SignalMountainMiddleSchoolBand

6thGradeInstrumentSelectionGuide

Choosinganinstrumentisanexcitingfirststeptolearningmusic!Thisguidewillexplainhowtheinstrumentselectionprocessworksandinformationabouteachinstrument.

InstrumentSelectionProcess

Inband,studentslearnhowtoplayoneinstrumentforanentireschoolyear.Beginningbandinstrumentsincludeflute,clarinet,altosaxophone,trumpet,Frenchhorn,trombone,baritone,tuba,andpercussion.Startingin7thgrade,weoffersomeadditionalinstruments:oboe,bassoon,bassclarinet,tenorsaxophone,andbaritonesaxophone.

Itisimportanttounderstandthatthereareasetnumberofstudentsselectedtoplayeachinstrumentdependingonthesizeoftheband.Thiswillensureanenjoyablemusicalexperienceforeveryone.Thebanddirectorwilltrytoaccommodatetherequestsoftheparentorstudent.However,spotsforaninstrumentmustfollowtwoguidelines:1.ThestudentmustachieveaminimumscoreonthatinstrumentandbeapprovedbyMr.Buckner,2.Multiplestudentsthatareapprovedonaparticularinstrumentwillbeselectedonafirst-come-firstservedbasis.ScoresoninstrumentsaredoneatThrasherandNolanElementaryeachyear,aswellasoninformationalmeetinginthemiddleschoolbandroomeachMay.Studentsthatalreadytriedoutinstrumentswillalsobeabletotryanyinstrumentagainthatnight.

Instruments

FluteThefluteisthesmallestofthebeginnerinstruments.Itisaverypopularselectioneachyear,butonlyasmallportionofthosewishingtoplayflutewillbeselected.PhysicalCharacteristics:Fluteplayersshouldhaveaslight“frown”totheupperlipwithNOteardropshapeinthemiddle.Flutetonesareproducedbybeingabletofocusanextremelysmallairstreamtoanexactlocationonthetonehole.Thetear-drop-shapedlipwillmakeitdifficulttodirecttheairsoprecisely.Fluteplayersshouldalsohaveagilefingersformovingthismulti-keyedinstrumentthroughafastmusicalpassage.Studentswithextremeoverbites(recededjaw)shouldavoidchoosingfluteasthismakesitdifficulttoproducequalitysounds.Flexiblelowerlipdesirable.OtherConsiderations:Studentswithdouble-jointedfingersshouldavoidselectingfluteasthisconditioncancauselackofagilityinthefingers.Bracesok.

FlutePersonality:Careful,Patient,Studious

ClarinetTheclarinetusesa“singlereed”andamouthpiecetoproducethesound.Clarinetisapopularinstrumenteachyearandmanystudentswillgettheopportunitytoplay.PhysicalCharacteristics:Onenecessityofclarinettoneproductionistheabilitytomakethechinflat.OtherConsiderations:Studentswhohavedifficultyrememberingaseriesofinstructionsshouldavoidplayingclarinet.Clarinetplayersarealsoresponsibleformaintainingaworkingstockof4-6qualityreeds.Aboxof10reedscostsaround$25.00andcanlast(withpropercare)upto4months.Someorthodonticsisokay.

ClarinetPersonality:DiligentandFocused

AltoSaxophoneThesaxophoneisawoodwindinstrument.Itusesasinglereedandmouthpiecetoproducethesound.Becauseofthevolumeproduced,onlyafewstudentswillbechosenforthiseachyear.PhysicalCharacteristics:Sincethebalanceofthesaxophoneismaintainedbytheuseofaneckstrap,itisextremelyimportantthatstudentsbeabletositupcompletelystraightwhenaskedto.OtherConsiderations:Saxophoneplayersareresponsibleformaintainingaworkingstockof4-6qualityreeds.Aboxof10reedscostsaround$23.00andcanlast(withpropercare)upto4months.AltoSaxophonestudentswillhavetheopportunitytoauditionforTenorSaxorBaritoneSax(basedontheirprovenmusicalandbehavioralabilitieswhileplayingthealtosaxophone)asa7thgrader.

AltoSaxophonePersonality:StudiousandConfident

TrumpetThetrumpetisthesmallestmemberofthebrassfamily.Thesoundonthetrumpetisproducedbybuzzingintoasmallcup-shapedmouthpiece.Thisisapopularinstrument.PhysicalCharacteristics:Whileorthodonticsissomewhattroublesometoatrumpetplayer,itisnotimpossibletomakegoodsoundswithbraces.Aslightoverbiteisokay,butanunderbitecanseverelyhinderprogressoncornet/trumpet.Trumpetplayerscomeinallshapesandsizes.OtherConsiderations:Trumpetpartsusuallyhavethemelody(recognizable)part.Therefore,studentswhochooseandareselectedfortrumpetshouldexhibitaconfidentdemeanor,strongpersonality,anddemonstrateahighlevelofself-motivation.

