Percussion requires a few different supplies, all of which are very important.

• Mallet and stick set with a stick bag - many of the instruments students will be playing on are school-owned, but students will need to have their own mallets and sticks to play the instruments with, as well as a stick bag to keep track of them.

• Bell set - the bell set is the beginning instrument for all the melodic percussion instruments. This is what students will play 90% of the time in 5th grade band. Often you can find bell sets that come with a stand and case; the stand isn't necessary, but a case is necessary to prevent damage when students transport them to and from school.

• Tradition of Excellence Percussion Book 1

Students do not need a drum of any kind. The school owns several drums, and students will not play on them until the very end of 5th grade.

Todd Manning, the owner of Manning Music, said his shop has a mallet kit that includes all the mallets I require for the same price range as the Amazon options. This is the best deal I can find. Give them a call at 785-272-1740 or visit their store in Topeka or Manhattan to purchase. If you order over the phone, they will deliver to the school the next time they visit.

Percussion is one of the "instruments" students can start band on. Percussion is a large family of instruments, and students will eventually learn how to play many of them. About 90% of percussionists' time in 5th grade band will be spent on bells (keyboards).

Mrs. Topp hosts a try out night at SES each spring for 4th graders to try each of the different starter band instruments (flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and percussion). All students are STRONGLY encouraged to try all of these instruments before making a definite decision.

A person's success on an instrument is largely influenced by the effort and time that is dedicated to learning and practicing the instrument. However, there are some physical characteristics that can make playing the flute easier. Click on the link below to read more.

what instrument(s) should i buy?

When percussionists are young, it's difficult to tell what aspect of percussion they will really get into. Percussion is such a huge array of instruments that it can be daunting to try to decide what to buy and when. Unless your child is 110% committed and is taking weekly private lessons, I would not buy anything besides the stick and mallet set and set of bells on the supply list.

Later on, as students start to find what they like and where their talents lie, you may decide that your child would really like to learn drum set or marimba. I would only purchase instruments like this if the student is taking lessons and/or practicing multiple times a week.

upgraded equipment

If a percussionist wants to improve or add to their existing equipment, there is literally no limit to how much money they can spend or how many different things they can buy. Also, percussionists in school often are provided with instruments, so there isn't a real need to buy any instruments.

Something every percussionist should have is a good pair of drum sticks. There are endless options, but Vic Firth is the brand you should go with; thinner, lighter sticks for drum set and thicker, heavier sticks for marching snare. Concert snare sticks should be in the middle or more toward drum set style sticks. A drummer who plays in a small group might also consider purchasing a pair of brushes for more subdued sound.

A well-rounded percussionist should have a few different pairs of mallets: softer and harder yarn mallets (for marimba and suspended cymbal), medium or hard xylophone mallets, nylon or brass bell mallets, softer timpani mallets, and medium or harder timpani mallets (and a stick bag to hold them all).

Drum sets - many percussionists want to have a drum set at home to practice on. While you can buy a cheap set just for practice purposes, if there is any possibility that you might use your drum set to perform on, you'll want to consider a better quality kit. Again, there are a vast array of materials, colors, hardware, drum heads, and accessories you can deck out your set with, but there are some important building blocks to start with.

Reputable drum brands for drum shell packs: Yamaha, Ludwig, Pearl, Mapex, and TAMA

Reputable cymbal brands: Zildjian, Sabian, Paiste, Meinl

Reputable drum head brands: Evans, Remo

In addition to drum shells, cymbals, and heads, you'll need cymbal stands, a bass drum pedal, and a throne.