SignalMountainMiddleSchoolBand
th
6 GradeInstrumentSelectionGuide
Choosinganinstrumentisanexcitingfirststeptolearningmusic!Thisguidewillexplain
howtheinstrumentselectionprocessworksandinformationabouteachinstrument.
InstrumentSelectionProcess
Inband,studentslearnhowtoplayoneinstrumentforanentireschoolyear.Beginning
bandinstrumentsincludeflute,clarinet,altosaxophone,trumpet,Frenchhorn,trombone,
baritone,tuba,andpercussion.Startingin7thgrade,weoffersomeadditionalinstruments:
oboe,bassoon,bassclarinet,tenorsaxophone,andbaritonesaxophone.
Itisimportanttounderstandthatthereareasetnumberofstudentsselectedtoplay
eachinstrumentdependingonthesizeoftheband.Thiswillensureanenjoyablemusical
experienceforeveryone.Thebanddirectorwilltrytoaccommodatetherequestsofthe
parentorstudent.However,spotsforaninstrumentmustfollowtwoguidelines:1.The
studentmustachieveaminimumscoreonthatinstrumentandbeapprovedbyMr.Buckner,
2.Multiplestudentsthatareapprovedonaparticularinstrumentwillbeselectedonafirstcome-firstservedbasis.ScoresoninstrumentsaredoneatThrasherandNolanElementary
eachyear,aswellasoninformationalmeetinginthemiddleschoolbandroomeachMay.
Studentsthatalreadytriedoutinstrumentswillalsobeabletotryanyinstrumentagainthat
night.
Instruments
Flute
Thefluteisthesmallestofthebeginnerinstruments.Itisa
verypopularselectioneachyear,butonlyasmallportionof
thosewishingtoplayflutewillbeselected.
PhysicalCharacteristics:Fluteplayersshouldhaveaslight
“frown”totheupperlipwithNOteardropshapeinthe
middle.Flutetonesareproducedbybeingabletofocusan
extremelysmallairstreamtoanexactlocationonthetone
hole.Thetear-drop-shapedlipwillmakeitdifficulttodirect
theairsoprecisely.Fluteplayersshouldalsohaveagile
fingersformovingthismulti-keyedinstrumentthroughafast
musicalpassage.Studentswithextremeoverbites(receded
jaw)shouldavoidchoosingfluteasthismakesitdifficultto
producequalitysounds.Flexiblelowerlipdesirable.
OtherConsiderations:Studentswithdouble-jointedfingers
shouldavoidselectingfluteasthisconditioncancauselackof
agilityinthefingers.Bracesok.
FlutePersonality:
Careful,Patient,Studious
Clarinet
Theclarinetusesa“singlereed”andamouthpieceto
producethesound.Clarinetisapopularinstrumenteach
yearandmanystudentswillgettheopportunitytoplay.
PhysicalCharacteristics:Onenecessityofclarinettone
productionistheabilitytomakethechinflat.
OtherConsiderations:Studentswhohavedifficulty
rememberingaseriesofinstructionsshouldavoidplaying
clarinet.Clarinetplayersarealsoresponsibleformaintaining
aworkingstockof4-6qualityreeds.Aboxof10reedscosts
around$25.00andcanlast(withpropercare)upto4
months.Someorthodonticsisokay.
ClarinetPersonality:
DiligentandFocused
AltoSaxophone
Thesaxophoneisawoodwindinstrument.Itusesasingle
reedandmouthpiecetoproducethesound.Becauseofthe
volumeproduced,onlyafewstudentswillbechosenforthis
eachyear.
PhysicalCharacteristics:Sincethebalanceofthesaxophone
ismaintainedbytheuseofaneckstrap,itisextremely
importantthatstudentsbeabletositupcompletelystraight
whenaskedto.
OtherConsiderations:Saxophoneplayersareresponsiblefor
maintainingaworkingstockof4-6qualityreeds.Aboxof10
reedscostsaround$23.00andcanlast(withpropercare)up
to4months.AltoSaxophonestudentswillhavethe
opportunitytoauditionforTenorSaxorBaritoneSax(based
ontheirprovenmusicalandbehavioralabilitieswhileplaying
thealtosaxophone)asa7thgrader.
AltoSaxophonePersonality:
StudiousandConfident
Trumpet
Thetrumpetisthesmallestmemberofthebrassfamily.The
soundonthetrumpetisproducedbybuzzingintoasmall
cup-shapedmouthpiece.Thisisapopularinstrument.
PhysicalCharacteristics:Whileorthodonticsissomewhat
troublesometoatrumpetplayer,itisnotimpossibletomake
goodsoundswithbraces.Aslightoverbiteisokay,butan
underbitecanseverelyhinderprogressoncornet/trumpet.
Trumpetplayerscomeinallshapesandsizes.
