Beginning Band Instrument Choices and approximate number of students placed on each instrument Instrument Instrument Choices Descriptions • sound made by blowing air across the tone hole Flute • notes manipulated by pressing combinations of 14 different keys Clarinet Saxophone • the flute tends to play the melody frequently, as it is the highest of the woodwinds • • • sound made by blowing into a mouthpiece with a reed notes manipulated by pressing combinations of 23 different keys and holes the clarinet has a dark and warm sound, and is used in melodies and accompaniments equally players will need to purchase reeds on a continual basis sound made by blowing into a mouthpiece with a reed notes manipulated by pressing combinations of 22 different keys saxophone has a unique sound that cuts through the band, so not many are needed in a concert style ensemble, and they usually play accompaniment parts. players will need to purchase reeds on a continual basis saxophones cost about double what the other beginning instruments cost 25 sound made by blowing into a double reed notes manipulated by pressing combinations of 16 different keys the oboe is frequently used as a solo instrument in more advanced music literature as it has a very unique tone players will need to purchase reeds on a continual basis sound made by blowing into a double reed notes manipulated by pressing combinations of 26 different keys and holes the bassoon has a very wide range of high and low notes, although is most frequently used as a low instrument in middle school bands sound made by vibrating lips together and blowing into the metal mouthpiece notes manipulated by pressing combinations of 3 keys and by changing lip vibrations, air speed and air direction the trumpet is used to play the melody very frequently sound made by vibrating lips together and blowing into the metal mouthpiece notes manipulated by pressing combinations of 4 keys and by changing lip vibrations, air speed and air direction the French horn plays the accompaniment parts frequently, but is used as a specialty instrument when it has the melody 2 • • • • • • Oboe • • • Bassoon • • • • Trumpet • • French horn • • • • Trombone • • • Percussion • • • • Euphonium Tuba Number of players 15 • sound made by vibrating lips together and blowing into the metal mouthpiece notes manipulated by moving a slide and by changing lip vibrations, air speed and air direction the trombone is a very important part of the brass section sound and although they frequently have a supporting roll, a band must have good trombone players to give it the strength of sound it needs for the impact point of their music percussion is its own instrument family the main instruments include: snare drum, bass drum, timpani, bells, xylophone, marimba, and cymbals auxiliary instruments include: tambourine, cabasa, guiro, claves, toms, wind chimes, triangle, congas, bongos and many others Percussion is not the same as “drums”. Percussion class is very challenging and students will have to learn more, learn faster, and be more self-disciplined than any other instrument. You will need to bring a current report card to the interview night to be considered for the percussion class. We do not start any students on euphonium or tuba at the beginning of the year. We will ask some students to switch to these instruments later in the year if we think they would be really successful on them. We usually switch 3 or 4 students to each of them. 8 2 25 6 20 8 0
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