Instrument Selection Guide

Flute

The flute makes the highest sound in the band. Because of the physical demands of playing in the upper register, this instrument requires a specific lip shape. It is necessary to create an extremely small aperture to play high notes on the flute. Unfortunately, very full or curvy lips or a top lip with a teardrop shape DO NOT work well. On the other hand, thinner lips that are even with a flat top lip are fantastic for playing the flute and are rewarded with gorgeous sounds!

After interviewing with the band directors, if you choose flute as your first choice, be sure to choose a large-class as your second choice (clarinet, trumpet, French Horn, trombone, euphonium).

Oboe

The oboe looks a lot like a clarinet but is played with a “double reed” instead of a single reed. The oboe produces a very unique, exotic and beautiful tone. It is a special “color instrument” in the band, considered a “solo instrument” at all times. Oboe students should relish the opportunity to be heard, to “sing” their part in the band. Because of the extremely flexible nature of the oboe, students must demonstrate an exceptional ability to “hear” and produce correct pitch.

Physical Characteristics: Because the embouchure (mouth position) requires equal pressure on both sides of the reed, students with profound overbites or underbites are not successful producing quality sounds on the oboe. Full, “cushy” lips are wonderful on oboe.

Other Considerations: Each year, between one and three 5th grade students are selected to play the oboe in the 6th grade. After interviewing with the band directors, if you choose oboe as your first choice, please be sure to choose a large-class as your second choice (clarinet, trumpet, French Horn, trombone, euphonium).

This is an advanced class. Only students with high academic performance records are considered for oboe. Students should be dedicated to their music education with the intention of working towards our advanced bands in Middle School and High School.

Students are required to maintain a supply of 3-4 high-quality reeds at all times.

Oboe is a school owned instrument. The financial trade-off for having to take lessons and keep a stock of working reeds is that the DISD provides the oboe (an extremely expensive instrument) for a cost of $125 maintenance fee for an entire school year. This fee covers general maintenance and yearly up keep, and is collected at the beginning of the school year. It’s a great deal!

Bassoon

The bassoon is the lowest sounding member of the woodwind family. It is similar to the oboe in that it uses a double reed to produce the sound. The bassoon produces a very unique, deep, rich tone. Like oboe, it is a very special “color instrument” in the band, considered a “solo instrument” at all times. Bassoon students should relish the opportunity to be heard, to “sing” their part in the band. Because of the extremely flexible nature of the bassoon, students must demonstrate an exceptional ability to “hear” and produce correct pitch.

Physical Characteristics: A slightly pronounced overbite works well (but is not required) for bassoon. A student with even a slight underbite should completely avoid this instrument. A medium or greater finger span is necessary and agile thumbs are a plus! Full, “cushy” lips are a plus!

Other Considerations: Each year, between one and three 5th grade students are selected to play the bassoon in the 6th grade. After interviewing with the band directors, if you choose bassoon as your first choice, please be sure to choose a large-class as your second choice (clarinet, trumpet, French Horn, trombone, euphonium).

This is an advanced class. Only students with high academic performance records are considered for bassoon. Students should be dedicated to their music education with the intention of working towards our advanced bands in Middle School and High School.

Students are required to maintain a supply of 3-4 high-quality reeds at all times.

Note: Students who participate in private lessons experience less frustration and statistically are more likely to continue their music education in high school. Because of the extremely low enrollment for bassoon students, we expect a high level of commitment. The bassoon is a prize!

Bassoon is a school owned instrument. The financial trade-off for having to take lessons and keep a stock of working reeds is that the DISD provides the bassoon (an extremely expensive instrument) for a cost of $125 maintenance fee for an entire school year. This fee covers general maintenance and yearly up keep, and is collected at the beginning of the school year. It’s a great deal!

Clarinet

The clarinet uses a “single reed” and mouthpiece to produce a beautiful sound. This is a very versatile instrument. It can play very high and very low. It has the largest range (the most number of notes) of all the instruments in the band! This is normally a large group of kids in the band with multiple parts so if you like playing solos there is a great part for you and if you like playing in a group there is a fabulous part for you too!

Physical Characteristics: The clarinet mouthpiece is held with your lips kind-of like holding a soda-straw in your mouth. Full lips are great. Curvy lips are great. Lots of lip-styles and faces are well suited for the clarinet!

Other Considerations: Willingness to purchase or rent a director-recommended clarinet is very important. Sadly, there are many clarinets on the market whose poor design and terrible craftsmanship make it difficult to impossible for a student to be successful on the clarinet. We are here to help you avoid a frustrating learning situation.

Alto Sax

The Alto Saxophone is a member of the woodwind family and uses a single reed and mouthpiece (like the clarinet) to produce the tone. The alto saxophone plays the “middle tones” in the band, not low or high. Rather than playing the melody in the band (like clarinet or flute) it more often plays the harmony or accompaniment. This is one of the smaller instrument groups in the band and therefore has a limited enrollment. After interviewing with the band directors, if you choose alto saxophone as your first choice, please be sure to choose a large-class as your second choice (clarinet, trumpet, French Horn, trombone, euphonium).

Physical Characteristics: Since the balance of the saxophone is maintained by the use of a neck strap, it is extremely important that students be able to sit up completely straight. Saxophone enjoys a “cushy” bottom lip, a “puckery” rather than “smiley” lip shape and a slightly pronounced overbite. It is imperative that the mouthpiece anchor securely on the upper teeth.