OtherConsiderations:Trumpetpartsusuallyhavethe
melody(recognizable)part.Therefore,studentswhochoose
andareselectedfortrumpetshouldexhibitaconfident
TrumpetPersonality:
demeanor,strongpersonality,anddemonstrateahighlevel
ConfidentandDaring
ofself-motivation.
FrenchHorn
TheFrenchHornisamemberofthebrassfamily.Thesound
oftheFrenchHornisproducedbybuzzingintoasmall
mouthpiecesimilartoatrumpet.Studentswithgoodmusical
ears(suchasHonorChoirstudentsandpianoplayers)should
considerFrenchHorn.
PhysicalCharacteristics:Whileorthodonticsissomewhat
troublesometoaFrenchHornplayer,itisnotimpossibleto
makegoodsoundswithbraces.Aslightoverbiteisokay,but
anunderbitecanseverelyhinderprogressonFrenchHorn.
TheFrenchHorn’svalvesaremanipulatedwiththeLEFT
hand.
OtherConsiderations:Becauseofthedifficultnatureof
FrenchHornnotes(mentionedabove),studentsshould
exhibitGREATabilitytomatchsungorplayedpitchesby
hummingorsinging.Thisisagoodinstrumentchoicefor
studentswhohaveparticipatedinpianolessonsorhonor
choirgroups.Studentswithahistoryofacademicor
behavioralproblemswillNOTbeselectedforFrenchHorn.
FrenchHornPersonality:
AcademicandBrave
Trombone
Tromboneplayersshouldhavegood“musicalears”.The
tromboneisplayedliketheotherbrassinstruments(buzzing
intoacup-shapedmouthpiece),butusesaslideinsteadof
valves.Theslideisnotmarkedornotchedandplayersrelyon
theirmemoryandlisteningskillstotelliftheyareinthe
EXACTproperlocation.Studentswithgoodmusicalears
shouldconsiderTrombone.
PhysicalCharacteristics:Whilesomemightthinkthat
tromboneplayersmusthavelongarms,thetruthisthereare
numerousaccommodationsthatmakeitpossiblefor
studentsofallshapesandsizestoplay.Tromboneplayers
shouldhaveaveragetofullerlipsize.
OtherConsiderations:Greattromboneplayingtakesgood
concentrationandstudy.Manyquietacademicianshave
TrombonePersonality:
excelledattrombone.Thisisagoodinstrumentchoicefor
SenseofHumor,Confident,Brave
studentswhohaveparticipatedinpianolessonsorhonor
choirgroups.Bracesok.
Baritone
Thebaritoneisbasicallyatrombonethatiswrappedupand
hasvalvesinsteadofaslide!
PhysicalConsiderations:
Whilethepictureatthesidemakesthisinstrumentlook
large,itisactuallyamediumsizedinstrument.Somebaritone
casesarelargerthanothers,buttheinstrumentitselfsitsin
one’slapverycomfortably.Averagetofullerlipsisalsoa
goodideaforthisinstrument.Bracesok.
BaritonePersonality:
DreamerandDiligent
Tuba
Thetubaisthelargestinstrumentinthebandandmany
wouldbelieveitwouldbehardtophysicallymanage.The
tubasweuseforbeginnersare3/4sizeandeasytohandle.
Therearealimitedamountoftubas,studentswhoarenot
selectedfortubamayberecommendedtoplayabaritone
(smallerversion).
PhysicalCharacteristics:Tubaplayersneedtohavefulllips
andalargelungcapacity.Whilethesizeofthestudent
doesn’tmatterTOOmuch,alongtorso(upperbody)helpsa
studentreachthemouthpieceofthetubawhilerestingthe
bottomofthetubaontheedgeoftheirchairoracrossthe
thighs.
OtherConsiderations:Whilewedohavealimitednumberof
tubastoleaveathome,itisagoodideatoconsiderbeinga
carrideronceortwiceaweektobringthishome.Bracesok.
TubaPersonality:
Unique,Fun-Loving,Brave
Percussion
Justbecauseyouarealwaystappingonthingsdoesnotmean
youareanaturalpercussionist(drummer).Infact,the
percussionsectionisthemostselect,hand-pickedsectionof
theband.Onlystudentswithhighgrades,lowdiscipline
problems,andextremelyhighgrossandfinemotorskillswill
beconsideredforpercussion.Thisisapopularinstrument.
PhysicalCharacteristics:Studentsshouldexhibitagreatdeal
ofcoordinationingrossandfinemotorskills.
OtherConsiderations:Thepercussionfamilyincludesmallet
instruments(bells,xylophone,marimba,vibes),accessories
(triangle,tambourine,cymbals)andbatteryinstruments
(snaredrum,bassdrum,timpani).Drumsetisnottaughtat
PercussionPersonality:
school.
CoordinatedandOrganized