Instrumental Music Karate Program 2025-2026 Curriculum
Level One: Instrument Basics
White Belt
-Obtain an instrument and bring it to class
Yellow Belt
-Assemble instrument and prepare for lesson independently, in under five minutes
Orange Belt
-Hold instrument and produce a basic sound with proper technique
Level Two: Intermediate Technique
Green Belt
-Woodwinds and Brass: Five seconds of sustained sound
-Snare: Five-second buzz roll
-Mallets: Whole note with proper muting
Blue Belt
-Flute: Play any note (Bb or C, for example) in two octaves, with tongue articulation
-Clarinet and Sax: Ligature test
-Brass: Produce a long tone on two partials, with tongue articulation
-Snare: “Merrily We Roll Along” with multiple bounce strokes
-Mallets: Bb Major Scale
Purple Belt
-Clarinet and Sax: Play a low G, D respectively (can be descended to one note at a time)
-Flute: Five note scale on Bb, up and down
-Brass: Lower case “m” (Play partials 1 2 1 2 1)
-Snare: Advanced Rhythms Studies #1-6
-Mallets: Chromatic Scale
Level Three: Advanced Technique/ Band Music
Red Belt
-Flute: “D/C Challenge”
-Clarinet: Play any note above ‘the break’ for five seconds
-Sax: Overtone matching at the octave
-Brass: Play the third partial note
-Snare: Auxiliary percussion piece (student’s choice)
-Mallets: C, F, And Bb Major Scales
Brown Belt
-All: Play “To a New Beginning” by James Swearingen with recording
Black Belt
-Woodwinds, Mallets: Play “Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Potter
-Brass: Upper case “M” (Play partials 1 2 3 2 3 2 1)
-Snare: “Sticking with it” etude
A few notes about band karate:
Belts must be earned in order
Classes for first year band students will start with level one, white belt
Second year band students will test into their starting belts. We will be starting with a very brief review of level one and green belt. The core content for second year students begins with blue belt.
Students must earn an orange belt rank in order to participate in full band, as those are prerequisite tasks/ skills for rehearsal.
This is a fun, challenging, and rewarding approach to practicing. However, it is not intended to pressure students to earn a black belt, or even make it to level three! Everyone learns at a different pace, and, while leveling up is a great achievement, it is by no means the only measure of success.