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Orchestra Supplies
I know it can be so confusing (and expensive!) to try to find supplies for stringed instruments--especially if you are like most people and don't know anything about these instruments. I have assembled some information below and have included some links to where you may order these at a discount over the prices in our local music stores. Please read size information correctly (especially as it pertains to shoulder rests). If you have a question about the size of your child's instrument, please feel free to contact me--I will be happy to help you! You can also look inside the instrument through one of the holes on the front shaped like the letter "f." You will see the ID tag with the maker's name, the date and often times a size indication inside. Again, if you have any questions about anything supply-related, please let me know and I will be happy to help you!
Necessary Items
Instruments:
An awesome orchestra teacher once told me that one of the scariest days of her teaching career came about when she saw violins for sale on one of the end caps in Target. I know that we all want to find bargains, but I would just like to say that where musical instruments are concerned, you REALLY get what you pay for. I have seen so many well-meaning people lose so much money on "cheap" instruments they find on ebay, craigslist, facebook market and at department stores. We call these "VSOs"--Violin Shaped Objects. These instruments are seldom constructed well and set the student up for failure with an instrument that just doesn't hold up well to even the most careful use. Some great student model instruments that are tried and true are: Glaesel, Scherl and Roth, and Knilling. You can find these for sale in the paper and in local music shops in the area. You can find really great deals on used instruments as well! I am always happy to help you with your decision before you ever spend any money.
***Please understand that while colored instruments and bows are great for flashy solo performances, they are not permitted for use in our school orchestra.***
Please contact me when you are ready to make an instrument purchase and I will be glad to help steer you in the right direction!
Book:
This year we will be using Essential Elements for Strings Book 1. You can purchase this book from Amazon or our local music stores Musician Supply (in Murraywood shopping center), Star Music (in Seven Oaks shopping center), and Sims music (down St. Andrews Road near Broad River Road). Please be sure to double check that you have the correct book for the instrument your child plays! The name of the instrument appears on the upper right hand corner of cover of the book.
Three-Ring Binder:
Students will need a three-ring binder (half-inch width is fine) of any color for their books and music. I will be happy to hole-punch their books so they can be kept inside the binder. All of the sheet music I pass out to them should be kept in their binders along with practice records and any other handouts we may have. Students should also have a pencil in their binders as well. Pencil pouches are a nice organized way to keep pencils and erasers in an orchestra binder.
Rosin:
Rosin is used on the bows to help them make sound. It usually comes in a small square or rectangular box and is VERY fragile. Chances are all students would appreciate a nice new cake of rosin! A piece of rosin should be included in each instrument rental--check to make sure it is there before you leave the store. Rosin is pretty inexpensive (less than $5.00) and can best be purchased in a local music store. A little more expensive, but really fun is "Rockin Rosin." This rosin is made in specialty shapes that the kids love, but costs a little more--around $12 each. It might be nice for a gift or special occasion!
Rock Stop:
Rock stops are an essential accessory for any cello or bass player. Rock stops provide excellent stability, help to improve posture and protect your floors from being scratched or damaged.
Shoulder Rest:
Shoulder rests are a MUST for violin and viola players, especially as we work on advanced concepts this year that require perfect posture. I recommend the Kun shoulder pad (pictured above) as it is built well and holds up well to the abuse of a 5th grader. You can often find these much cheaper online.
Please be careful to enter the correct instrument size in the drop down menu on the page.
1/2, 3/4 and 4/4 (full sized) violins
***13 and 14 inch violas use 4/4 violin shoulder pads***
15 inch and larger violas will use a special viola shoulder rest.
**Extra hint: Shoulder rests do not fit in most instrument cases. It is good to have a shoulder rest case that clips to the exterior of the instrument case to hold the shoulder rest, since bookbags may be detrimental to a shoulder rest. You can find these in several different colors in the local music stores.
Cleaning Cloth:
To keep the instrument clean from rosin dust accumulating on the rosin use an old t-shirt, microfiber cleaning cloth or soft instrument cloth.
Music stand:
Music stands are a must for good practice at home. They promote good posture while practicing and will be used in concerts for years to come. This is a staple that all music students should have. I am providing a link to a very inexpensive model, but there are MANY varieties, depending on how much money you wish to spend. Here is my recommendation for a Stand.
Purchase As Needed
Extra strings:
Having an extra set of strings available is SUCH a convenience! If a string breaks in class and a student has an extra on hand, I can replace the string in about a minute and the student loses no class time. Much money can be saved by purchasing a set online as opposed to running out to the local music store and buying one emergency string at a time! It's like having a spare tire when you need it. I recommend the D'Addario Prelude Strings for this age--they are strong strings, priced fairly, and hold up well. Here are some links by instrument (check sizes carefully!). We use ball end strings--no loop end. You can buy individual strings, but you save money on the sets--they are sold at the bottom of the drop down list that appears on the web page:
Violin
Viola
Cello
Bass
Tuner:
The students will be learning how to tune their instruments this year in orchestra class! We will be using the Snark tuners similar to the one in the picture above. I know that many students have smart phones and tablets that will have apps that can do a fine job of tuning instruments. Most of these tuner apps are even free! However, if you would like to purchase one of the Snark tuners, here is a link to the tuner on Amazon.
Metronome:
Metronomes are used a great deal in music to practice to a steady beat. We frequently use a metronome in class, and I encourage the students to practice at home with a metronome as well. There is a free one for use online that can be found here or a drum machine that helps keep a steady beat. If you would like to purchase an inexpensive one online, here is a good link for you from Amazon.
Instrument polish:
Stringed instruments require a special kind of polish for the wood and varnish. Instruments should be polished about once a month to keep them looking nice. Please don't be tempted to use furniture polish on a stringed instrument! You can purchase instrument polish in the local stores.
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