Other Considerations: Saxophone players are responsible for maintaining a working stock of 4-6 quality reeds. A box of 10 reeds costs $30.00 and can last (with proper care) up to 3 months.

Trumpet

The trumpet is the highest sounding instrument in the brass family. Sound is produced on the trumpet by blowing through a small mouthpiece. The trumpet often has the melody, so the band relies on trumpet players to get the job done! Natural-born leaders are a good choice for this instrument.

Physical Characteristics: There is nothing more fun than playing the trumpet if you are physically well suited for it! Unfortunately, because of the small size of the mouthpiece, very full or curvy lips or a top lip with a teardrop shape usually DO NOT work well. Not-so-large or thin lips that are even with a flat top lip are the very best for trumpet and are rewarded with gorgeous trumpet sounds!

Other Considerations: Students who choose and are selected to play trumpet begin on a cornet and later graduate to a trumpet. The smaller size and design of the cornet make correct fundamentals somewhat easier to achieve for most young trumpet players. If you already own a trumpet, don’t worry; we can check it out to be sure it works for you.

French Horn

The French Horn is a member of the brass family. Like the trumpet, the sound of the French Horn is produced by blowing into a small mouthpiece. The French Horn has the largest range (the most number of notes) of the brass instruments. It can play very low and very high. It has both a uniquely warm and beautiful sound as well as an ability to be exceptionally strong and powerful.

Because of the acoustical nature of the French Horn, one can play many different notes in the same position (fingering). Because of this special quality, students with highly developed musical ears find the French Horn very easy to master. If you have experience in music, a great “ear” or simply an uncanny ability to match pitch, French Horn may be the perfect instrument for you!

Physical Characteristics: Evenly shaped lips that are “not too full” are best on French horn. However, this instrument can accommodate a variation of lip shapes and sizes. Slightly curvy can work well. Slightly pronounced overbites are okay too.

Other Considerations: The French Horn class is an advanced class with the privilege of using school owned instruments. Students should be dedicated to their music education with the intention of working towards our advanced bands in middle and high school. This is a good instrument choice for students who have participated in piano lessons or honor choir groups.

A French Horn is provided for each student at a cost of $125 maintenance fee for an entire school year. This fee covers general maintenance and yearly up keep, and is collected at the beginning of the school year.

Trombone

The trombone is a member of the brass family. Blowing into a large mouthpiece produces sound on the trombone; therefore, it is a low brass instrument, producing deep, rich and often extremely powerful tones. The trombone is unique in that rather than valves like the other brass instruments, the trombone changes notes by using a slide. Trombone players rely on their memory and listening skills to hear if they are “in tune,” with the slide in the perfect position (the slide is not marked or notched). Therefore, students with outstanding “musical ears” thrive on the trombone!

Physical Characteristics: Trombone players come in all shapes and sizes. Students should have a willingness to play “loud” at times! The instrument looks large but it is not heavy. The large trombone mouthpiece happily accommodates most lip shapes!

Euphonium

The euphonium (you-PHONE-nee-yum), sometimes known as the baritone, is a member of the brass family. Blowing into a large mouthpiece produces the sound; therefore it is a low brass instrument, producing deep, rich and often extremely powerful tones. The sound is similar to that of a trombone, but it uses valves (like trumpet) instead of a slide (like trombone).

Physical Characteristics: Euphonium players come in all shapes and sizes. The instrument looks large but it sits on your lap (you do not have to hold it up!) so it is not heavy. Students should have a willingness to play “loud” at times! The large euphonium mouthpiece happily accommodates most lip shapes!

Other Considerations: Euphonium is a school-owned instrument. DISD provides Euphoniums for students at a cost of $125 maintenance fee for an entire school year. This fee covers general maintenance and yearly up keep, and is collected at the beginning of the school year.

tuba

The tuba is the lowest sounding member of the brass family and often considered the most important. Blowing into a large mouthpiece produces the sound; therefore it is a low brass instrument, producing deep, rich and often extremely powerful tones. It is similar to the upright bass in orchestra.

Physical Characteristics: Tuba players come in all shapes and sizes. The instrument looks large but it sits on your lap (you do not have to hold it up!) so it is not heavy. Students should have a willingness to play “loud” at times! The large tuba mouthpiece happily accommodates most lip shapes! Full lips are a plus!

Other Considerations: Tuba a school-owned instrument. DISD provides tubas for students at a cost of $125 maintenance fee for an entire school year. This fee covers general maintenance and yearly up keep, and is collected at the beginning of the school year.

Percussion

In addition to drums (snare, bass, timpani), percussion includes the keyboard instruments (bells, xylophone, marimba) cymbals and accessory instruments (triangle, tambourine, maracas, etc.).

The percussion section provides the fundamental pulse (heartbeat) of the band. For this reason, percussionists are very carefully selected following a percussion “rhythm and coordination” evaluation.

Percussion is an advanced class. Students should be dedicated to their music education with the intention of working towards our advanced bands in Middle School and High School.

Note: rhythm is integral to playing any instrument in the band. If you love rhythm, you will be a great band student on any instrument! Be sure to have multiple choices in mind!

Physical Characteristics: Potential percussionists must exhibit a great deal of coordination and control in gross and fine motor skills. A strong feeling of time (pulse) and the ability to coordinate rhythm and pulse is critical.

Other Considerations: Percussion are school-owned instruments. DISD provides instruments for students at a cost of $50 (for beginners) and $125 (for 7/8th graders) maintenance fee for an entire school year. This fee covers general maintenance and yearly up keep, and is collected at the beginning of the school year.

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