You can get an instrument from Zeswitz Music (see below), or other musical instrument distributor. We highly recommend choosing the 9 month lease option. This will cover you through the spring performances. Each school has a limited number of instruments available for loan. Please contact your teacher for more information.  

Be cautious with online purchases! There are many imitators of musical instruments on the market from all around the world.  A guideline to follow:  be wary of purchasing an instrument where you can buy food or clothing.

When shopping for music instrument providers  consider asking the following:

• Does the music store pick-up and drop-off weekly at the school building?

• Does the music store provide repair service included in the instrument rental price?

• Does the music store provide a loaner instrument at no additional cost during a repair for your child to repair. Some stores do not provide loaner instruments, so students are left without an instrument to practice during the repair.

• Does 100% the monthly rental cost go directly towards the eventual purchase of the instrument or the purchase of an instrument upgrade?

PERCUSSIONISTS

Students learning drums or mallets will need a "percussion kit" (pictured at right) which is a musical instrument kit that contains 

• a bell set and stand to rest the bells on

• a snare drum and stand to rest the drum on

• a rubber practice pad that lies flat on the top of the drum, 

• drum sticks for the drum,

• and mallets for the bell set. 

When you contact a music store using our store listings at the bottom of this page, please ask your store representative how to place an order for a percussion kit that includes a bell set and a snare drum, not just a drum practice pad, to make sure your child can continue to have the learning materials required to participate in the band program.

Using your own family musical instrument:

Having an instrument in good working order will help your child start the school year off right in band class. Below are some common problems seen with music instruments in disrepair.

• Woodwinds: air leaks, pad worms, dried-out corks, old reeds

• Brass: jammed tuning slide, jammed valve slides, jammed valves

Help your child stay on pace in band class by taking your instrument to a music store so it is ready to play. Ask your music store for use of a loaner instrument if the repair will last more than several days. The loaner helps your child continue to practice during the repair.

A folding music stand is necessary for home practice. We will also use them for full band rehearsals and also our full band concert performances.

Most of the following cleaning and maintenance supplies are included with instrument rental contracts. If you are not renting an instrument be sure to share these supplies with a music store or contact your child's music teacher for help using the information on our Contact page.

• Flute: cleaning rod and cloth

• Clarinet: drop cloth, cork grease, at least 2 reeds

• Bass Clarinet: drop cloth, cork grease, at least 2 reeds

• Alto Sax: neck strap, drop cloth, cork grease, at least 2 reeds

• Tenor Sax: neck strap, drop cloth, cork grease, at least 2 reeds

• Baritone Sax: neck strap, drop cloth, cork grease, at least 2 reeds

• Trumpets: valve oil, tuning slide grease

• Trombone: slide grease, tuning slide grease

• Baritone Horn: valve oil, tuning slide grease

• Tuba: valve oil, tuning slide grease

• Percussion: In the SGC all students learn drum and mallets to train to be a whole-percussionist.

  • A percussion kit is therefore needed for the SGC. This kit includes drums a drum and glockenspiel. Drum pads are great to have for practice but a percussion kit with a real snare drum will be needed for concert performances. 

This learning tool will help your child learn to play to the steady beat as they practice with it every day. Students can also use online metronomes or metronome mobile apps; however, many students find an external metronome with a light, kickstand, and earphone jack very helpful