com for my used instrument purchases. I like purchasing from this organization because each instrument is checked by a repair technician before being shipped out.
A few things to keep in mind:
instruments get jostled when shipped, instruments may need adjustments upon arrival
these used instruments will not look brand new because they are not brand new
if an instrument is marked "AS IS", then the instrument is meant to be used for parts and is most likely not playable
Buy New
Buy New
Percussionists must have a bell kit, snare or practice pad, mallets, and sticks at home to practice.
Some families prefer to purchase new for a variety of reasons. I've included links below so you will have the option to price compare from a variety of sources.
Allegro Music is a reputable instrument dealer, so you can call their number at: 510-793-3500 to inquire about prices.
Another great place to get percussion equipment is Steve Weiss Music (they have good sales often)
https://www.steveweissmusic.com/
Required Accessories
Required Accessories
Percussionists in all bands are required to have the following:
1. Pair of wood tip drum sticks. SD1 Generals are preferred.
2. Pair of medium rubber Bell/Xylophone Mallets.
3. Pair of medium yarn Vibes/Marimba Mallets.
4. A stick bag labeled with their name.
There are several brands which are acceptable for mallets:
1. Vic Firth – Allegro music carries this brand, along with most other stores. A very reliable and popular company.
a. Vibes/Marimba: M2 or M3
b. Xylo/Bells: M5 or M6
c. Snare: SD1 General
2. Mike Balter (any medium weight)
3. Innovative Percussion – this is my favorite brand.
a. Vibes/Marimba: F3.5, F5.5, or F1.5
b. Xylo/Bells: F12, OS3, or OS5
c. Snare: IP1 or IP-JC (very close to SD1 General)
4. Marimba One – very high quality mallets. They only make for vibes and marimba. “Round “Sound” is a good model.
A good quality set of sticks and mallets make an enormous difference in sound and comfort. Please don’t just buy the cheapest ones. Cheap mallets can cause serious damage to our school instruments. Do not use the “bendy” double sided mallets that are often included with student bell kids. Percussion is a musical instrument just like a flute or trumpet: they are not just there to hit things with whatever. If you are taking private lessons and your teacher wants you to use a specific stick or mallet, that is ok.
Metronome for home and school practice (phone apps are great for this too)
Wire Music Stand for home practice (this prevents physical injury over time): Wire Stand
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