Signal Mountain Middle School Band Mountain Middle School Band 6th Grade Instrument Selection Guide...
Transcript of Signal Mountain Middle School Band Mountain Middle School Band 6th Grade Instrument Selection Guide...
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