Students need the materials below in order to fully participate in band. The materials in this section are for all musicians, with specific instrument guidance occuring down further down the page:

• For All Musicians

  • Chromebook (charged and ready)

  • Headphones (on occasion)

  • An instrument in good playing condition

  • A strong instrument case, to protect your investment

  • A name tag or label on the case, so it doesn't get mixed up with anyone else's, and can be easily returned if left on a bus, for example

  • Extra reeds, valve/slide oil, cork grease, cleaning supplies, and/or any special equipment your instrument requires.

  • Music stand for home practice

  • 1 - 1 1/2" dedicated Black binder

    • 3-ring pencil pouch (will live in the binder)

    • 1 Mechanical pencil or 2 sharpened traditional pencils

    • 1 Big "pink" eraser

    • 1 Highlighter (any color)

    • Plastic Sheet Protectors (about 30)

• For Wind Players (Flute, Oboe, Clarinets, Saxophones, Bassoon, Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Baritone/Euphonium, Tuba):

  • Korg TM-60 or TM-50 combo chromatic tuner metronome, with Peterson TP3 microphone attachment (no clip on style tuners) Similar combo devices are permitted

• Tuner and metronome Apps and websites are acceptable for home use, but not in school.

• For Percussionists:

  • Korg MA-2 or similar metronome. No microphone is needed.

  • Stick bag with: 2 pair of drumsticks, 1 pair of bell mallets, 1 pair of Stagg xylophone mallets, 1 pair of timpani mallets, and a rubber practice pad and bell kit for at-home practice.

• Tuner and metronome Apps and websites are acceptable for home use, but not in school.

Remember when acquiring an instrument, like anything else, you get what you pay for. A bargain is rarely a bargain, therefore it is best to purchase/rent-to-own your child's instrument from a reputable music store. For musician's who are just beginning their musical journey, the instruments and mouthpieces provided at the music store are more than capable to begin the musical journey. As your musician continues through middle, high school and college, however, you may wish to upgrade the instrument to one of professional quality.

The Instrument

The following is a list of quality instrument brands that are highly recommended by school band directors. The models with asterisks next to them are personally recommended by me. None of the manufacturers are listed in any particular order.

Flutes: Yamaha*, Selmer*, Gemeinhardt*, Jupiter*, Armstrong, Artley, Pearl, Leblanc, Hanes (Upgraded flutes should be open-hole with a B-foot)

Oboe:  Loree*, Fox-Renard*, Selmer*

Clarinets: Yamaha*, Buffet*, Leblanc, Jupiter*

Saxophones: Yamaha*, Selmer*, Armstrong, Jupiter

Trumpets: Yamaha*, Bach*, Jupiter, Schilke

French Horns: Holten, Conn, JZ

Trombones: Yamaha*, Bach*, Conn*, King, Jupiter, Eastman*

Euphoniums: Yamaha*, Jupiter*

Percussion: Ludwig*, Pearl*

• More info below

The Mouthpiece

If an instrument upgrade is not in the immediate future, then consider upgrading to a better quality mouthpiece.  A good mouthpiece can dramatically change the quality of an instrument's tone, and make it much easier for your child to play in tune, or extreme ranges of the instrument.  This is especially true of woodwind instruments.

Here are some recommended mouthpiece brands and models; a private lesson instructor may have other:

Clarinet: *Vandoren B45, Vandoren 5RV Lyre, Vandoren M13, Gennusa - Mezzo, Gennusa - Excellente, Redwine

Saxophone: *Selmer C*(star), *Hite Premiere

French Horn: Holten Farkas MDC

Trumpet: Bach 7C or other size based on recommendation of private instructor or band director

Trombones: Bach 12C (small shank)

Euphonium: Schilke 51(small shank)

The Reed (Clarinets, Saxophones, Oboes, and Bassoons)

The reed is responsible for a big part of whether or not your child will have success on their instrument. Reeds are disposable. Quality reeds will last longer - with care - than cheaper reeds, therefore would be the best economic choice.

To use an analogy, given to me by a friend: Think of the mouthpiece as an electric guitar, the instrument as the amplifier, and the reed as the guitar strings. Yes, the strings are the least expensive part of the equation and can be replaced, but they are the source of the sound, and actually, the most important part of the setup. With a broken or dead string, a $10,000 guitar is useless. With a $10,000 amp and a $100 guitar with dead strings, no amount of talent will produce a good sound. The sound begins with vibration. The better the reed (or strings in the analogy), the better the vibrations, and the better the resulting sound.

• Oboe: At least 3 CANE reeds (1 SYNTHETIC reed is allowed) {Reeds should be medium soft in strength}, Reed case

• Clarinets (B-Flat [Bb] and Bass [Bb Bass]): Vandoren - Blue Box, size 2 1/2 or 3 for Concert or Symphonic Bands; size 2 or 2 1/2 for Beginning Band), Juno Reeds - Beginning Band ONLY, size 2 1/2 or 3, Reed case (must hold at least 4 reeds)

• Saxophones (Alto, Tenor, Bari): Vandoren - Blue Box, size 2 1/2 or 3 for Concert or Symphonic Bands; size 2 or 2 1/2 for Beginning Band), Juno Reeds - Beginning Band ONLY, size 2 1/2 or 3, Reed case (must hold at least 4 reeds)

• Bassoon: At least 3 CANE reeds) (1 SYNTHETIC reed is allowed) {Reeds should be medium soft in strength}, Reed case

The "Accessories"

• Flute: Flute swab (microfiber preferred), Cleaning rod (may be included with flute rental), Soft cloth for absorbing moisture and wiping off fingerprints

• Oboe: Oboe swab (silk preferred), cork grease, (See above for reed information)

• Clarinets: Clarinet swab (microfiber preferred), cork grease (See above for reed information)

• Saxophones: Swab {for that particular type of saxophone} (microfiber preferred), comfortable neck strap, cork grease, (See above for reed information)

• Bassoon: Bassoon swabs (silk or microfiber preferred), cork grease, (See above for reed information)

• Trumpets & Other Valve Brass: Soft rag, flexible cleaner, valve oil, tuning slide grease or petroleum jelly (i.e. Vaseline)

• Trombones: Soft rag, flexible cleaner,liquid slide cream or slide oil, tuning slide grease or petroleum jelly (i.e. Vaseline)

• Percussion: "Stick" bag, capable of holding up to 8 pairs of sticks and/or mallets, 2 pair (4 sticks) Vic Firth SD-1 or similar, 1 pair of birch handled Xylophone/Bell mallets, and 1 pair Stagg Timpani mallets, or similar general timpani mallet

Percussion Students

The percussion instruments & equipment that are used in daily rehearsals are provided by JMMS for student use.  However, for home practice percussionists will need the following items:

• Percussion Kit - A bell kit by Pearl or Ludwig (contains practice pad, bells, sticks & bell mallets, available at music stores)

• Marching Band Drum Sticks are not allowed