TrumpetPersonality:ConfidentandDaring

FrenchHornTheFrenchHornisamemberofthebrassfamily.ThesoundoftheFrenchHornisproducedbybuzzingintoasmallmouthpiecesimilartoatrumpet.Studentswithgoodmusicalears(suchasHonorChoirstudentsandpianoplayers)shouldconsiderFrenchHorn.PhysicalCharacteristics:WhileorthodonticsissomewhattroublesometoaFrenchHornplayer,itisnotimpossibletomakegoodsoundswithbraces.Aslightoverbiteisokay,butanunderbitecanseverelyhinderprogressonFrenchHorn.TheFrenchHorn’svalvesaremanipulatedwiththeLEFThand.OtherConsiderations:BecauseofthedifficultnatureofFrenchHornnotes(mentionedabove),studentsshouldexhibitGREATabilitytomatchsungorplayedpitchesbyhummingorsinging.Thisisagoodinstrumentchoiceforstudentswhohaveparticipatedinpianolessonsorhonorchoirgroups.StudentswithahistoryofacademicorbehavioralproblemswillNOTbeselectedforFrenchHorn.

FrenchHornPersonality:AcademicandBrave

TromboneTromboneplayersshouldhavegood“musicalears”.Thetromboneisplayedliketheotherbrassinstruments(buzzingintoacup-shapedmouthpiece),butusesaslideinsteadofvalves.TheslideisnotmarkedornotchedandplayersrelyontheirmemoryandlisteningskillstotelliftheyareintheEXACTproperlocation.StudentswithgoodmusicalearsshouldconsiderTrombone.PhysicalCharacteristics:Whilesomemightthinkthattromboneplayersmusthavelongarms,thetruthistherearenumerousaccommodationsthatmakeitpossibleforstudentsofallshapesandsizestoplay.Tromboneplayersshouldhaveaveragetofullerlipsize.OtherConsiderations:Greattromboneplayingtakesgoodconcentrationandstudy.Manyquietacademicianshaveexcelledattrombone.Thisisagoodinstrumentchoiceforstudentswhohaveparticipatedinpianolessonsorhonorchoirgroups.Bracesok.

TrombonePersonality:SenseofHumor,Confident,Brave

BaritoneThebaritoneisbasicallyatrombonethatiswrappedupandhasvalvesinsteadofaslide!PhysicalConsiderations:Whilethepictureatthesidemakesthisinstrumentlooklarge,itisactuallyamediumsizedinstrument.Somebaritonecasesarelargerthanothers,buttheinstrumentitselfsitsinone’slapverycomfortably.Averagetofullerlipsisalsoagoodideaforthisinstrument.Bracesok.

BaritonePersonality:DreamerandDiligent

TubaThetubaisthelargestinstrumentinthebandandmanywouldbelieveitwouldbehardtophysicallymanage.Thetubasweuseforbeginnersare3/4sizeandeasytohandle.Therearealimitedamountoftubas,studentswhoarenotselectedfortubamayberecommendedtoplayabaritone(smallerversion).PhysicalCharacteristics:Tubaplayersneedtohavefulllipsandalargelungcapacity.Whilethesizeofthestudentdoesn’tmatterTOOmuch,alongtorso(upperbody)helpsastudentreachthemouthpieceofthetubawhilerestingthebottomofthetubaontheedgeoftheirchairoracrossthethighs.OtherConsiderations:Whilewedohavealimitednumberoftubastoleaveathome,itisagoodideatoconsiderbeingacarrideronceortwiceaweektobringthishome.Bracesok.

TubaPersonality:Unique,Fun-Loving,Brave

PercussionJustbecauseyouarealwaystappingonthingsdoesnotmeanyouareanaturalpercussionist(drummer).Infact,thepercussionsectionisthemostselect,hand-pickedsectionoftheband.Onlystudentswithhighgrades,lowdisciplineproblems,andextremelyhighgrossandfinemotorskillswillbeconsideredforpercussion.Thisisapopularinstrument.PhysicalCharacteristics:Studentsshouldexhibitagreatdealofcoordinationingrossandfinemotorskills.OtherConsiderations:Thepercussionfamilyincludesmalletinstruments(bells,xylophone,marimba,vibes),accessories(triangle,tambourine,cymbals)andbatteryinstruments(snaredrum,bassdrum,timpani).Drumsetisnottaughtatschool.

PercussionPersonality:CoordinatedandOrganized