Brass

Always check with the director before purchasing a new instrument! There are many inferior instruments on the market that have attractive prices up-front. These will generally cost you more in the future. If studying privately, always check with your private instructor before purchasing an instrument.

All students need a metronome and a tuner (these make a great gift)

Trumpet:

Instrument: Bach Stradivarius 180

Mouthpiece: Bach 3C

Books: Concert Studies for Trumpet (Curnow Music/Hal Leonard), Arban’s Famous

Method for Trumpet

Horn:

Instrument: Conn 8D or 10D Double Horn, Yamaha 667

Mouthpiece: Farkas Med. Cup, Giardinelli C12, Laskey 75

Books: Rubank Advanced Method Vol. 2, Pottag 335 Selected Melodious Progressive

and Technical Etudes (Bk 1), Pottag Method for Horn (Book 2), Maxime-

Alphonse: (Book 2, 3, 4), Farkas "Art of French Horn," Brophy "Embouchure

Building"

Trombone:

Instrument: Bach Stradivarius 42B

Mouthpiece: Bach 5, Schilke 51D, Denis Wick 5AL

Books: Arban’s Famous Method for Trombone, Rochut’s Melodious Etudes for

Trombone (Book 1), Voxman Selected Studies for Trombone

Euphonium:

Intermediate Instrument: Yamaha YEP321

Advanced Instrument: Yamaha YEP642, Besson BE968, Besson 2051

Mouthpiece: Bach 5, Schilke 51D, Denis Wick 5AL

Books: Arban’s Famous Method for Trombone, Rochut’s Melodious Etudes for

Trombone (Book 1), Voxman Selected Studies for Trombone

Tuba:

Instrument: Tubas by Yamaha, St. Petersburg, Conn, and Miraphone

Mouthpiece: Conn Helleberg, Bach 18, Bach 24AW

Books: Rubank Advanced Method Vol. 2, Kopprasch 60 Selected Studies for BBb Tuba

Brass Instrument Maintenance

General

• Run lukewarm water through the instrument at least once a week and give it a bath at least once a month. Never use hot water.

• Wear cotton gloves while playing and wipe off all fingerprints after each use.

• Never use brass or other metal polish on brass lacquer finish (shiny gold) instruments.

Use a clean cotton cloth and water to wipe instruments clean. On silver-plated instruments, use a non-abrasive silver polish such as International, Twinkle, or Wright's.

• Use tuning slide grease on all tuning slides.

• Periodically check corks on water keys to make sure that they are sealing properly.

• Occasionally vacuum your case to keep sand and dirt from scratching the instrument finish

• All students need a metronome and a tuner

Piston-Valve Instruments

• Use fresh valve oil as needed.

• Be sure fingers remain curved while playing so that the valve action is straight up and down. This will avoid uneven wear on the pistons.

• Check felts to make sure that they are not worn or compacted. Replace as needed.

Trombones

• Use trombone slide cream such as Super-Slick or Trombotine and a spray bottle of water

on slide. Do not use oil.

• If trombone has a rotary trigger, use rotary valve oil.

Rotary Valve Instruments

• Use rotary valve oil